The voice just wasn't there for me. And when you're writing in a Dear Diary style the voice has to be nailed. Plus is was hard shifting back and forth from 3rd person and the 1st person diary. Meh. It's the new whatever. ( )

I tried to read this book a few years ago, but couldn't seem to get past the first couple of pages. Once again, this was a difficult book for me to get into. It took me at least a day and a half to read the first thiry pages or so. After I was into it, it became an easier read because I was curious to see what happened to Pelly D. and Toni V. Adlington created a new world for her readers, but failed to establish it. She threw out some hints here and there for the reader to pick up, but it was still hard to create an overall picture in my mind of the setting of this story. The Toni V. intervals of the books also bothered me because it really disturbed me that these people were still submitting themselves to the brainwashing and the "rules and regulations" of the Hitler figure of the novel. It bothered me because I think that Adlington intended to write a resonating story, but it ended up sounding like a preachy "warning to mankind" kind of story. And speaking of Hitler, if it wouldn't have been for a few name and setting changes here and there, this is the exact story of the Holocaust everyone is familiar with. This is fine, but the names and setting of the novel aren't enough to make it a unique, original piece. Overall, this book was just "okay," and I probably won't pick it up to read it again. ( )

A stand alone YA book. A very good read. I like Toni V and the way he felt drawn to read the journal. It was an interesting look on dystopia. ( )

This book is about a guy named Toni V. and his life on a construction site that is repairing City Five. He finds a diary while digging, but instead of turning it in to the Supervisor and following the rules and regs, he keeps the diary and reads it. It's the diary of Pelly D. He learns about her perfect life before the war and how it takes a turn for the worse. The gene factor becomes a problem as the As try to take over and excile the Gs. Toni V. tries to coop with the facts that are given in the diary while trying staying to stay in his right mind in his world after the war.

Toni V can't resist reading a bit of the journal, and then he's hooked and must read on. He likes Pelly and can't help fantasizing about her, but he's also puzzled. Why did she leave her diary hidden in the city plaza? Why did she scrawl on the front of it, "Dig -- dig everywhere"? This book was great. I was sad when I finished it. ( )