Anomalies

By: Sadie Turner, Colette Freedman

Narrated by: Lucinda Clare, Punch Audio

In the future there is no disease. There is no war. There is no discontent. All citizens are complacent members of the Global Governance. But one summer is about to change everything. Keeva Tee just turned 15. She's about to make the trip to Monarch Camp to be imprinted with her intended life partner. But in her happy, carefree life in the Ocean Community, she hears whispers about "anomalies" - citizens who can't be imprinted. When Keeva arrives at Monarch Camp, her worst nightmare becomes a reality - she is an anomaly. She begins to doubt everything she's ever believed. What if freedom and individuality have been sacrificed for security? When Keeva finds a warning carved under a bunk bed she begins to understand: nonconformity will be punished, dissent is not an option, insurgents will be destroyed.

©2016 Sadie Turner (P)2016 Sadie Turner

A shorter listen good for a short weekend

I am officially an Audible addict, and books like this only add to my need to read, er, listen.  Although there is a bit of a buildup, I didn't find this too be too slowly paced for the greater part of the book.  It wasn't nearly as choppy as you might expect from a duo, although there were times when I think I could definitely hear one author over another.  As a scifi story it stands up well to current YA offerings, but it's also more than that.  It's a look into the sometimes painful part of realizing that you might not be like everyone else, and while not always, this can be a dangerous thing.  Especially in an age when conformity is mandatory.  Eerie and thought provoking, this makes for a thrilling listen and might not be best right before bed time if you actually want to get any sleep.

3.5 stars and my thanks to YA Bound books for the review opportunity.

Gotta love those cliffhangers!

What made the experience of listening to Anomalies the most enjoyable?

Lucinda Clare did a wonderful job, and I was able to rely on her changes in tone and depiction for character reference. This is the first audio-book of this style I've listened to, and I wasn't disappointed.

What other book might you compare Anomalies to and why?

Overall, this story is somewhat unoriginal, in the sense that it has themes and plot lines you find in many Young Adult Dystopian Adventures. The parts that are unique, however, are ones I haven't seen in any other book thus far. I can't think of any specific books to compare it to.

Have you listened to any of Lucinda Clare and Punch Audio ’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This was my first audio-book experience, and I'm glad Lucinda Clare was the narrator, as I've been quite pleased with her performance. I haven't listened to any of her other narrations, but she is someone who would enhance my likelihood to purchase and listen to other audio-books, if she's the voice behind it.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Many - far too many to list here.

Any additional comments?

The characters are all unique, and while the names took a few chapters to get straight, the originality of each one was refreshing. The authors placed great attention and detail on character development, and each character introduced grew quite a bit during the course of the story - even the random side characters.

Great, with many twists and turns

This is certainly a series to watch out for. I don't think there's a sequel yet, but I hope there'll be.
This drew me in right from the start, and it kept me glued to my earphones until the end.

The idea itself isn't novel, I was reminded of other well-known novels with the same topic, but that doesn't mean the story is old. On the contrary, it is a very refreshing tale of what happens if you don't fit the norm. Keeva needs to find out who she is, what she is supposed to do, what is truth and what are lies, who is friend and who is foe. It's a coming of age story, and so much more.
There are very many twists and turns, and some of the truths Keeva discovers are completely unexpected.
Lucinda Clare did a fabulous job at narrating the story, bringing all the characters to life, as well as the world. It was like watching a film (I can absolutely imagine this on the screen).
The authors as well as the narrator were new to me, but I'll watch out for other books by them, and I really hope I won't have to wait for the sequel very long.


I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher. As always, this did not affect my review.

"Divergent" for a younger crowd

I listen to a lot of teen-age sci-fi lit (even though I'm a grown up) and I enjoy the futuristic dystopian settings and the fight to change the world. What I don't always love is the teenage-y angst in a lot of these books- characters over analyzing if another character loves them or how they will ever live up to their grand destiny etc...

