Pity Isn't An Option
Cozenage, no. 1
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5.0 • 1 Rating
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- $2.99
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- $2.99
Publisher Description
Seventeen year-old Jonas Norton is trying to come to terms with what his blood disorder has robbed from him, including his two most favorite things: basketball, and competing in Hatchet Racket, Wanless’ annual hatchet-throwing contest. The facts that his father works constantly to pay for his blood tests and Jonas can actually see the disappointment in his eyes for being such a failure only make matters worse. And even worse than all of that? Jonas' own twin brother, Micah, is perfectly healthy and becoming quite the basketball player himself. Also, Hattie, the girl Jonas has loved for forever? She has no idea how he feels.
Sixteen year-old Hattie Akerman lives down the hill from Jonas. Though her father, Heath, tries to hide his lack of mental clarity behind the bottle and she's pretty much given up on having any kind of relationship with him, she would still rather her younger sister, Lucy, not have to deal with the consequences of his behavior. Hattie helps her mother by baking food to sell at Market and looking out for Lucy. No matter what the rest of the town says about her crazy father, Jonas sticks up for them. He is, by far, her very best friend.
As if things aren’t complicated enough already, Heath and Micah are unexpectedly drafted into President Kendrick's army (an army from which no one ever returns) just days before Thanksgiving. When Heath disappears instead of arriving at the Meeting Place to check in, Hattie and Jonas decide they’ve had enough, and take matters into their own hands. And though nothing could have prepared them for what happens next, Hattie and Jonas learn that hope can be seen in every situation. You just have to know where to look.
Customer Reviews
Quite, intense and powerful...
ARC kindly provided by Jessica L. Brooks in exchange for an honest review.
Review
‘Pity Isn’t an Option’ was a well-thought-out, dystopian novel that follows two teens, Jonas Norton and Hattie Akerman, as they try to survive and navigate a world where only the strong survive, life takes and doesn’t give back…where pity really isn’t an option. It was bitter-sweet, a real tear-jerker and a novel that made me think. It is my first novel by Jessica L. Brooks, but it was one that I DID NOT regret.
The first thing that struck me about this novel, was its lovely prose and excellent grammar. It’s always a letdown when you open an indie novel or an arc, and the writing is just horrible. Jessica L. Brooks is able to convey the emotions, atmosphere and surrounding that Jonas and Hattie experience. She doesn’t just tell, she shows and she weaves the story to paint a realistic world in a time where America’s leader is cruel, harsh and unforgiving.
Yet another thing that struck me when I opened the novel was that it had a slow beginning. It would go on and on and on about the lives of Jonas and Hattie, recounting all their personal thoughts, letdowns, motivations, but nothing really happened. This made the novel hard to pick up again because it would just tell us about the sad story of some two (albeit very realistic) characters with problems who live in a dystopian world…same old, same old…and I really didn’t understand why. If only the writer started off with a BANG, then the beginning of the novel would have been a lot better. Instead it often lulled me to sleep. This was a major comeback, too, as it lasted until half-way through the book when I was ready to write it off, speed read though the rest and name it a three star.
On the other hand, ‘Pity Isn’t an Option’ was ripe with suspense and anticipation and a lingering mystery as to who this enigmatic President Kendrick figure was in the book. It made you question everything because the reader knows nothing about him. At times I often wondered whether he really was evil or maybe just a puppet who had his strings pulled by someone more powerful than him. It frustrated me that he remained an unknown but was the cause of all the troubles.
The novel also gave an excellent portrayal of hard times in a dystopian world. It painted the perfect setting for just the right conditions to make this novel awesome. It was ripe with emotional outbursts that were the main reason I kept reading. You could literally step into the world and breathe the air of Hattie and Jason.
What really made me connect was the first person narration as it allowed me a deeper insight into the book. It really allowed me to connect with our two main protagonists and experience feelings and emotions as they did. Third person would have worked, too, but not nearly as well I believe even though I often did get confused when changing between Jason and Hattie.
I SERIOUSLY LOVED THE ENDING; IT WAS JUST THE RIGHT ENDING FOR THIS BOOK – I couldn’t imagine a better one. I REALLY can’t wait for the sequel. I was unsatisfied and upset with the ending as I wanted more to happen and I felt it left me hanging with all these unsatisfied expectations. ARGH!
‘Pity Isn’t an Option’ had a quite intensity and power to it that made me adore it. This is the main reason for MY FIVE STAR. In the end, I didn’t dislike one bit about the book as all its flaws were made up for.
Rating Plan
1 star : Strongly did not like the book, writing and plot was bad. Idea of the book was against my liking.
2 star : Didn't like it, didn't find it interesting or gripping. Seemed to drag on to me.
3 star : An average book. Wasn't bad or good. Everything else was well done. Original idea.
4 star : Like a 3 star but has potential to it as a series or the book grew on me as it progressed and certain scenes captured me. I Enjoyed it and read it in one sitting.
5 star : I LOVED IT! I stayed up late until 3 am. Author is a genius, characters, plot, idea, development, EVERYTHING was EXCELLENT. Nothing else can possibly be said except that its 5 STAR!