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Metaltown
Metaltown
Metaltown, where factories rule, food is scarce, and hope is in short supply.
The rules of Metaltown are simple: Work hard, keep your head down, and watch your back. You look out for number one, and no one knows that better than Ty. She’s been surviving on the factory line as long as she can remember. But now Ty has Colin. She’s no longer alone; it’s the two of them against the world. That’s something even a town this brutal can’t take away from her. Until it does.
Lena’s future depends on her family’s factory, a beast that demands a ruthless master, and Lena is prepared to be as ruthless as it takes if it means finally proving herself to her father. But when a chance encounter with Colin, a dreamer despite his circumstances, exposes Lena to the consequences of her actions, she’ll risk everything to do what’s right.
In Lena, Ty sees an heiress with a chip on her shoulder. Colin sees something more. In a world of disease and war, tragedy and betrayal, allies and enemies, all three of them must learn that challenging what they thought was true can change all the rules.
An enthralling story of friendship and rebellion, Metaltown will have you believing in the power of hope.
The rules of Metaltown are simple: Work hard, keep your head down, and watch your back. You look out for number one, and no one knows that better than Ty. She’s been surviving on the factory line as long as she can remember. But now Ty has Colin. She’s no longer alone; it’s the two of them against the world. That’s something even a town this brutal can’t take away from her. Until it does.
Lena’s future depends on her family’s factory, a beast that demands a ruthless master, and Lena is prepared to be as ruthless as it takes if it means finally proving herself to her father. But when a chance encounter with Colin, a dreamer despite his circumstances, exposes Lena to the consequences of her actions, she’ll risk everything to do what’s right.
In Lena, Ty sees an heiress with a chip on her shoulder. Colin sees something more. In a world of disease and war, tragedy and betrayal, allies and enemies, all three of them must learn that challenging what they thought was true can change all the rules.
An enthralling story of friendship and rebellion, Metaltown will have you believing in the power of hope.
385 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 20, 2016
About the author
Kristen Simmons
25 books1,989 followersKristen Simmons is the critically-acclaimed young adult author of the dystopian Article 5 trilogy, The Deceivers boarding-school thriller series, and speculative fiction stand-alones, PACIFICA, METALTOWN, and THE GLASS ARROW. She has co-written the magic-wielding, gladiator fantasies, SET FIRE THE GODS and RISE UP FROM THE EMBERS, and created the yōkai horror, FIND HIM WHERE YOU LEFT HIM DEAD. She is also the author of spicy adult thrillers, including The Masseuse Series and The Talent Trilogy (for mature audiences only).
Her work has received star reviews, librarian recognitions, and been nominated for the Edgar Award and Anthony Award for best young adult mystery. Several of her titles are included in junior high and high school reading curricula, and are used in reluctant reader programs nationwide.
Kristen’s writing is inspired by her work with trauma survivors as a mental health therapist, specializing with soldiers with PTSD and individuals in foster care. She currently lives with her husband and son in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she spins stories, herds a small pack of semi-wild dogs, and teaches Jazzercise.
Follow Kristen on Facebook (Author Kristen Simmons) and Instagram at @kris10writes.
Her work has received star reviews, librarian recognitions, and been nominated for the Edgar Award and Anthony Award for best young adult mystery. Several of her titles are included in junior high and high school reading curricula, and are used in reluctant reader programs nationwide.
Kristen’s writing is inspired by her work with trauma survivors as a mental health therapist, specializing with soldiers with PTSD and individuals in foster care. She currently lives with her husband and son in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she spins stories, herds a small pack of semi-wild dogs, and teaches Jazzercise.
Follow Kristen on Facebook (Author Kristen Simmons) and Instagram at @kris10writes.
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January 8, 2016
Les Mis meets the Newsies.
Prepare to be destroyed, basically.
Prepare to be destroyed, basically.
September 17, 2016
Win a copy of Metaltown!
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
Metaltown by Kristen Simmons
Publisher: Tor Teen
Publication Date: September 20, 2016
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from NetGalley
Summary (from Goodreads):
Metaltown, where factories rule, food is scarce, and hope is in short supply.
The rules of Metaltown are simple: Work hard, keep your head down, and watch your back. You look out for number one, and no one knows that better than Ty. She’s been surviving on the factory line as long as she can remember. But now Ty has Colin. She’s no longer alone; it’s the two of them against the world. That’s something even a town this brutal can’t take away from her. Until it does.
Lena’s future depends on her family’s factory, a beast that demands a ruthless master, and Lena is prepared to be as ruthless as it takes if it means finally proving herself to her father. But when a chance encounter with Colin, a dreamer despite his circumstances, exposes Lena to the consequences of her actions, she’ll risk everything to do what’s right.
In Lena, Ty sees an heiress with a chip on her shoulder. Colin sees something more. In a world of disease and war, tragedy and betrayal, allies and enemies, all three of them must learn that challenging what they thought was true can change all the rules.
An enthralling story of friendship and rebellion, Metaltown will have you believing in the power of hope.
What I Liked:
I'm a huge, huge fan of Kristen Simmons' books, but I was slightly nervous before reading this one. The synopsis sounds love-triangle-y, doesn't it? Plus I read a review written by a very disappointed friend, who made some valid points that I had a feeling would bother me. But when I read the book, I found that I didn't have those same issues, and that I really enjoyed the story. Folks, Metaltown is a heart-pounding and truly heartbreaking story, and it was definitely worth the read.
Metaltown follows the lives three teenagers, two living in Metaltown, one living in the River District. Colin and his family didn't always live in Metaltown, but they do now, and they work in the factories with terrible conditions and awful pay. You mess up, you're fired. Colin and Ty are best friends. Ty is a street-smart orphan, earning her keep just like Colin and so many other underage children with no rights. Meanwhile, Lena Hampton, daughter of Josef Hampton who owns all of the factors, is living a rather cushy and rich life in the River District, a life so different and so privileged. But not all that glitters is gold - even Lena's life is filled with cruelty. The Hamptons' lifestyle depends on the the factories producing weapons for the war. But when certain events occur, the workers of the Small Parts factory decide that they've had enough. A spark turns into a wildfire, and the rebellion begins. But will Lena side with the workers? Will Colin put aside his personal duties for the benefit of everyone? Will Ty accept her fate?
I'm going to be honest - typically I do not enjoy books that follow more than two people. In this book, we get three third-person POVs - Colin's (whose is first), Ty's, and Lena's. This practically screams love triangle (I'll get to that later, but don't worry), and messiness. But Simmons did a really great job in writing the three POVs, and telling the story using each voice. She kept the story flowing at a great pace, and every chapter (which was a POV switch) tied in well with the overall plot. It was clear that each chapter was strategically written from that specific person's POV, and made sense.
Colin's POV is first, and I like to think of him as the "main" protagonist, even though all three are "main" protagonists. Colin is protective, extremely loyal, and very selfless. He works to support himself, his parents, and his brother. He stands with the workers, and for the workers, even when the workers themselves wouldn't band together. Colin is a natural leader, with so much charisma and charm. I adored Colin so much.
Ty is a hardcore spitfire of a girl. She's so tough and so strong, and she goes though so much in this book. Out of all of the characters, I think Ty had it the worst. She suffers a terrible injury, and then loses her job at the factory, and then has nowhere to go. She and Colin look out for each other, and are family to each other. I liked their friendship - it seemed fairly platonic on both sides. I like how protective Ty was of Colin, and how protective she was of other workers too. Ty isn't as obviously selfless as Colin is, and she does have her survival-of-the-fittest moments, but Ty is always trying to help the factory workers. Always.
Lena... it took me a bit to warm up to her. She's the stereotypical spoiled brat, the princess of the kingdom. What makes things worse is that she has no idea of the conditions of the factories, the lack of pay, lack of medical care, etc. But she wants to get involved in the family business, which is how she ends up on a tour of the Small Parts factory. Lena is so naive in the beginning of the book, which is why it was hard to like her. But I did end up liking her; she could be any of us - born in privilege, sheltered all her life, somewhat brainwashed. But Lena is her own brand of strong - she discovers many truths for herself (about the factories, the war, her father, the company). She learns to fight back, to stand up, to choose. I like Lena and I like the development of her character. Her character development is the most obviously progressive (not that the other two do not have great character development!).
Gosh, what an incredible and heartbreaking world Simmons has created. It's very futuristic, a world that we could be living in, in fifty years. Food had to genetically enhanced and modified, but it wasn't tested because it had to be mass-produced, and many people got sick and died from eating the modified corn. Children work in factories for little to no pay (this is a current problem). Brotherhoods are bribed to keep workers happy. Water isn't clean. A war is raging. The world that Simmons has created is very authentic and real, in a futuristic way. It's a hard place to live, with so many people starving, begging, dying. Life working in the factory is miserable.
I feel like all of Simmons' books are somewhat heartbreaking, with cruel worlds and harsh conditions, the survival type of books that could easily be real, in the future. Simmons writes these themes of pain, suffering, death, and hope very well. The story is heartbreaking, but powerful. There is quite a bit of pain and death in this book, but there is also a lot of positive, strong relationship. Human resilience in the face of miserable times!
I said I would talk about the romance. I was so, so worried about a love triangle. But I quickly found that Colin and Ty are like family, and they are very platonic friends. I think Ty is very protective of Colin, but not in a romantic way. Colin and Lena are the romantic pair in this book. It's weird and cute - the poor working-class boy from the other side of the tracks and the rich spoiled princess from her castle high on the hill. I thought the romance was sweet, and fit well. It's a slow-burn type of romance, and there isn't much to the romance (much like The Glass Arrow - the romance is there, but there aren't many physical interactions), but I liked this.
The ending wraps up very well, yet in a heartbreaking way. I saw certain things coming, but I still felt sad over the ending. I would have liked to see how things shaped up, say, 20 years from the ending, but there isn't an epilogue so we don't know how the Great Plan ended up working out. But I can imagine it in my head!
Overall, I liked this book. I shouldn't have been so worried. No love triangle, interesting story, wonderful characters. And it's a standalone!
What I Did Not Like:
I would have loved to see more physical and romantic interactions from Colin and Lena. Lena is somewhat innocent since she's never really allowed to be around people other than her father, brother, and house staff. I would have liked to see more from Colin and Lena, getting used to being physical with each other... that sounds weird, I know. There is only one kiss in this book. There isn't any hand-holding or picking up or cuddling or anything. Maybe it isn't Colin and Lena's style. But I would have loved to see, rather than accept as true, Lena's trusting in Colin, her giving him more and more permission to be with her.
I'm not sure if that makes sense! It would have made Lena's character development more complete, and of course, there would be more in the romance department between Lena and Colin (which I am ALWAYS fine with!).
Would I Recommend It:
Be warned - this isn't a cute story, a happy story, a story that you want to read if you're in the mood for something feel-good. BUT. It's a great story about rebellions and friendships and trust and hope. I liked the story a lot and would recommend it.