One thing I greatly enjoyed about this book is the lack of teenage angst. Well the characters live in a dystopian future society they all seem very well-adjusted and don't spend half the book in their own minds complaining about the state of the world or their position in it. I also appreciated that this book was not overly violence and there was no bad language in it.

The plot of this book is not overly original but there were some original elements in it that really made it more interesting. I also liked that the narration switched between two main characters who are linked even though they had never met.

This was a good quick read and the narrator did an excellent job. I would definitely recommend this book to fans of the "Divergent" and "Hunger Games" series. I look forward to reading the next installment!

Terrific young adult science fiction

Any additional comments?

I reviewed the print edition of this book in April 2016 {https://cncbooksblog.wordpress.com/2016/04/20/book-review-anomalies-by-sadie-turner-and-colette-freedman/} so I won’t go into the story again but, rather, focus this time on the audio aspects of the book. In case I really need to say so 😉 I wouldn’t have listened to the audio book if I didn’t really like the tale already.

An audio version of a book adds an element not present in other versions because the narrator is equally as important as the story. A terrific story can save a mediocre or poor narrator but, on the other hand, can be ruined by the wrong narrator or brought to new heights of appeal by the right one. I’ve listened (briefly) to some less than wonderful readers as well as a few I consider the tops and Lucinda Clare is very, very close to that level.

Ms. Clare has a pleasing tone with inflections that ease the listener into understanding the mood and personality of each character and she has clearly distinct voices for those characters. If I have any quibble at all, it’s that her voice is a little too mature to portray a 15-year-old girl but that’s truly minor. Keeva’s intelligence and curiosity, Calix’s confusion and Sobek’s callousness all come through easily but Ms. Clare doesn’t put all her efforts into evoking the characters.

As the story evolves, she ratchets up the tension and, as a result, my own senses were heightened beyond what I experienced when reading the print version. I felt the impact of each revelation as much as Keeva and Calix did and shared their emotions. In short, the audio edition of Anomalies is well worth the time (and cost) and I can’t imagine anyone not enjoying Ms. Turner’s and Ms. Freedman’s exciting story and Lucinda Clare’s narration.

Reviewed by Lelia Taylor, January 2017.

Loved it!

I am one of (probably) the few people who have not read “The Hunger Games”, nor have I seen the movies. Not because I don’t like the story, but it was so much publicity around it, so many people saying how great the story is, how amazing the main character is that I feel I already know what to expect. So, based on that, I started listening to “Anomalies”, with an open mind, trying not to let my idea of other similar books cloud my judgment.

So all is nice in the world, everything has its place. Everybody knows what will come next, until Keeva discovers she’s an anomaly. She’s now someone whose destiny has been altered, someone who doesn’t fit in anymore. When she realizes she will not be imprinted with her intended partner at Monarch camp, she will be faced with a new future, one she has to decide on.

The authors have created an ideal world, with no diseases, no worries about the next day. Everyone lives in owe of their savior Sobek, who brought peace after a war that nearly caused the extinction of humanity. Society is divided into communities, with specific purposes, being ruled by the Global Governance. An interesting thought. Nowadays people have forgotten to help each other without expecting anything in return.

The main character, Keeva, is part of the Ocean community. She loves the ocean, she loves swimming and can’t wait to be reunited with her intended partner and come together to her beloved community to follow in her father’s footsteps. Still, in all her thoughts, she has never forgotten about her little sister, who was taken away at birth. The words of the strange man that took her have been kept hidden in her soul. Her carefully planned life has been turned upside down when she realizes she’s an anomalie. Though something strange is happening to the ones that do get imprinted.

A person who plans her whole life has to learn to live in the moment. She will have to overcome her fear of the unknown, to follow her instincts.

The action is told mostly from her perspective, but there are also some small passages where we are presented with Calex’s point of view. He is Sobek‘s son and the future ruler of Earth. I appreciated this insight, as it brought a clear understanding of how the Global Governance works and all the plans they have for humanity. Calex also has to face a new life, but as opposed to Keeva, he knows exactly what he has to do, though he’s not entirely sure on how to achieve it.

