Review - Ultraviolet

by R.J. Anderson
Publisher: Orchard Books
Date of Publication: June 2011 (UK) / September 2011 (US) 
Format: digital review copy 
Pages: 303
Source: NetGalley


From Goodreads:

Once upon a time there was a girl who was special.

This is not her story.

Unless you count the part where I killed her.

Sixteen-year-old Alison has been sectioned in a mental institute for teens, having murdered the most perfect and popular girl at school. But the case is a mystery: no body has been found, and Alison’s condition is proving difficult to diagnose. Alison herself can’t explain what happened: one minute she was fighting with Tori—the next she disintegrated. Into nothing. But that’s impossible. Right?

Like those who have reviewed this book before me, I don't want to say too much because A.) I don't want to give anything away, and B.) I want YOU to get it as soon as possible and read it for yourself. Still, I'll try to give some vague indications of my thoughts. *read: I LOVE THIS BOOK!*
 

From the first moment, I was in love with the writing. It is poetic and engrossing and makes you want to paint your walls with the words because they are so beautiful. The descriptions and raw emotion got me so inside the mind of Alison, the MC, I felt like I was there by her side through everything. I yearned for her to reach her goals and figure out what was going on as much as she did.

All of the characters felt real to me, like I knew someone just like each one of them. The story itself, well, if I told you it wouldn't be any fun for you! Suffice it to say Anderson peppered clues and mysteries throughout so I never got bored. One minute I'd be wondering about this, the next about that, and before I knew it I was getting some answers. Of course, the answers only raised more questions, so the cycle of give and take between the story and myself was a good one that was not at all frustrating to me.

The only thing I could say that sounds somewhat negative (but really isn't) is that some of the flashbacks or relived memories (yes, there are those but trust me, they are great and relevant to what goes on) were a little description heavy and slowed me down in my quest to learn what had led Alison to be where she is.  But honestly, the heavy description is true to Alison's character, so I wouldn't change it. It was basically me just being impatient and wanting to know so badly what was going on rather than anything Anderson should have done differently.

Ultraviolet is an amazing ride and one that I enjoyed thoroughly (and will enjoy again, I am sure). There were so many different ways the story could have gone and overall I was very pleased with the how it all happened and how it ended, even though it might catch some people off guard with the direction it took. But trust me, it is a book worthy of any shelf.

AND, be on the lookout for the companion novel, Quicksilver, coming out in 2013!

Where you can buy Ultraviolet:

Amazon / The Book Depository / Indiebound

*Note: This review originally appeared in its unrevised format on Writer Quirk.