Rating:
4 stars. I think my favorite Simmons book remains The Glass Arrow, but I liked this one too!
EDIT, FEBRUARY 9TH: Synopsis is updated! Eee! :D
EDIT, May 2nd:
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
Metaltown by Kristen Simmons
Publisher: Tor Teen
Publication Date: September 20, 2016
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from NetGalley
Summary (from Goodreads):
Metaltown, where factories rule, food is scarce, and hope is in short supply.
The rules of Metaltown are simple: Work hard, keep your head down, and watch your back. You look out for number one, and no one knows that better than Ty. She’s been surviving on the factory line as long as she can remember. But now Ty has Colin. She’s no longer alone; it’s the two of them against the world. That’s something even a town this brutal can’t take away from her. Until it does.
Lena’s future depends on her family’s factory, a beast that demands a ruthless master, and Lena is prepared to be as ruthless as it takes if it means finally proving herself to her father. But when a chance encounter with Colin, a dreamer despite his circumstances, exposes Lena to the consequences of her actions, she’ll risk everything to do what’s right.
In Lena, Ty sees an heiress with a chip on her shoulder. Colin sees something more. In a world of disease and war, tragedy and betrayal, allies and enemies, all three of them must learn that challenging what they thought was true can change all the rules.
An enthralling story of friendship and rebellion, Metaltown will have you believing in the power of hope.
What I Liked:
I'm a huge, huge fan of Kristen Simmons' books, but I was slightly nervous before reading this one. The synopsis sounds love-triangle-y, doesn't it? Plus I read a review written by a very disappointed friend, who made some valid points that I had a feeling would bother me. But when I read the book, I found that I didn't have those same issues, and that I really enjoyed the story. Folks, Metaltown is a heart-pounding and truly heartbreaking story, and it was definitely worth the read.
Metaltown follows the lives three teenagers, two living in Metaltown, one living in the River District. Colin and his family didn't always live in Metaltown, but they do now, and they work in the factories with terrible conditions and awful pay. You mess up, you're fired. Colin and Ty are best friends. Ty is a street-smart orphan, earning her keep just like Colin and so many other underage children with no rights. Meanwhile, Lena Hampton, daughter of Josef Hampton who owns all of the factors, is living a rather cushy and rich life in the River District, a life so different and so privileged. But not all that glitters is gold - even Lena's life is filled with cruelty. The Hamptons' lifestyle depends on the the factories producing weapons for the war. But when certain events occur, the workers of the Small Parts factory decide that they've had enough. A spark turns into a wildfire, and the rebellion begins. But will Lena side with the workers? Will Colin put aside his personal duties for the benefit of everyone? Will Ty accept her fate?
I'm going to be honest - typically I do not enjoy books that follow more than two people. In this book, we get three third-person POVs - Colin's (whose is first), Ty's, and Lena's. This practically screams love triangle (I'll get to that later, but don't worry), and messiness. But Simmons did a really great job in writing the three POVs, and telling the story using each voice. She kept the story flowing at a great pace, and every chapter (which was a POV switch) tied in well with the overall plot. It was clear that each chapter was strategically written from that specific person's POV, and made sense.
Colin's POV is first, and I like to think of him as the "main" protagonist, even though all three are "main" protagonists. Colin is protective, extremely loyal, and very selfless. He works to support himself, his parents, and his brother. He stands with the workers, and for the workers, even when the workers themselves wouldn't band together. Colin is a natural leader, with so much charisma and charm. I adored Colin so much.
Ty is a hardcore spitfire of a girl. She's so tough and so strong, and she goes though so much in this book. Out of all of the characters, I think Ty had it the worst. She suffers a terrible injury, and then loses her job at the factory, and then has nowhere to go. She and Colin look out for each other, and are family to each other. I liked their friendship - it seemed fairly platonic on both sides. I like how protective Ty was of Colin, and how protective she was of other workers too. Ty isn't as obviously selfless as Colin is, and she does have her survival-of-the-fittest moments, but Ty is always trying to help the factory workers. Always.
Lena... it took me a bit to warm up to her. She's the stereotypical spoiled brat, the princess of the kingdom. What makes things worse is that she has no idea of the conditions of the factories, the lack of pay, lack of medical care, etc. But she wants to get involved in the family business, which is how she ends up on a tour of the Small Parts factory. Lena is so naive in the beginning of the book, which is why it was hard to like her. But I did end up liking her; she could be any of us - born in privilege, sheltered all her life, somewhat brainwashed. But Lena is her own brand of strong - she discovers many truths for herself (about the factories, the war, her father, the company). She learns to fight back, to stand up, to choose. I like Lena and I like the development of her character. Her character development is the most obviously progressive (not that the other two do not have great character development!).
Gosh, what an incredible and heartbreaking world Simmons has created. It's very futuristic, a world that we could be living in, in fifty years. Food had to genetically enhanced and modified, but it wasn't tested because it had to be mass-produced, and many people got sick and died from eating the modified corn. Children work in factories for little to no pay (this is a current problem). Brotherhoods are bribed to keep workers happy. Water isn't clean. A war is raging. The world that Simmons has created is very authentic and real, in a futuristic way. It's a hard place to live, with so many people starving, begging, dying. Life working in the factory is miserable.
I feel like all of Simmons' books are somewhat heartbreaking, with cruel worlds and harsh conditions, the survival type of books that could easily be real, in the future. Simmons writes these themes of pain, suffering, death, and hope very well. The story is heartbreaking, but powerful. There is quite a bit of pain and death in this book, but there is also a lot of positive, strong relationship. Human resilience in the face of miserable times!
I said I would talk about the romance. I was so, so worried about a love triangle. But I quickly found that Colin and Ty are like family, and they are very platonic friends. I think Ty is very protective of Colin, but not in a romantic way. Colin and Lena are the romantic pair in this book. It's weird and cute - the poor working-class boy from the other side of the tracks and the rich spoiled princess from her castle high on the hill. I thought the romance was sweet, and fit well. It's a slow-burn type of romance, and there isn't much to the romance (much like The Glass Arrow - the romance is there, but there aren't many physical interactions), but I liked this.
The ending wraps up very well, yet in a heartbreaking way. I saw certain things coming, but I still felt sad over the ending. I would have liked to see how things shaped up, say, 20 years from the ending, but there isn't an epilogue so we don't know how the Great Plan ended up working out. But I can imagine it in my head!
Overall, I liked this book. I shouldn't have been so worried. No love triangle, interesting story, wonderful characters. And it's a standalone!
What I Did Not Like:
I would have loved to see more physical and romantic interactions from Colin and Lena. Lena is somewhat innocent since she's never really allowed to be around people other than her father, brother, and house staff. I would have liked to see more from Colin and Lena, getting used to being physical with each other... that sounds weird, I know. There is only one kiss in this book. There isn't any hand-holding or picking up or cuddling or anything. Maybe it isn't Colin and Lena's style. But I would have loved to see, rather than accept as true, Lena's trusting in Colin, her giving him more and more permission to be with her.
I'm not sure if that makes sense! It would have made Lena's character development more complete, and of course, there would be more in the romance department between Lena and Colin (which I am ALWAYS fine with!).
Would I Recommend It:
Be warned - this isn't a cute story, a happy story, a story that you want to read if you're in the mood for something feel-good. BUT. It's a great story about rebellions and friendships and trust and hope. I liked the story a lot and would recommend it.
Rating:
4 stars. I think my favorite Simmons book remains The Glass Arrow, but I liked this one too!
EDIT, FEBRUARY 9TH: Synopsis is updated! Eee! :D
EDIT, May 2nd:
September 22, 2016
Crooked men run Metaltown, an industrialized city where children are exploited for labor. If the children want rights and proper pay, they must rise up in rebellion and fight for what they deserve.
In this dystopian society, people are divided into three classes: the working poor of Metaltown; the educated but struggling middle class of Bakerstown, and the wealthy elite of the River District. Clean water is scarce. Most food is genetically engineered from synthetic substances, released to the public after having been tested for safety by whatever poor fools have landed themselves in prison. And war rages outside the city.
The most intriguing aspect of the book is Metaltown, a city where plumes of smoke blot out the sun and poor children work sixteen hour days in dangerous conditions. But Metaltown is underdeveloped and rarely described, overlooked in favor of paying attention to the love triangle of three teenagers who take center stage in this story.
The characters suffer from a serious lack of want, which made for a story that felt aimless at times. Of the three protagonists, the most dynamic character is the one forced to question every aspect of the life she's always known, while the other two remain one dimensional throughout. Ty spends so much time grinding her teeth it's a wonder she has any teeth left. Colin is the token hot guy: The girl giggled, maybe at them, maybe just to flirt with Colin. Girls were always losing their heads around him. And Lena's actions are driven in equal parts by a need to impress her father and a need to impress the hot guy.
This book is classified as a dystopian science fiction novel, but it might have been more suitable in a historical fiction category.
Metaltown is a fine read, but there's nothing new here.
In this dystopian society, people are divided into three classes: the working poor of Metaltown; the educated but struggling middle class of Bakerstown, and the wealthy elite of the River District. Clean water is scarce. Most food is genetically engineered from synthetic substances, released to the public after having been tested for safety by whatever poor fools have landed themselves in prison. And war rages outside the city.
The most intriguing aspect of the book is Metaltown, a city where plumes of smoke blot out the sun and poor children work sixteen hour days in dangerous conditions. But Metaltown is underdeveloped and rarely described, overlooked in favor of paying attention to the love triangle of three teenagers who take center stage in this story.
The characters suffer from a serious lack of want, which made for a story that felt aimless at times. Of the three protagonists, the most dynamic character is the one forced to question every aspect of the life she's always known, while the other two remain one dimensional throughout. Ty spends so much time grinding her teeth it's a wonder she has any teeth left. Colin is the token hot guy: The girl giggled, maybe at them, maybe just to flirt with Colin. Girls were always losing their heads around him. And Lena's actions are driven in equal parts by a need to impress her father and a need to impress the hot guy.
This book is classified as a dystopian science fiction novel, but it might have been more suitable in a historical fiction category.
Metaltown is a fine read, but there's nothing new here.
July 5, 2018
When I started Metaltown I was expecting a standard YA dystopia with all the tropes typical for the genre. Nothing outstanding, just your classic Novel Recommended by the Author of Much Better, More Famous Book (well, in this case we talk about Sara Raasch who penned Snow Like Ashes so I am not so sure about the last part).
Anyway.
The only thing you need to know about Metaltown is that it is most definitely NOT a dystopia; instead, you get a book about social justice, child labour, workers’ rights and solidariTY.
And that there is nothing extraordinary about it, except for Ty – a girl as strong as the ideas that drove her. I loved Ty all the more for the fact that she reminded me of a real-life Ty – Anna Solidarity aka Anna Walentynowicz. The very woman who created the peaceful social movement that brought down the Communist regime (and was NEVER recognised for it, screw you Lech Walesa).
