August 24, 2011

Ultraviolet by R. J. Anderson - a solid 5 out of 5 stars

UltravioletUltraviolet by R. J. Anderson

Ultraviolet opens with the heroine, Alison, in a mental institution. A bit unsettling at first, but I was quickly captivated by this tale of a girl with unusual sensory abilities where her senses interpret things in colors, to music, or taste. Especially interesting was the sense where she can taste whether someone is telling the truth or telling a lie.

Alison wakes up at the start of this novel believing that she has killed her school nemesis Tori. She remembers fighting with her and then seeing her "disintegrate." She is taken to the hospital and transported by the police from one institution to another because she was ranting and raving during her mental collapse that she killed Tori - so of course the police and the institution she ends up in, believe that she is a murderer.

Anderson takes us on a journey into the mind and soul of Alison and the difficulties she has faced all her life with her special abilities along with the new difficulties she's facing currently. This is written skillfully, without any technical flaws that would jar a reader out of the story. It goes to the root of how young adults may feel different and alienated from their peers (even though Alison has a very real reason for her differences). Anderson also creates a sense of tension that makes you want to keep reading until you reach the end just so that you can see what will happen next. The book did take a science fiction bend toward the end, but it was so well done that even people who don't like science fiction will enjoy the detour. Ultimately, this is a story of one person's growth and redemption.

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1 comments:

Wendy Darling said...

I loved the direction this book went in--I'm glad you did, too! Thanks for following my blog. :)

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