What I also liked about these two characters was that they never meet in this first book. Calex sees her for just some seconds and there is no super attraction. He sees her as interesting due to her strange red hair but nothing else. And here is the point where all my ideas regarding how this book will end are turned to dust. So for me the action was not that predictable. Sure, there were hints on what to expect, but only on some small level.

As for the reader, Lucinda Clare does a great job! Taking into account I am not a native English user, I had no trouble understanding the words. I only noticed that for one character she used a certain accent, but later on it disappeared (Anelia). No other complains from my side.

So, to close this long review, a total of (wait for it, wait for it) 5 stars go to this amazing collaboration between Sadie Turner and Colette Freedman. I loved the story and the main character was great as well. The quality of the audiobook was great as well so I hope you read it or listen to it

Different....

I liked the premise of this book so requested to listen to it, and this was provided without obligation.

This is the first time I've listened to Lucinda, and I think her first book, though not sure. However, although her accent seemed very well pronounced, can I use the word posh, lol I really enjoyed the performance. She had a nice spin on Keeva as a 15 year old. And she kept me going on a story that maybe wasn't something I'd actually keep on listening to.

Writing wise, I did think the story had some pretty weak spots. The fact some things were repeated from one chapter to the next, really grated on me. Almost the same info, just from two perspectives.

I did enjoy the POV switch to Calix, (apart from that one repetitive chapter) and his life and the life his father wants for him was well developed. I could really get behind him and the way his mother brought him up, and to the way his father wanted him to take over ruling.

I think there were some good twists, Son, and the traitor within the rebels, but Keeva was a little slow in the uptake there... and I wonder why.

The whole novel seemed to only just really get going....when it ended. The battle itself to stop the desalination plant, a huge let down. There really wasn't a lot to win, it seemed just too easy. And so the kidnap of Kai just didn't work for me and left the end of the book on too much of a downer. I almost wished it was just slowed down a bit more, a little more of a fight...

Overall thoughts though, this was different, and the world building was good and the characters, a little young, but they do grow. And they grow into much better characters. I do hope there's another because I would like to come back and find out what happens to Keeva and her friends.

Thank you for the entertaining hours :)

great story

a great story that captures the reader and holds them hostage till the end. the characters are interesting in the atmosphere is almost tangible

Highly recommended

I enjoyed listening to Anomalies. Lucinda Clare's narration is excellent, she is a pleasure to listen to. The book has a good storyline that grips right from the beginning and doesn't let go through out. The pace is good and the characters well fleshed out.
I can't wait for book two!

Divergent fans, this is the book for you!

What did you love best about Anomalies?

This story is brilliant!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Keeva is a well created character. I love how she questions the behavior of the people around her. She wants to be paired with a partner; she wants the sensation of being prepared to live a life in the GG, but . . . Despite this, Keeva has been classified as an Anomaly. Meaning she could not be paired and this separates her from the norm and will undergo trainings and teachings so that she can be paired. Her friends all of a sudden are different. Not in how they might normally behave, but there is a noticeable difference about them.

Which scene was your favorite?

The first scene had me . . . on edge. It takes skill to cause heart palpitations in a reader. And because it was an audio, it was all the more real for me. It was vivid and nerve-wracking, but it was amazing.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Again, the first scene. Walking in to see her mother that way . . . and right after having given birth. Terrible.

Any additional comments?

This is not the start of a series, but personally I feel it truly depends on the book and the story. I felt that the authors concluded the story very well. I love stand-alone novels because I cannot always get the next book in the series, and this book gave me satisfaction. It was definitely much easier to hear this story told through audiobook. I think I did try to start this book last summer, but I don't know what happened. I am very happy with how this story played out. It did not feel rushed, due to being a stand-alone, nor did it feel like the authors were jamming so much into the story to make sure it every detail is told. It's perfectly proportioned.