Now, this is probably something they do not teach you during your courses on feminism, so buckle up and listen closely:
In 1950 Anna Walentynowicz enrolled in a welder course and was sent to Gdansk Shipyard. She quickly became a frontrunner making 270% of the norm, which is a huge thing in the communist economy. Her photos were taken to the newspapers and she became a celebrity.
Anna the Welder <3
However, she soon gave up the communist party membership and joined the Women's League. As an activist of this organization, she began to lobby for the workers’ rights. It was when her trouble with the Public Security Office started.
Over time the hard work of a welder ruined her health. However, she resigned from the possibility of obtaining disability pension and re-qualified for the crane. In 1968, when she was demanding to explain the embezzlement of money from the welfare fund, a first attempt was made to throw her out of work. In her defense, the entire unit crew stood up.
During a workers' protest in December 1970, Anna Walentynowicz was preparing meals for strikers. She was always there – in the centre of all things.
Anna the Caring <3
In 1978 she became one of the co-founders of the Polish Free Trade Unions (FTU). She acted openly. Her apartment was the FTU’s main contact point. This led to more severe harassment from the Security Service: 48 hours detentions, constant revisions, a threat of dismissal. Anna has been under constant surveillance by over 100 officers and secret associates of the Security Service (in 1981 they were even planning to kill her by poisoning her!).
On August 8, 1980, after thirty years of exemplary performance of her duties, five months before she hit the retirement age, Anna Walentynowicz was fired from the shipyard under disciplinary charges. The decision of the management triggered a strike on August 14, during which Solidarity was created. Two days later dozens of workplaces had joined the protests; 50 thousand people stood in defence of one woman. The first postulate of protesting workers was the restoration of Anna Walentynowicz to work.
As you know – they won a victory much bigger than they dreamed of.
Anna the Feminist <3
So read the Metaltown for a 3-star entertainment, but even better, read up about Anna or watch this documentary about her.
And then do your best to continue her legacy.
Old Anna at the (derelict) Shipyard where she had beaten the Communist regime:
Anyway.
The only thing you need to know about Metaltown is that it is most definitely NOT a dystopia; instead, you get a book about social justice, child labour, workers’ rights and solidariTY.
And that there is nothing extraordinary about it, except for Ty – a girl as strong as the ideas that drove her. I loved Ty all the more for the fact that she reminded me of a real-life Ty – Anna Solidarity aka Anna Walentynowicz. The very woman who created the peaceful social movement that brought down the Communist regime (and was NEVER recognised for it, screw you Lech Walesa).
Now, this is probably something they do not teach you during your courses on feminism, so buckle up and listen closely:
In 1950 Anna Walentynowicz enrolled in a welder course and was sent to Gdansk Shipyard. She quickly became a frontrunner making 270% of the norm, which is a huge thing in the communist economy. Her photos were taken to the newspapers and she became a celebrity.
Anna the Welder <3
However, she soon gave up the communist party membership and joined the Women's League. As an activist of this organization, she began to lobby for the workers’ rights. It was when her trouble with the Public Security Office started.
Over time the hard work of a welder ruined her health. However, she resigned from the possibility of obtaining disability pension and re-qualified for the crane. In 1968, when she was demanding to explain the embezzlement of money from the welfare fund, a first attempt was made to throw her out of work. In her defense, the entire unit crew stood up.
During a workers' protest in December 1970, Anna Walentynowicz was preparing meals for strikers. She was always there – in the centre of all things.
Anna the Caring <3
In 1978 she became one of the co-founders of the Polish Free Trade Unions (FTU). She acted openly. Her apartment was the FTU’s main contact point. This led to more severe harassment from the Security Service: 48 hours detentions, constant revisions, a threat of dismissal. Anna has been under constant surveillance by over 100 officers and secret associates of the Security Service (in 1981 they were even planning to kill her by poisoning her!).
On August 8, 1980, after thirty years of exemplary performance of her duties, five months before she hit the retirement age, Anna Walentynowicz was fired from the shipyard under disciplinary charges. The decision of the management triggered a strike on August 14, during which Solidarity was created. Two days later dozens of workplaces had joined the protests; 50 thousand people stood in defence of one woman. The first postulate of protesting workers was the restoration of Anna Walentynowicz to work.
As you know – they won a victory much bigger than they dreamed of.
Anna the Feminist <3
So read the Metaltown for a 3-star entertainment, but even better, read up about Anna or watch this documentary about her.
And then do your best to continue her legacy.
Old Anna at the (derelict) Shipyard where she had beaten the Communist regime:
September 11, 2016
Omg so stinking good you guys!!! And Kristen Simmons be proud, you had tears welling in my eyes at that one part!!!
Full review to come but Simmons has created an amazing and raw story of perseverance ... A story of friendship and family and fighting for what you believe in. Definitely get this on your must read list immediately!
Full Review - 9/11
Metaltown is a raw and gritty story of perseverance, a story of friendship, family and fighting for what you believe in, no matter the cost.
In Metaltown, as long as you keep your head down and do your work, you should be fine. Told from three very different perspectives, Simmons tells a story of a group of kids who are determined to fight for what is right. Ty, at fifteen, has been surviving on her own for so long she struggles to put her trust in anyone else, Colin, who convinces her that he’s worth that trust, and Lena, a girl from the other side who wants to fix the problems and change the world her family has helped create.
I’m just going to say it right now. This book is not about a potential romance… so please get that out of your mind before diving in. IS there a romance… sort of. Colin is definitely interested in Lena, but there are so many outside things happening that a true romance isn’t what this story is about and it’s such a minor part of the story that it would have felt out of place if it became a big part of the story. Are there unrequited feelings for a character? Yes. And that’s all I’m going to say about that.
I love the dark, gritty world that Simmons has created in this story, it’s scary, it’s unpredictable and I felt like I was right there next to these characters fighting for their rights. Ty is the scrappy, tough girl who isn’t going to stand on the sidelines and let people wrong her. She’s had a rough life, and it’s gotten worse more recently. Colin loves Ty… like a sister, or one of the guys. He’s struggling to help his mom make ends meet and keep his brother out of trouble and he certainly never expects to become the face of the rebellion, but he does. And Lena… she’s struggled to get her father to see her worth, to get him to see that she wants to be more than some man’s wife. When she meets Colin and Ty she sees the despicable things that are happening to those who are working for the companies her father runs and she wants to help change them.
Together these three unlikely partners are ready to ‘pressback’ against the evils of the city and face the consequences that choice may bring.
If you love stories of revolution and hope this one is for you! With captivating characters and a story that you will be completely engrossed in, you won’t want to put this one down until you turn the last page.
Thank you to the publisher for an early copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Full review to come but Simmons has created an amazing and raw story of perseverance ... A story of friendship and family and fighting for what you believe in. Definitely get this on your must read list immediately!
Full Review - 9/11
Metaltown is a raw and gritty story of perseverance, a story of friendship, family and fighting for what you believe in, no matter the cost.
In Metaltown, as long as you keep your head down and do your work, you should be fine. Told from three very different perspectives, Simmons tells a story of a group of kids who are determined to fight for what is right. Ty, at fifteen, has been surviving on her own for so long she struggles to put her trust in anyone else, Colin, who convinces her that he’s worth that trust, and Lena, a girl from the other side who wants to fix the problems and change the world her family has helped create.
I’m just going to say it right now. This book is not about a potential romance… so please get that out of your mind before diving in. IS there a romance… sort of. Colin is definitely interested in Lena, but there are so many outside things happening that a true romance isn’t what this story is about and it’s such a minor part of the story that it would have felt out of place if it became a big part of the story. Are there unrequited feelings for a character? Yes. And that’s all I’m going to say about that.
I love the dark, gritty world that Simmons has created in this story, it’s scary, it’s unpredictable and I felt like I was right there next to these characters fighting for their rights. Ty is the scrappy, tough girl who isn’t going to stand on the sidelines and let people wrong her. She’s had a rough life, and it’s gotten worse more recently. Colin loves Ty… like a sister, or one of the guys. He’s struggling to help his mom make ends meet and keep his brother out of trouble and he certainly never expects to become the face of the rebellion, but he does. And Lena… she’s struggled to get her father to see her worth, to get him to see that she wants to be more than some man’s wife. When she meets Colin and Ty she sees the despicable things that are happening to those who are working for the companies her father runs and she wants to help change them.
Together these three unlikely partners are ready to ‘pressback’ against the evils of the city and face the consequences that choice may bring.
If you love stories of revolution and hope this one is for you! With captivating characters and a story that you will be completely engrossed in, you won’t want to put this one down until you turn the last page.
Thank you to the publisher for an early copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
September 12, 2016
Dear Kristen Simmons...you get me, okay? I loved everything about this book and that's even though you made me cry.
Full Review:
If I haven’t told you this yet, you are going to want to add Metaltown by Kristen Simmons to your to be read list/shelf. I am fairly certain I hit every single emotion while reading Metaltown and I can’t even tell you everything. There are so many things that I loved about this book and I am fairly certain that I won’t be able to give it the justice it deserves in my review – I’m a rambler when I really enjoy a book. Nevertheless I will do my best and definitely try not to spoil anything.
At its heart, this story is about standing up for your beliefs, family and friendship. And when I say family…that doesn’t always mean the family you are born to, it can also be the people you choose as your own. The characters at the heart of this story are Ty, Colin, and Lena. They all have different backgrounds but ultimately end up together fighting for a better life for all.
Metaltown is a place where factories make all the rules and they are really only interested in making a profit. Regardless of the conditions, most people fight for a place on the factory lines because if you don’t work, you end up on the streets. If you are living on the streets, you could end up dead so working, no matter what your age, is the only ways people can survive. If someone can provide value, they are used however the factory foreman sees fit. The Brotherhood is there to support the workers’ rights and is led by Jed Schultz but it is easy to see that Schultz is really only looking out for himself.
Ty really is my favorite character in this book. I don’t know what it was about her but from the first page of introduction to her, I loved her. She is not perfect…not even close and she did some things I didn’t agree with and ultimately put her in a bad position but I could understand where she was coming from and why she did what she did. Ty has been on her own for quite a while and when she vouched for Colin, they became linked like family. Even though Ty has Colin, she is still very independent and tries to be as tough as she has to be to survive. Underneath all the clothes and her toughness though, she really is just a young girl who has been dealt a bad hand.
Colin doesn’t have things easy either but he hasn’t always lived in Metaltown and he has a family. For me, Colin is the optimist. He believes there has to be something better and the factory workers can influence change. He is always looking for the good in people and a way to make things better. Simply put, he wants something more than what Metaltown has to offer. Colin values loyalty and cares about his family and if there is one thing he wants most, it is to protect the people he loves. I love this about Colin and I can’t fault him for his decisions…even if I didn’t like them all the time.
