Aman Hiregoudar
Taken - Erin Bowman
“Sooner or later we’re all gone, so no one bothers getting attached.”
In Taken by Erin Bowman, Gray Weathersby is faced with having to deal with his brother’s heist. In the town of Claysoot, all boys turning 18 are heisted and disappear and are never seen again. His brother Blain is heisted and Gray is trying to get back to his normal life but he can’t. In addition to that, he finds a mysterious letter from his dead Mother that was addressed to Blain. It is very mysterious and he can’t figure out what it means. In addition to this, he is starting to question the existence of Claysoot and is wondering if there is something bigger to life. He decides to look through his mom’s records, but finds nothing abnormal. Then he thinks to look at the doctor’s notes, to see if they contained anything about his mother. What he finds is shocking. What he finds changes how he thinks of life. He has the option of climbing the Wall, but that is suicide. However, what lies after the heist is also unknown. With this new knowledge gained, he begins to think about the risks he could take, to try and find out what is so special about Claysoot. In a thrilling and plot twisting story, Gray sets out to once and for all, find the meaning of Claysoot.
This is a great book to read and there are many things that I liked about it that made it better overall. I really like that the protagonist, Gray, has some sort of connection or relation to most of the other characters. Since Claysoot is such a small town, he knows everyone very well and I like those close relationships. His brother being heisted, is also what influences his decisions to find out what is going on. He has such a powerful relationship with his brother and “when I finally let go and walk away, I feel as though an integral piece of me has been ripped from my chest” (Bowman 28). This, during Blain’s heist, really shows how close they are to each other. These relationships between the characters really add an element of conflict in this dystopian world since it provides challenges for the characters to decide how to continue. I also enjoyed how the dystopian and science-fiction elements of the story can clearly be seen. The author really made it clear that this is a dystopian world. There are so many elements that contribute to the level of dystopia in the plot. “The door slams behind me and it takes the click of metal echoing in my ears before I realize I’m in a prison”(Bowman 111). This quote has a negative connotation as well as sensory details. Along with being dystopian, the plot also clearly shows that there are elements of science-fiction woven into the story. I believe that dystopian and science-fiction are two great genres, but woven together into one “super-genre” really makes a powerful story if written correctly. The author definitely did this and you can see how both genres work together to fuel the plot. A final thing that makes this story great is the sudden twists and turns in the plot. One paragraph, the story is progressing as you would expect, but then, a new element comes into play and totally changes the outcome. Comparing what I thought would happen when I read the first chapter and the fifteenth, is completely different. And the changes aren’t just over long periods of time. Within a few paragraphs, the plot has completely changed. This example, from after Blaine was taken away and Gray was trying to recover, really shows the sudden changes in the plot. One moment, “I stoop to collect the fallen frame” (Bowman 35), and the next, “Whatever truth Ma had hoped would be revealed at Blaine’s Heist remains a mystery. Especially to me” (Bowman 37). I really like this characteristic in novels. I think it keeps the reader engaged and always thinking of all the possibilities of what can happen. It also gives the author the chance to add foreshadowing to parts of the story which makes it more interesting.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys dystopian novels or science fiction novels. Specifically, if you are looking for dystopian novels, this book focuses on separation in the human race. If you are looking for a good book that is full of conflict and twists and turns, this is for you. This book is for readers at the high school level since it can get complicated if you don’t pay attention. I also just found out that this is the first book in a series that the author had written, so I am really excited to go back and see what happens in the next book. Overall, I give this book a 5 out of 5.
I really liked the introduction of this review. By the end, his detailed analysis made me want to read this book. I think the title could be a little more creative and he could also split the third paragraph into a few smaller paragraphs. But this is well written and you can definitely tell that he enjoyed the book!
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