Lena is a Hampton…as in Hampton Industries which owns the factory that Ty and Colin work in. She has a very different life from Ty and Colin but things are easier. Yes, her family is rich but she is abused by her brother and not allowed to do anything her father doesn’t approve of. Her argument to be more involved in the factories is what puts her into the mix with Ty and Colin and it is also the catalyst to the rest of the story. Lena is smart and as she begins to dig into how her father and brother are running the factory, she realizes just how bad things are for the workers.
When something horrible happens to Ty at the factory, her ability to work is put at risk and when Lena is the one to kick her off the line, Ty is even angrier than usual. The factory and the Hamptons have become the face of all of her problems and this is important because all three of these characters become key players in the press for workers’ rights and Ty has issues including Lena in everything. Not only is she a Hampton and he cause of most of her problems (in her mind) but she is also taking Colin away from her. When the group decides not to pledge to the Brotherhood and instead start the Small Parts Charter, Lena pledges right alongside everyone else.
In their push to make changes, the group decides to show up to the factory and not go in and this is where things start to get out of control. I am not going to say all the things that happen here but this is the turning point in the story where the press back becomes real and there are real consequences to the decisions the group makes. It is also the catalyst to the rest of the story…which I can’t say anything about really because I don’t want to ruin it.
What I will say is this: Kristen Simmons can tell a great story. Not only is the world well developed but the characters are all so different. I really just wanted to hug each and every one of them (even though Ty probably wouldn’t have let me) and the second I finished the book, I couldn’t stop thinking about the book which to me, that is a sign of a great story. I’m pretty sure I hit on every emotion while reading this book and I can’t even tell you how much I both love and hate Kristen Simmons for making me feel ALL the things. Ok…I don’t really hate her for it but there’s this part – when you read it you will see what I mean.
Well – there isn’t much more I can tell you about this book because in all honesty, you should read this to experience the whole thing. Like I said, I am sure my review doesn’t do this book any justice and if you take anything from this at all, just know that you need to read this book. It should be on your TBR (if it isn’t already) and it should be read as soon as you can possibly get it into your hands. After reading all of Kristen Simmons’ books I can tell you, I am never disappointed and her books are immediately put onto my wishlist when I hear she has a new one coming out. If you are looking for a story that will pull you in from the very first page and holds onto you long after the book is finished, this is the book for you!
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!
Full Review:
If I haven’t told you this yet, you are going to want to add Metaltown by Kristen Simmons to your to be read list/shelf. I am fairly certain I hit every single emotion while reading Metaltown and I can’t even tell you everything. There are so many things that I loved about this book and I am fairly certain that I won’t be able to give it the justice it deserves in my review – I’m a rambler when I really enjoy a book. Nevertheless I will do my best and definitely try not to spoil anything.
At its heart, this story is about standing up for your beliefs, family and friendship. And when I say family…that doesn’t always mean the family you are born to, it can also be the people you choose as your own. The characters at the heart of this story are Ty, Colin, and Lena. They all have different backgrounds but ultimately end up together fighting for a better life for all.
Metaltown is a place where factories make all the rules and they are really only interested in making a profit. Regardless of the conditions, most people fight for a place on the factory lines because if you don’t work, you end up on the streets. If you are living on the streets, you could end up dead so working, no matter what your age, is the only ways people can survive. If someone can provide value, they are used however the factory foreman sees fit. The Brotherhood is there to support the workers’ rights and is led by Jed Schultz but it is easy to see that Schultz is really only looking out for himself.
Ty really is my favorite character in this book. I don’t know what it was about her but from the first page of introduction to her, I loved her. She is not perfect…not even close and she did some things I didn’t agree with and ultimately put her in a bad position but I could understand where she was coming from and why she did what she did. Ty has been on her own for quite a while and when she vouched for Colin, they became linked like family. Even though Ty has Colin, she is still very independent and tries to be as tough as she has to be to survive. Underneath all the clothes and her toughness though, she really is just a young girl who has been dealt a bad hand.
Colin doesn’t have things easy either but he hasn’t always lived in Metaltown and he has a family. For me, Colin is the optimist. He believes there has to be something better and the factory workers can influence change. He is always looking for the good in people and a way to make things better. Simply put, he wants something more than what Metaltown has to offer. Colin values loyalty and cares about his family and if there is one thing he wants most, it is to protect the people he loves. I love this about Colin and I can’t fault him for his decisions…even if I didn’t like them all the time.
Lena is a Hampton…as in Hampton Industries which owns the factory that Ty and Colin work in. She has a very different life from Ty and Colin but things are easier. Yes, her family is rich but she is abused by her brother and not allowed to do anything her father doesn’t approve of. Her argument to be more involved in the factories is what puts her into the mix with Ty and Colin and it is also the catalyst to the rest of the story. Lena is smart and as she begins to dig into how her father and brother are running the factory, she realizes just how bad things are for the workers.
When something horrible happens to Ty at the factory, her ability to work is put at risk and when Lena is the one to kick her off the line, Ty is even angrier than usual. The factory and the Hamptons have become the face of all of her problems and this is important because all three of these characters become key players in the press for workers’ rights and Ty has issues including Lena in everything. Not only is she a Hampton and he cause of most of her problems (in her mind) but she is also taking Colin away from her. When the group decides not to pledge to the Brotherhood and instead start the Small Parts Charter, Lena pledges right alongside everyone else.
In their push to make changes, the group decides to show up to the factory and not go in and this is where things start to get out of control. I am not going to say all the things that happen here but this is the turning point in the story where the press back becomes real and there are real consequences to the decisions the group makes. It is also the catalyst to the rest of the story…which I can’t say anything about really because I don’t want to ruin it.
What I will say is this: Kristen Simmons can tell a great story. Not only is the world well developed but the characters are all so different. I really just wanted to hug each and every one of them (even though Ty probably wouldn’t have let me) and the second I finished the book, I couldn’t stop thinking about the book which to me, that is a sign of a great story. I’m pretty sure I hit on every emotion while reading this book and I can’t even tell you how much I both love and hate Kristen Simmons for making me feel ALL the things. Ok…I don’t really hate her for it but there’s this part – when you read it you will see what I mean.
Well – there isn’t much more I can tell you about this book because in all honesty, you should read this to experience the whole thing. Like I said, I am sure my review doesn’t do this book any justice and if you take anything from this at all, just know that you need to read this book. It should be on your TBR (if it isn’t already) and it should be read as soon as you can possibly get it into your hands. After reading all of Kristen Simmons’ books I can tell you, I am never disappointed and her books are immediately put onto my wishlist when I hear she has a new one coming out. If you are looking for a story that will pull you in from the very first page and holds onto you long after the book is finished, this is the book for you!
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!
October 7, 2016
Full review to come...
August 30, 2016
I had been so excited to read this book for ages. As I adore Kristen. And I thought this one seemed so amazing. Then I was lucky enough to win an ARC of it, and now I have finally gotten to read it. But oh. I have so many thoughts about it. And most of them are not good. At all. Sobs. I'm just angry. I'm so, so angry.
I'm giving this book two stars. I had hoped to rate it higher. But it was impossible. I had so many issues. Sigh. But I also feel like this book could have been amazing. The writing is gorgeous. The plot was exciting. And Ty was perfection. But Colin and Lena ruined this book. Ugh. And I'm simply very bitter about it.
I'm going to have a lot to say about this book. And I'm not going to be very positive about it. I'm also going to be sharing a whole bunch of spoilers, so this is my warning to you about that. I cannot write this review of mine without mentioning all the parts that bothered me. Because those parts are still bothering me. I need to get them out of my mind. I need to forget about this book. And I need to do it now. Sigh. Though I will be getting the hardcover. And I will be keeping my precious ARC of this book. Because it is gorgeous. And I do love this author. But yeah. This book was not a favorite of mine. And I would not re-read it. Not ever. So glad it is a standalone. Which I just about never thinks about any books. Sigh. But yeah. This one was just bad. Ugh.
Honestly, though, I could have loved this book a whole bunch. Because the writing is gorgeous. And I liked the plot a whole bunch. This world was amazingly done. I loved reading about metaltown and how people were doing there and all those poor people and the war and ahh. I thought those parts of the book were amazing. And I loved Ty so goddamn much. But I felt like she wasn't treated right. This should have been her book. But it wasn't. Three point of views. One chapter each. Yet Ty got the smallest parts of it.
Final warning. I'm going to write a very spoilery review. I will share details about the ending. I will share details about the romance. So yeah. If you do not wish to know, don't read more. Shrugs. But at the same time, I wish I had known before reading this book. Sigh. Because I went into it expecting to love it a whole bunch. And so I was disappointed. But even so. I couldn't have loved this. I just couldn't. And so I have so many things I wish to share about it. Ack. If I can find the words. I shall try my best. It won't be positive.
This book is told from three different point of views. There is Colin and Ty and Lena. I thought I liked Colin at first. He and Ty have been friends for four years now, they are always together. He is seventeen, she is fifteen. He seemed okay. But hahaha. Then Colin sees Lena. And he falls in love with this rich girl right away. He starts pushing Ty away. He keeps choosing Lena instead of her. He is being such an asshole towards Ty. He forgot about her all the damn time. Friends don't do that. They do not. Ugh. He was bad.
And sigh. Lena. I wish I could say I loved her. But I did not. I found her chapters to be the most boring. She was such an boring girl. Spoiled rich kid. And not even a nice girl. The way she was thinking about Ty, when she had only seen her a few times, it was not okay. Hmph. I mean, sure, Lena has a mean father and an abusive brother. Whatever. I sort of felt sorry for her at times, but not much. Because I did not care for this girl. She came between Colin and Ty; ruined their friendship. Hmph. Did not like one bit.
And then there is Ty. Ah. She was my most favorite part of this book. I loved her so much. I thought she was the main character. But the moment Lena enters, Ty gets pushed in a corner. We don't get to read much about her at all. And I am so pissed off. Because Ty was the most amazing girl. Kind and sweet and loving. She had just started having a crush on Colin. And I shipped them so hard. But he never saw that. He kept calling her his best man. Wtf. That bothered me so much. Ty was the sweetest girl. Grrr.
We get to know a bunch about Ty. And I loved that. But. One night she gets attacked. Almost raped. We learn that she has been raped before. Sort of. It is never mentioned again or mentioned for real, and that was annoying. She sees Colin the same day; she's all beaten up. He is angry. Thinking about going after the guys. But then Lena walks in the door. And then he forgets all about Ty and that she was attacked. Goddamn it. This boy was the worst boy I have read about in a long time. I'm so upset about it. Asshole.
And then Ty gets hurt for real. A work accident kind of thing. Acid marks all over her face. One of her eyes are blind. She feels so ugly. And never once does Colin tell her it's okay. Never once does he tell her she looks good. Not. Once. I am so angry. He was a shitty friend. Always. Ty deserved better. She was the best friend. And hurting. All the time. He didn't care for her one bit. I'm so angry about it. Which is why I did not like this book. Sigh. Ty wasn't written fairly. She should have been the star of the book. Sigh.
I guess that Colin also had issues. With his mom being sick and whatnot. But I didn't care all that much, after he started treating Ty that way. He was just an asshole. There is just so much I want to say about this book. Sigh. I haven't mentioned the plot yet. Colin and Ty live in Metaltown. A poor city where they have to work at a weapons factory to live. Yet they work all day, no breaks, almost no money, and ahh. They had such awful lives. All the people did. And I loved reading about it. And the other characters.
I sort of knew that this book would be based a bit on Les Miserables. But I did not know that the story of the three main characters would be exactly the same. Damn. It was annoying. I mean, I loved Les Mis, the movie. But I would never want to read about a love triangle like that. Never. In a way, this wasn't a normal love triangle, but at the same time it still was. And I hated it. I hated it oh so much. I just feel so disappointed. I had such high hopes for this book. I thought the romance would be amazing. Sigh.
But no. The romance was not good at all. Colin and Lena were both awful people. Ty was the best. And Ty got no romance at all. Colin and Lena did not fit together at all. I don't get why they fell in love with each other right away. Ugh. I just. I loved Ty so much. And she was treated so badly all the time. At the end of the book, there is a big fight. Ty goes looking for Lena, because of Colin. And Ty ends up getting killed. And being in pain all alone for a long time before dying. I'm so goddamn angry about it all. Uuugh.
Ty deserved so much better. And I just. I cannot deal with it. This book sucked. Okay, fine, I did love parts of it. I loved Ty. But I'm so angry. That ending was shitty. Oh, and there is a family secret that is about Ty, and her parents. Hahaha. I guess that would have been very exciting. If she had not died. Grrrr. So angry. Ty deserved more. I just. I now wish to forget about reading this. Which makes me so sad. I really did wish to love this one. But I couldn't. Not after how Ty was treated. Not after she died too. Ugh. So sad.
Okay. I have now written way too much about this book. Yet I still feel like I could write so much more. Ahh. But I will not. I just. I did not love this book. I loved parts of it, yes, but not nearly enough. I do want others to read it, though. I need to know if I am the only one who feels this way. Sigh. Metaltown is all kinds of gorgeous. I just wish the inside were just as awesome. Also, do let me know if you read my whole review, with all the spoilers. I just couldn't stop writing about this. Sigh. I wish it had been different.
---
This review was first posted on my blog, Carina's Books, here: http://carinabooks.blogspot.no/2016/0...
I'm giving this book two stars. I had hoped to rate it higher. But it was impossible. I had so many issues. Sigh. But I also feel like this book could have been amazing. The writing is gorgeous. The plot was exciting. And Ty was perfection. But Colin and Lena ruined this book. Ugh. And I'm simply very bitter about it.
I'm going to have a lot to say about this book. And I'm not going to be very positive about it. I'm also going to be sharing a whole bunch of spoilers, so this is my warning to you about that. I cannot write this review of mine without mentioning all the parts that bothered me. Because those parts are still bothering me. I need to get them out of my mind. I need to forget about this book. And I need to do it now. Sigh. Though I will be getting the hardcover. And I will be keeping my precious ARC of this book. Because it is gorgeous. And I do love this author. But yeah. This book was not a favorite of mine. And I would not re-read it. Not ever. So glad it is a standalone. Which I just about never thinks about any books. Sigh. But yeah. This one was just bad. Ugh.
Honestly, though, I could have loved this book a whole bunch. Because the writing is gorgeous. And I liked the plot a whole bunch. This world was amazingly done. I loved reading about metaltown and how people were doing there and all those poor people and the war and ahh. I thought those parts of the book were amazing. And I loved Ty so goddamn much. But I felt like she wasn't treated right. This should have been her book. But it wasn't. Three point of views. One chapter each. Yet Ty got the smallest parts of it.
Final warning. I'm going to write a very spoilery review. I will share details about the ending. I will share details about the romance. So yeah. If you do not wish to know, don't read more. Shrugs. But at the same time, I wish I had known before reading this book. Sigh. Because I went into it expecting to love it a whole bunch. And so I was disappointed. But even so. I couldn't have loved this. I just couldn't. And so I have so many things I wish to share about it. Ack. If I can find the words. I shall try my best. It won't be positive.
This book is told from three different point of views. There is Colin and Ty and Lena. I thought I liked Colin at first. He and Ty have been friends for four years now, they are always together. He is seventeen, she is fifteen. He seemed okay. But hahaha. Then Colin sees Lena. And he falls in love with this rich girl right away. He starts pushing Ty away. He keeps choosing Lena instead of her. He is being such an asshole towards Ty. He forgot about her all the damn time. Friends don't do that. They do not. Ugh. He was bad.
And sigh. Lena. I wish I could say I loved her. But I did not. I found her chapters to be the most boring. She was such an boring girl. Spoiled rich kid. And not even a nice girl. The way she was thinking about Ty, when she had only seen her a few times, it was not okay. Hmph. I mean, sure, Lena has a mean father and an abusive brother. Whatever. I sort of felt sorry for her at times, but not much. Because I did not care for this girl. She came between Colin and Ty; ruined their friendship. Hmph. Did not like one bit.
And then there is Ty. Ah. She was my most favorite part of this book. I loved her so much. I thought she was the main character. But the moment Lena enters, Ty gets pushed in a corner. We don't get to read much about her at all. And I am so pissed off. Because Ty was the most amazing girl. Kind and sweet and loving. She had just started having a crush on Colin. And I shipped them so hard. But he never saw that. He kept calling her his best man. Wtf. That bothered me so much. Ty was the sweetest girl. Grrr.
We get to know a bunch about Ty. And I loved that. But. One night she gets attacked. Almost raped. We learn that she has been raped before. Sort of. It is never mentioned again or mentioned for real, and that was annoying. She sees Colin the same day; she's all beaten up. He is angry. Thinking about going after the guys. But then Lena walks in the door. And then he forgets all about Ty and that she was attacked. Goddamn it. This boy was the worst boy I have read about in a long time. I'm so upset about it. Asshole.
And then Ty gets hurt for real. A work accident kind of thing. Acid marks all over her face. One of her eyes are blind. She feels so ugly. And never once does Colin tell her it's okay. Never once does he tell her she looks good. Not. Once. I am so angry. He was a shitty friend. Always. Ty deserved better. She was the best friend. And hurting. All the time. He didn't care for her one bit. I'm so angry about it. Which is why I did not like this book. Sigh. Ty wasn't written fairly. She should have been the star of the book. Sigh.
I guess that Colin also had issues. With his mom being sick and whatnot. But I didn't care all that much, after he started treating Ty that way. He was just an asshole. There is just so much I want to say about this book. Sigh. I haven't mentioned the plot yet. Colin and Ty live in Metaltown. A poor city where they have to work at a weapons factory to live. Yet they work all day, no breaks, almost no money, and ahh. They had such awful lives. All the people did. And I loved reading about it. And the other characters.
I sort of knew that this book would be based a bit on Les Miserables. But I did not know that the story of the three main characters would be exactly the same. Damn. It was annoying. I mean, I loved Les Mis, the movie. But I would never want to read about a love triangle like that. Never. In a way, this wasn't a normal love triangle, but at the same time it still was. And I hated it. I hated it oh so much. I just feel so disappointed. I had such high hopes for this book. I thought the romance would be amazing. Sigh.
But no. The romance was not good at all. Colin and Lena were both awful people. Ty was the best. And Ty got no romance at all. Colin and Lena did not fit together at all. I don't get why they fell in love with each other right away. Ugh. I just. I loved Ty so much. And she was treated so badly all the time. At the end of the book, there is a big fight. Ty goes looking for Lena, because of Colin. And Ty ends up getting killed. And being in pain all alone for a long time before dying. I'm so goddamn angry about it all. Uuugh.
Ty deserved so much better. And I just. I cannot deal with it. This book sucked. Okay, fine, I did love parts of it. I loved Ty. But I'm so angry. That ending was shitty. Oh, and there is a family secret that is about Ty, and her parents. Hahaha. I guess that would have been very exciting. If she had not died. Grrrr. So angry. Ty deserved more. I just. I now wish to forget about reading this. Which makes me so sad. I really did wish to love this one. But I couldn't. Not after how Ty was treated. Not after she died too. Ugh. So sad.
Okay. I have now written way too much about this book. Yet I still feel like I could write so much more. Ahh. But I will not. I just. I did not love this book. I loved parts of it, yes, but not nearly enough. I do want others to read it, though. I need to know if I am the only one who feels this way. Sigh. Metaltown is all kinds of gorgeous. I just wish the inside were just as awesome. Also, do let me know if you read my whole review, with all the spoilers. I just couldn't stop writing about this. Sigh. I wish it had been different.
---
This review was first posted on my blog, Carina's Books, here: http://carinabooks.blogspot.no/2016/0...
Read
September 24, 2016Way back when, I read Kristen Simmons Article 5. I looked up my review, which said (in short) loved the story world; didn't love the romance.
Well, in the immortal words of Yogi Berra: déjà vu all over again. I thought Metaltown's story world was really well-crafted. I'm not sure if this book is supposed to be alt-history or sort of dystopian-futuristic, but it takes place in a bleak, gritty world that feels turn-of-the-century industrial and post-apocalyptic all at once. Food and clean water are scarce, people are hungry, a lot of kids have been orphaned, and the poor work long hours in unsafe conditions. There's a war raging and one of the main employers is a huge weapons factory.
The story is told from the points of view of three characters: Colin, a boy who along with his (female) friend Ty, work on the factory line. Then there's Lena, the daughter of the owner of the weapons factory. The characters were a sticking point for me. I never really warmed up to either Colin or Lena, and thus wasn't all that enthralled by their slow-burn, rich girl/poor boy romance. I really liked Ty, but as soon as Colin went all google-eyed over Lena, she was kind of left on her own and ... let's just say that wasn't good.
Does this book have a love triangle? Not technically, but I didn't love the triangular dynamic of the supposedly nice guy who all but ditches his loyal female friend to chase around after another girl. It wasn't a love triangle, but it did feel to me that one character gets left out in the cold. The book tried hard to make me like Lena, with her mean father and abusive brother. I did feel sorry for her, but for some reason I just didn't connect to her (and I usually secretly love poor little rich girl characters.)
If you like gritty, industrial settings, you should definitely try at least a few chapters of Metaltown, which will give you a good feel for the characters. I did like the story world quite a bit, even if I only liked one of the characters
Read more of my reviews on YA Romantics or follow me on Bloglovin
Thanks to the publisher for providing a free advance copy of this book for me to review.
Well, in the immortal words of Yogi Berra: déjà vu all over again. I thought Metaltown's story world was really well-crafted. I'm not sure if this book is supposed to be alt-history or sort of dystopian-futuristic, but it takes place in a bleak, gritty world that feels turn-of-the-century industrial and post-apocalyptic all at once. Food and clean water are scarce, people are hungry, a lot of kids have been orphaned, and the poor work long hours in unsafe conditions. There's a war raging and one of the main employers is a huge weapons factory.
The story is told from the points of view of three characters: Colin, a boy who along with his (female) friend Ty, work on the factory line. Then there's Lena, the daughter of the owner of the weapons factory. The characters were a sticking point for me. I never really warmed up to either Colin or Lena, and thus wasn't all that enthralled by their slow-burn, rich girl/poor boy romance. I really liked Ty, but as soon as Colin went all google-eyed over Lena, she was kind of left on her own and ... let's just say that wasn't good.
Does this book have a love triangle? Not technically, but I didn't love the triangular dynamic of the supposedly nice guy who all but ditches his loyal female friend to chase around after another girl. It wasn't a love triangle, but it did feel to me that one character gets left out in the cold. The book tried hard to make me like Lena, with her mean father and abusive brother. I did feel sorry for her, but for some reason I just didn't connect to her (and I usually secretly love poor little rich girl characters.)
If you like gritty, industrial settings, you should definitely try at least a few chapters of Metaltown, which will give you a good feel for the characters. I did like the story world quite a bit, even if I only liked one of the characters
Read more of my reviews on YA Romantics or follow me on Bloglovin
Thanks to the publisher for providing a free advance copy of this book for me to review.
February 9, 2017
This book wrecked me. It's a slow-burner with a lot of world-building and character development, but the plot has plenty of twists and turns and action, too. I really respect the way Kristen Simmons can write a dystopian novel that presents a totally fictional world that contains so many elements relevant to the real world. Class differences? Labor disputes? Environmental destruction? Endless war? These elements resonated so much with me and Simmons never resorted to becoming preachy or overtly political in her storytelling. She just put it all out there for readers to think about and I'm still thinking.
U.S. readers can enter to win a signed copy on my blog right now. Ends Feb 28, 2017.
U.S. readers can enter to win a signed copy on my blog right now. Ends Feb 28, 2017.
February 9, 2017
NOTE: I first published this review as part of the group "My Favorite Things" column on Speculative Chic, 6th February 2017.
Some stories have more resonance if you read them at a particular time.
I didn't plan for Kristen Simmons's Metaltown to be my first read of 2017, but that's when my library copy arrived. The novel felt instantly familiar, as it fits the classic underdog plot. But instead of a feel-good story, Metaltown is dark and dystopian - and not everyone gets a happy ending.
Mostly the story rings true because it shows how to create change.
Ty and Colin work in the small parts section of a manufacturer. There are no health benefits, and they often aren't paid in a timely manner, enough, or at all. A workplace accident leads to acid burns and a lost job. Ty has nothing left to lose - she's now an unemployed, homeless orphan, and even her best friend Colin seems to be slipping away from her. And so Ty does what she can lead a "press", a workers' strike, against the manufacturer.
But she can't do it alone. One person can't be the entire movement in order to create real change. Ty needs the entire small parts section - and other sections, too - to band together in the press. If everyone stops work, the manufacturer will be forced to employ and train more workers. That will make it more difficult for the company to fill the order for their products. This will be bad for business, so the manufacturer has something to lose unless they agree to the workers' demands.
Can one person make a difference? Maybe. But there's strength in numbers, and we can't expect one person to shoulder all the responsibility. We each need to find our personal tipping point; what we're willing to risk for the greater good. We must PRESS BACK.
Metaltown is a timely read that I won't soon forget.
Some stories have more resonance if you read them at a particular time.
I didn't plan for Kristen Simmons's Metaltown to be my first read of 2017, but that's when my library copy arrived. The novel felt instantly familiar, as it fits the classic underdog plot. But instead of a feel-good story, Metaltown is dark and dystopian - and not everyone gets a happy ending.
Mostly the story rings true because it shows how to create change.
Ty and Colin work in the small parts section of a manufacturer. There are no health benefits, and they often aren't paid in a timely manner, enough, or at all. A workplace accident leads to acid burns and a lost job. Ty has nothing left to lose - she's now an unemployed, homeless orphan, and even her best friend Colin seems to be slipping away from her. And so Ty does what she can lead a "press", a workers' strike, against the manufacturer.
But she can't do it alone. One person can't be the entire movement in order to create real change. Ty needs the entire small parts section - and other sections, too - to band together in the press. If everyone stops work, the manufacturer will be forced to employ and train more workers. That will make it more difficult for the company to fill the order for their products. This will be bad for business, so the manufacturer has something to lose unless they agree to the workers' demands.
Can one person make a difference? Maybe. But there's strength in numbers, and we can't expect one person to shoulder all the responsibility. We each need to find our personal tipping point; what we're willing to risk for the greater good. We must PRESS BACK.
Metaltown is a timely read that I won't soon forget.
March 31, 2021
Are You Team Ty or Team Lena?
METALTOWN is a YA Dystopian with a little love triangle problem. I thought Ty had a little attitude problem. Lena didn’t really know any better because she was so sheltered in her fancy house. I started off liking Ty, but then I could see that she made it almost impossible to root for her. I didn’t want Colin to like her either. Ty had very few redeeming qualities as the story moved on. Having the boy she loved not love her back did not make me like her. Lena wasn’t perfect either, but she did have some character growth as the story progressed.
I loved the idea of poverty ridden people “pressing back” for their rights to be treated fair. METALTOWN has a common YA theme, but the dystopian twist kept my rapt attention. I liked the dark setting of Metaltown and it’s neighboring Bakerstown. The street gang’s constant threat paired with the fight for food and shelter left me feeling like I had been transported to another time and place.
The thing I didn’t like about METALTOWN, other than my disdain for one of the main characters, was the coincidences that happened throughout the story. I also noticed we were introduced to characters and given back story only to be left wondering what happened to them later on. Although this story was almost 400 pages, there were things left out and some telling without showing. There was a whole medical/food testing thing that I would have liked to learn more about. I was very entertained while reading this story, but I do wish there were more details written in.
August 10, 2016
I had high hopes for this story not because of its comp titles (steampunk Newsies meets Les Mis) but because it felt like such a me-story (gritty dystopian setting, multi-POV, ragtag bunch o' fellas trying to overthrow via. shenanigans). And if I'm being honest, the world building is probably my favourite aspect to this book.
The biggest hurdle was the slow build-up -- by which I mean it took 250 some-odd pages for something exciting to happen. I can handle slow pacing but given the nature of this story, I needed a more triggering hook to keep me excited re: action and conflict.
Final thought: I'm also not sure the two female leads in Metaltown would pass the Bechdel test(because Colin's magical penis dons a wizard hat).
-- Full review pending.
The biggest hurdle was the slow build-up -- by which I mean it took 250 some-odd pages for something exciting to happen. I can handle slow pacing but given the nature of this story, I needed a more triggering hook to keep me excited re: action and conflict.
Final thought: I'm also not sure the two female leads in Metaltown would pass the Bechdel test
-- Full review pending.
June 3, 2016
my feels are completely crushed
Read
August 13, 2016
Review to come soon!
April 4, 2017
3.5 stars.
December 25, 2017
The beautiful book cover and premise caught my interest. A book about a trio of teens rising up to stage a rebellion? Friends who work together against the odds? Yes please! Anything but the usual lone heroine and love triangle/bothersome romantic relationships in dystopian fiction. At least that's what I gathered from the book summary.
The worldbuilding was great but I wished it could've expanded upon the ongoing war more. The world gave a sort of steampunk and industrial revolution vibe that was just delightful.
Also, Ty was just so kickass and awesome. She was beauty. She was grace.
But alas, as entertaining as the book was, I did not feel fully satisfied.
I was disappointed that Ty did not have a larger, more important role in the book as she was my favorite character in the novel. Once the lost heir to the Medical Division was mentioned, I suspected the missing daughter to be Ty and that when she found out about her heritage, she would reclaim her inheritance and beat Hampton down with Lena and Collin's help. At least that's how I wanted the story to go. Yet a few chapters after Ty finds out she really is the lost heir near the end of the book, she dies. It just felt as if this reveal was done for plot convenience, since Ty's status convinces the gang to provide an army for Mr. Hampton's attack on the factory. What was the point in her being the heir if she wasn't going to get the chance to do much with her title? Ty had lived as an orphan and had her face deformed and her eye blinded by acid and yet she's just killed off? She could've done and been so much more! She seemed to be cast aside in favor of Collin and Lena's heroism and romance.
I felt that Otto and Mr.Hampton just didn't get the punishments they deserved. Otto and Mr.Hampton were responsible for the whole mess in the first place. So I suppose my ruthless side wasn't appeased.
I guess I expected a novel that focused primarily on teens overcoming their class prejudices and twisted society with their friendship rather than romantic complications and an underwhelming
revolution.
*Note: I later found out that this book was actually based on Les Miserables. I didn't read the actual story though(sorry guys). This seems to explain why the plot and characters are the way they're written. With this new knowledge in mind, I think I was too difficult on Simmons. If I had known it was based on Les Miserables, I would have had a solid idea of what kind of story I was delving into and not base my experience on the expectations I initially had. I'll just have to remember to check whether or not a book is based on a preexisting story next time I go book searching*
The worldbuilding was great but I wished it could've expanded upon the ongoing war more. The world gave a sort of steampunk and industrial revolution vibe that was just delightful.
Also, Ty was just so kickass and awesome. She was beauty. She was grace.
But alas, as entertaining as the book was, I did not feel fully satisfied.
I was disappointed that Ty did not have a larger, more important role in the book as she was my favorite character in the novel. Once the lost heir to the Medical Division was mentioned, I suspected the missing daughter to be Ty and that when she found out about her heritage, she would reclaim her inheritance and beat Hampton down with Lena and Collin's help. At least that's how I wanted the story to go. Yet a few chapters after Ty finds out she really is the lost heir near the end of the book, she dies. It just felt as if this reveal was done for plot convenience, since Ty's status convinces the gang to provide an army for Mr. Hampton's attack on the factory. What was the point in her being the heir if she wasn't going to get the chance to do much with her title? Ty had lived as an orphan and had her face deformed and her eye blinded by acid and yet she's just killed off? She could've done and been so much more! She seemed to be cast aside in favor of Collin and Lena's heroism and romance.
I felt that Otto and Mr.Hampton just didn't get the punishments they deserved. Otto and Mr.Hampton were responsible for the whole mess in the first place. So I suppose my ruthless side wasn't appeased.
I guess I expected a novel that focused primarily on teens overcoming their class prejudices and twisted society with their friendship rather than romantic complications and an underwhelming
revolution.
*Note: I later found out that this book was actually based on Les Miserables. I didn't read the actual story though(sorry guys). This seems to explain why the plot and characters are the way they're written. With this new knowledge in mind, I think I was too difficult on Simmons. If I had known it was based on Les Miserables, I would have had a solid idea of what kind of story I was delving into and not base my experience on the expectations I initially had. I'll just have to remember to check whether or not a book is based on a preexisting story next time I go book searching*
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 14, 2016
Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
DNF @ 61%
I made it 61% through this one but I am bored to tears right now and don't think I have the energy to muster a cause to push through to the end. I don't even want to skim tbh. This one has such an interesting premise and is something that should be more interesting, but it is dry and dull and I give zero cares about the characters and their lives. There was one burst of life at about 40% that made it seem like this one was going to pick up speed and be more interesting, but then it died down and so did my hopes and dreams of being enthralled with this one. I feel like if it had been more of a historical fiction novel about the actual times this happened, I would have been more interested but as it stands I am basically half asleep reading this one.
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DNF @ 61%
I made it 61% through this one but I am bored to tears right now and don't think I have the energy to muster a cause to push through to the end. I don't even want to skim tbh. This one has such an interesting premise and is something that should be more interesting, but it is dry and dull and I give zero cares about the characters and their lives. There was one burst of life at about 40% that made it seem like this one was going to pick up speed and be more interesting, but then it died down and so did my hopes and dreams of being enthralled with this one. I feel like if it had been more of a historical fiction novel about the actual times this happened, I would have been more interested but as it stands I am basically half asleep reading this one.
Books and Ladders | Books Are My Fandom | Twitter | Instagram | Bloglovin'
February 2, 2019
* * *
3 / 5
~mini review~
Metaltown's biggest problem is that it is a completely typical YA steampunk novel. It features a tough poor girl - Ty - who has lived in the factory district her whole life, a rich girl - Lena - the daughter of of the owner of the factory at which Ty and Colin work, and Colin himself, who is possibly the "main character" of the three. Colin's family used to be a little bit better off, living in Bakerstown with his mums, until they had to move to the factory district, Metaltown, which is run by a gang masquerading as a union.
This books takes a while to get going but when it does its pretty interesting - it's about young people pressing for their worker's rights in the face of an overbearing company and a local gang that wants to keep them suppressed. But it's also pretty cliche - there's two girls that both like a guy, one kid is an orphan, the other one is rich but she wants adventure and to escape her overbearing father and brother, etc. There wasn't much about this book that stood out to me.
Read more of my reviews on my blog: http://atlasrisingbooks.wordpress.com
3 / 5
~mini review~
Metaltown's biggest problem is that it is a completely typical YA steampunk novel. It features a tough poor girl - Ty - who has lived in the factory district her whole life, a rich girl - Lena - the daughter of of the owner of the factory at which Ty and Colin work, and Colin himself, who is possibly the "main character" of the three. Colin's family used to be a little bit better off, living in Bakerstown with his mums, until they had to move to the factory district, Metaltown, which is run by a gang masquerading as a union.
This books takes a while to get going but when it does its pretty interesting - it's about young people pressing for their worker's rights in the face of an overbearing company and a local gang that wants to keep them suppressed. But it's also pretty cliche - there's two girls that both like a guy, one kid is an orphan, the other one is rich but she wants adventure and to escape her overbearing father and brother, etc. There wasn't much about this book that stood out to me.
Read more of my reviews on my blog: http://atlasrisingbooks.wordpress.com
July 9, 2019
this was GOOD. A cross between Legend and Cinder (I don't know the Newsies + Les Mis well enough to compare). I wasn't really expecting much when I went in to it, and it took me a while to get into the book, but in the end, I definitely teared up and I definitely sat for a few minutes afterwards clutching it
Things Liked-
-Ty and Lena!! Colin was good too, but I didn't LOVE him like I did with Ty and Lena. They were just badass girls who were holding their own and AAA they were greAT
-It was going to be a love triangle, but then it wasn't
-THE ENDINGGGGGG 😭😭😭 I WASN'T READY FOR THAT
I NEVER WILL BE
-The setting was so well written: it was dark, threatening, and all that one would expect "metaltown" to be.
-It spoke to such important topics! Child abuse/labor, welfare, and the list goes on
Things DIsliked
Things Liked-
-Ty and Lena!! Colin was good too, but I didn't LOVE him like I did with Ty and Lena. They were just badass girls who were holding their own and AAA they were greAT
-It was going to be a love triangle, but then it wasn't
-THE ENDINGGGGGG 😭😭😭 I WASN'T READY FOR THAT
I NEVER WILL BE
-The setting was so well written: it was dark, threatening, and all that one would expect "metaltown" to be.
-It spoke to such important topics! Child abuse/labor, welfare, and the list goes on
Things DIsliked
September 28, 2016
3.5 stars
I am going to be honest, Metaltown was never one of my most anticipated reads. Sure, it sounded interesting, but I mainly read it because Shannon accidentally slept through the signing, and I got it signed for her. And I ended up reading it because "why not".
The world is split between the rich and the poor. The ones that can afford it can live in the nice suburbs, while the ones that couldn't lived in places like Metaltown, where labor is strictly focused on manufacturing for the war. Kids and teenagers mainly worked in Small Parts, an assembly line for building bombs.
Have you ever watched or read Les Misérables? It's similar to that except the kids are rebelling because they have no union. And they want to create one. Turns out, it's a complicated process, and a bunch of people don't want it to happen. Especially the ones on top funding this war in the first place.
Ty and Colin struggle with working at Small Parts. It's a lot of work for so little pay. It's not until Ty's accident that Colin tries to round up the workers to protest for a union. Even though this seems like a very clear cut plot, I never got bored with it. There was a perfect balance between the prose and the dialogue, and it kept me reading until the end.
However, the characters. Are you guys ready for this?
First off, I liked the characters. Though I feel like I did get off the wrong foot with Ty, especially after she had a horrible accident that destroyed most of her face (cue discussion post about attractive characters). This made me a little uncomfortable, for which I blame all those commercials, ads, and news stories that burned the image in my mind. ) But you know what? I changed my mind by the end of the novel! She turned out to be an amazing character, but nOPE all of that doesn't even matter in the end (and I'm pretty salty about it).
Because you know why? Lena. The prettier, richer girl who Colin is actually attracted to. Which fine, whatever, sure. But man some of Lena's actions were so reckless and not thought out at all. She wanted to help out with the little revolution, but most of the time she ended up making things worse. And you know who would fix them? Ty. And you know what happens? What am I supposed to make out of this? Huh!?
Honestly I was just annoyed and bothered by Lena.
Before this gets super long, I do want to mention more of what I liked and didn't. (I just had to get all of that out above).
What I Like:
♦ Love that Colin had two moms, Cherish and Ida. That was a nice surprise.
♦ It was well written! A perfect balance of dialogue and character interaction paired with prose. Never got bored with the writing. Just, you know, the relationships.
What I Didn't Like:
♦ There is some worldbuilding. Enough to get by, more than some other novels I've read. It was a little hard to imagine the setting. On one hand I thought everywhere was like Metaltown, where everyone was poor and had to work in a factory. But then there was also Bakerstown, which is basically a rich suburb. Or at least one with the middle class.
♦ Mainly the whole setting sprouted from world hunger and famine. Scientists tried to make synthetic corn, which poisoned many people creating the corn flu. From then on all foods were tested, usually by inmates.
♦ There is war between the North and East Federation, and the Advocates. Not sure if that is all the federations or what exactly the Advocates are, but I know they're there.
♦ I guess overall the worldbuilding is nice when you focus on one area, like Metaltown. It seems like the reader is just as much in the dark as the characters.
Whoops this ended up being long, but you get the idea. Metaltown is an interesting read, but I got way too annoyed by some of the characters (mainly one) to fully enjoy what was happening.
I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Quotes taken from ARC may or may not be in the published edition.
I am going to be honest, Metaltown was never one of my most anticipated reads. Sure, it sounded interesting, but I mainly read it because Shannon accidentally slept through the signing, and I got it signed for her. And I ended up reading it because "why not".
The world is split between the rich and the poor. The ones that can afford it can live in the nice suburbs, while the ones that couldn't lived in places like Metaltown, where labor is strictly focused on manufacturing for the war. Kids and teenagers mainly worked in Small Parts, an assembly line for building bombs.
Have you ever watched or read Les Misérables? It's similar to that except the kids are rebelling because they have no union. And they want to create one. Turns out, it's a complicated process, and a bunch of people don't want it to happen. Especially the ones on top funding this war in the first place.
Ty and Colin struggle with working at Small Parts. It's a lot of work for so little pay. It's not until Ty's accident that Colin tries to round up the workers to protest for a union. Even though this seems like a very clear cut plot, I never got bored with it. There was a perfect balance between the prose and the dialogue, and it kept me reading until the end.
However, the characters. Are you guys ready for this?
First off, I liked the characters. Though I feel like I did get off the wrong foot with Ty, especially after she had a horrible accident that destroyed most of her face (cue discussion post about attractive characters). This made me a little uncomfortable, for which I blame all those commercials, ads, and news stories that burned the image in my mind. ) But you know what? I changed my mind by the end of the novel! She turned out to be an amazing character, but nOPE all of that doesn't even matter in the end (and I'm pretty salty about it).
Because you know why? Lena. The prettier, richer girl who Colin is actually attracted to. Which fine, whatever, sure. But man some of Lena's actions were so reckless and not thought out at all. She wanted to help out with the little revolution, but most of the time she ended up making things worse. And you know who would fix them? Ty. And you know what happens? What am I supposed to make out of this? Huh!?
Honestly I was just annoyed and bothered by Lena.
Before this gets super long, I do want to mention more of what I liked and didn't. (I just had to get all of that out above).
What I Like:
♦ Love that Colin had two moms, Cherish and Ida. That was a nice surprise.
♦ It was well written! A perfect balance of dialogue and character interaction paired with prose. Never got bored with the writing. Just, you know, the relationships.
What I Didn't Like:
♦ There is some worldbuilding. Enough to get by, more than some other novels I've read. It was a little hard to imagine the setting. On one hand I thought everywhere was like Metaltown, where everyone was poor and had to work in a factory. But then there was also Bakerstown, which is basically a rich suburb. Or at least one with the middle class.
♦ Mainly the whole setting sprouted from world hunger and famine. Scientists tried to make synthetic corn, which poisoned many people creating the corn flu. From then on all foods were tested, usually by inmates.
♦ There is war between the North and East Federation, and the Advocates. Not sure if that is all the federations or what exactly the Advocates are, but I know they're there.
♦ I guess overall the worldbuilding is nice when you focus on one area, like Metaltown. It seems like the reader is just as much in the dark as the characters.
Whoops this ended up being long, but you get the idea. Metaltown is an interesting read, but I got way too annoyed by some of the characters (mainly one) to fully enjoy what was happening.
I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Quotes taken from ARC may or may not be in the published edition.
September 12, 2016
This was Metaltown. Things didn't change in Metaltown. You changed, and if you didn't you paid.
Beautifully written as always, Kristen! This book was dark and gritty, and perfectly portrayed the struggles of the world. It was such a beautiful and (and heartbreaking) story! I love that it showed the power of rising up and letting your voice be heard. The unfairness of everything really struck me, I thought Kristen did a fabulous job driving that home! I really felt for the characters and their hardships.
My only complaint is that pacing was fairly slow. But that's not a bad thing, because there's very strong emphasis on characterization and world building. Kristen really took the time to flesh out all of the characters and create a very vivid setting! Metaltown felt real.
Trust is a hard promise to keep.
I loved the relationships between the characters. It was so interesting to see Lena and Colin come together, two sides of the same coin with very different backgrounds. It was kind of heartbreaking though, because the closer he got to Lena, the farther Colin got from Ty.
Fight, because it hurts too much if you stop.
THAT ENDING. Kristen, you owe me a box of tissues! (Although, in all fairness, you did warn me...) This book was one of my most anticipated 2016 reads, and it was well worth the wait! I'm so excited for the launch party this month!
This review was originally posted on Novel Heartbeat. To see a breakdown of my assessment, please visit the full review here.
December 9, 2016
It is time to abandon ship me mateys!
Another book I just couldn’t bring meself to finish. This is a young adult dystopian novel. The book has a interesting premise of young teens and children fighting against the establishment so that they can have basic rights like a less dangerous workplace, food, and better salaries. Basically the children are trying to start their own union. It’s a world reminiscent of the factory settings of the turn of the century where bad things like the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire occurred. Except instead of making clothes, the children are making weapons of war. Oh and there are interesting diseases because of genetically modified corn. That was cool.
The world building was fun and the I liked two of the main characters. Basically this story is told from the perspective of three different children. Ty (a girl) and Colin (a boy) are best friends who work in the factories. Lena is the daughter of the rich dude who runs that area of the country.
Ty was tenacious and feisty and fierce. I loved her. Colin was overall a decent character. I didn’t adore him by himself but his relationship with Ty was lovely. Lena was basically a fluffy headed naive moron. She meets Colin. Insta-love kinda happens and then the book derails.
The major problem was that I just become bored. I felt that the story was too slow and got too involved in the romantic ideas between Lena and Colin. The beginning of the story and set up was fine. But the plot was agonizingly slow. I stopped reading at 52.1% and the major movement of forming the union hadn’t really begun.
Overall the politics of forming the children’s union just seemed too simple and the relationship between Lena and Colin seemed to have taken center stage, So I gave up.
It is a shame that an interesting premise and some great characters could not save this book for me.
This review was originally featured on me blog at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordp...
Another book I just couldn’t bring meself to finish. This is a young adult dystopian novel. The book has a interesting premise of young teens and children fighting against the establishment so that they can have basic rights like a less dangerous workplace, food, and better salaries. Basically the children are trying to start their own union. It’s a world reminiscent of the factory settings of the turn of the century where bad things like the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire occurred. Except instead of making clothes, the children are making weapons of war. Oh and there are interesting diseases because of genetically modified corn. That was cool.
The world building was fun and the I liked two of the main characters. Basically this story is told from the perspective of three different children. Ty (a girl) and Colin (a boy) are best friends who work in the factories. Lena is the daughter of the rich dude who runs that area of the country.
Ty was tenacious and feisty and fierce. I loved her. Colin was overall a decent character. I didn’t adore him by himself but his relationship with Ty was lovely. Lena was basically a fluffy headed naive moron. She meets Colin. Insta-love kinda happens and then the book derails.
The major problem was that I just become bored. I felt that the story was too slow and got too involved in the romantic ideas between Lena and Colin. The beginning of the story and set up was fine. But the plot was agonizingly slow. I stopped reading at 52.1% and the major movement of forming the union hadn’t really begun.
Overall the politics of forming the children’s union just seemed too simple and the relationship between Lena and Colin seemed to have taken center stage, So I gave up.
It is a shame that an interesting premise and some great characters could not save this book for me.
This review was originally featured on me blog at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordp...
Want to read
January 14, 2016I have to wait till September?! NOOOOOO! I want it NOW!!! plz?
September 12, 2016
Find my full review on my blog!
https://taylormaemarie.wordpress.com/...
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Shelved as 'big-ol-nope-from-bonnie'
August 29, 2016Not in a million thousand years
April 26, 2021
Review to Come
BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 3.4/5
I feel like this one took me a little while to get through. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't a book that I missed when I wasn't reading it. It's a very dark, bleak world that is presented in Metaltown. It's a dystopian book with some bits that feel almost historical. It brought to mind a time of steam power, multiple factories, and unsafe working conditions. Also of unions that turned into dishonest mob practices.
This wasn't a happy story. It was depressing. Nothing all that good happened to any of our characters. Trigger warnings for an almost rape, abuse, animal death, and a grievous injury. There's a character named Ty in here and everything bad, horrible, and not good happens to her. She survives on the streets of Metaltown and she has not been treated kindly. We have a character named Colin who moved from a more prosperous place to Metaltown and Ty takes him under her wing. Our last character POV is Lena. She is the daughter of the man who owns a big chunk of factories in Metaltown. She's rich and naive to how her lifestyle is funded. There is no happy ending for anyone in this book. I felt like nothing really changed in the ending either. It all felt kind of hopeless.
There's also this thing called the Corn Flu in the story. They tried to solve food shortage and world hunger by making this genetic corn, but it backfired and gave people who ate it a deadly disease instead. A wasting kind of disease. So most of our characters are cold, hungry, and working their fingers to the bone for no pay a lot of times.
This isn't a happy story. Not every story has to be happy, but I need a little hope in it.
BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 3.4/5
I feel like this one took me a little while to get through. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't a book that I missed when I wasn't reading it. It's a very dark, bleak world that is presented in Metaltown. It's a dystopian book with some bits that feel almost historical. It brought to mind a time of steam power, multiple factories, and unsafe working conditions. Also of unions that turned into dishonest mob practices.
This wasn't a happy story. It was depressing. Nothing all that good happened to any of our characters. Trigger warnings for an almost rape, abuse, animal death, and a grievous injury. There's a character named Ty in here and everything bad, horrible, and not good happens to her. She survives on the streets of Metaltown and she has not been treated kindly. We have a character named Colin who moved from a more prosperous place to Metaltown and Ty takes him under her wing. Our last character POV is Lena. She is the daughter of the man who owns a big chunk of factories in Metaltown. She's rich and naive to how her lifestyle is funded. There is no happy ending for anyone in this book. I felt like nothing really changed in the ending either. It all felt kind of hopeless.
There's also this thing called the Corn Flu in the story. They tried to solve food shortage and world hunger by making this genetic corn, but it backfired and gave people who ate it a deadly disease instead. A wasting kind of disease. So most of our characters are cold, hungry, and working their fingers to the bone for no pay a lot of times.
This isn't a happy story. Not every story has to be happy, but I need a little hope in it.
September 17, 2021
Amazing. Simply amazing. I wish I could rate this more than 5 stars. I nearly gave up in the first 15 pages or so but my god am I glad I persevered. The description was rich; somehow it was not long enough to bore you to tears, but I could still picture everything so vividly from what was given. There is no unnecessary filler text, the story is never boring. Super engaging the whole way through. Do yourself a favour and read this ASAP. I'd say it's suitable for ages 12+.
March 20, 2018
"Work Hard. Keep your head down. Watch your back."
*tries to calm down* Well, I can't stop talking about how much intense and exhilarating this book made me feel. I mean, I thought I would regret buying it just because the first five chapters introduced me into nothing but talk about introducing the characters. And the other characters that had also appeared without even the slightest description of their own backgrounds especially the district areas until they were revealed in the latest chapters. Yep. Every book ever.
But then, it gets better. I don't know why but I just needed up liking it. The more you thought about it when you continue to read it further...
When two workers, Colin and Ty, from the over hardworking, well-functioned but poorly maintained factory had an accidental encounter with the daughter Lena of the factory owner, boy did they all realise that they're going to take a sudden turn into breaking the rules.
Both Ty and Colin were friends and they seemingly have a brother-sister like relationship. So basically, this book doesn't entirely looked up that much on romance. But there is definitely one coming between the tension of the love-struck worker and the curious, feisty heiress. I'm really getting the Romeo and Juliet vibe here.
Okay, the only problem this book has issues with is how it really tries hard to deliver the information as the main course of where the plot focuses on and why it happened that way. Like yeah, which information? That is the question. Can we just say that the rest of the info doesn't have to be necessarily that complex? It was mentioned that this is a ya novel good and suitable for 13 to 17 years of age. Can they really absorb and understand the gathered information that easily?
Like this one when Lena specifically explains the history of her family's business to her assistant tutor Darcy:
"Neighbours wanted guns for protection from each other, and increased the violence led to increased sales. The statistics from that time show that one out of every three people in the Tri-City had a weapon. Orders were being shipped from the northern border to the small farming communities south of the Yalan Mountains."
It sounds like the workers from Metaltown were building weapons for the farm communities of the South. And I thought that paragraph meant that there's a waging war going on between the people of Tri-City, South and the people of the East. But really, that type of war did happen before but it never came during the present day.
In fact, the main war was really the battle between the workers of Metaltown trying to fight for their rights to earn fair money over their hard work and be treated with free respect against the superiors over them. But really, the superiors were predictable enough to be the villains because they're the ones that made their workers suffer in order for the superiors to do what they want. Like seriously, the only way to stop and deal with them has anything to do with involving green in their hands.
I'm not surprised that this book actually is a dystopian sci-fi genre. Let's just put to it that it's posting out to the separate district areas living within the Tri-City and its settings. But actually, I sometimes don't give a heck on every background. I just still get on with the story that I'm so invested in to finish within 24 hours.
Kristen Simmons did lived up to this book hype. This book wasn't that popular to begin with but it did capture my heart. I described it to be the most rare and unbelievable reads I've ever ended up loving it.
September 1, 2019
OH. MY. GOSH. I just read this in one sitting and now I'm making dying seal noises because I just CANNOT. Kristen Simmons is so freaking good at storytelling. I've read 130 books so far this year, I think, and this is definitely in the top 10. I loved Metaltown. I loved Ty, I loved Colin, I loved Lena. (I guessed the first plot twist with Ty, but not the ending... ugh ugh ugh not okay.) Someone else here described this book as a cross between Newsies and Les Mis, and it definitely reminded me of both. I loved the industrial elements and the whole feel/aesthetic of the book. The plot, the characters, IT WAS JUST SO DANG GOOD. "You knew you were in trouble when the devil himself said he was proud."
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Reread — I LOVE THIS BOOK SO FREAKING MUCH. SO SO MUCH. Except when, you know, page 368 happens.
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Reread — I LOVE THIS BOOK SO FREAKING MUCH. SO SO MUCH. Except when, you know, page 368 happens.
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