Another distopian novel that focuses on a current world issue. Decent writing, but a new twist on the plot.

After reading The List, the phrase "freedom of speech" takes on all new meaning. The reader is immediately placed into the action of a story that explains just how powerful words can be. Although this novel paints an intriguing tale of dystopian and hope for the future, it has a slow start, and at times is too verbose. Overall a meaningful read, as long as the reader commits to finishing it.

I was actually very excited to read The List. Mainly because I really like reading, among other things, post apocalyptic dystopia. I love reading what the author’s vision of what the world would be like after an apocalyptic event were to happen. And I really liked what I read in this book.

I think what I liked the most about it is that the author took real life events (climate change, global warming, polar ice caps melting….see below for links) wove such a wonderful story around them. I could totally get what John Noa was talking about when words were not enough to save the world. I 100% get it because I see the same similarities today. All talk, no action and one day, something similar will happen and people will be devastated….just like in the book.

But while the actions that John Noa took to make sure that words will no longer have the effect to hurt or persuade is wrong, I totally get where he was coming from. He was trying to prevent people from doing the same things that hurt their society in the first place. First by only allowing 500 words, then by keeping them semi illiterate and then by taking away anything to do with music/art. In his screwed up way, he was trying to save them. But I do agree that his final solution was a bit over the top but in his mind, he was doing what he had to “to preserve humanity”.

Letta (and am I the only one to get the irony of her name) was a sweet, sweet girl who was kinda pushed into something bigger than her when she rescued Marlo and then hid him in her house. Just doing that set her on a path to realizing that John Noa was a very flawed man and that she was probably the only one that could stop his mad plan.

I admired her strength in accepting that what she has always known might not be the best way for people to live. I also admire her for knowing what John Noa was doing and what he was planning on doing was very wrong and having the courage to stop it. I do think that her talk with Benjamin before he died cemented those facts.

The secondary characters totally made the book, also. Finn, Leyla, Werber, Carver, the residents of Tintown, the residents of Ark, the woman who lived in the woods, Letta’s parents, Amelia….they kept the book going. They added a wonderful back drop of how people adapted to this strange new world (especially the older people) and how hard it was to survive.

The end of the book was bittersweet because while it solved one problem, it didn’t solve all the others that this society had. I did think the last scenes between John Noa and Letta/and The Desecrators, Rebellion, Citizens/Garver’s were very sad. People died, people lived and, to be honest, nothing was really accomplished….other than disrupting the end game plan that John Noa had. So no one really won and it definitely wasn’t a HEA.

How many stars will I give The List: 4

Why: I enjoyed reading this book and thought that the lesson (change our ways before something bad happens) is definitely needed to be heard. While this book deals with some pretty heavy subjects, it is a book that I would definitely let my tween read this and hope she learns something from it.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age Range: Tween

Why: Mild violence

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

I didn't expect to like this book. I was intrigued to see that this Irish YA novel was being published in the USA and I jumped at the chance to get a peek. I dove right in, and to be honest the first hour or so of reading felt like it was dragging. I've read The Giver, I've read Fahrenheit 451, heck I've watched Equilibrium! I really thought it was going to be a complete rehash.

I was definitely wrong. There came a turning point to me where I found myself pretty excited to finish, to see where the story was heading. I was actually caught unawares by a twist or two, and the book ended up being a lot more enjoyable than I had expected.

There are a few places where the environmentalism is heavy handed, to the point where I think it strains the narrative. Besides these points, I thought the story carried these themes well and communicated clearly to the reader.

2.5 Savvy Crowns is more like it.

Once the world was full of crooked politicians telling lies, using words to corrupt the world and when The Melting began (all of the ice caps,) it was decided that things would change, no more countless words... now everyone would have a word limit, only a set list of words they could use or be labeled as a Desecrator and risk being banished.

Amongst the population there is a Wordsmith who collects old words so true language is not forgotten, Benjamin and his apprentice Letta achieve this. Except when Benjamin goes missing Letta must take over and an injured Desecrator shows up. What is she to do?

As far as world building goes this book deserves a round of applause, it gave world information, reasoning as to why things were and depicted the divide in people.

Characters? I enjoyed them. Those who had skepticism were appropriately done, I don't really have qualms with the characters.

My issue is actually with how the story was paced, or how very little occurred so it felt like this book was mostly words to fill in space, which is amusing given the premise of the book. While the book started off wonderfully the second half and even later dragged on with events that weren't quite important to the story line which created some boredom for me.

I did enjoy the idea, but this particular issue for me is what dropped the rating immensely.

If you like dystopian novels or the idea of extreme censorship being portrayed then this book is for you.

Letta lives in a society formed after catastrophic events killed millions of people and wiped out technology. In order to try and regulate things words are limited and speech must be formed of words from a limited allowed list. Letta is an apprentice wordsmith, until her mentor dies and she becomes 'the' wordsmith. She gets involved with a revolution, almost unknowingly at first, and is instrumental in preventing a mass homicide.
The plot of this was book was intriguing and a little disturbing, with some very clear ethical messages thrown in. Letta is an interesting, strong character, I'm looking forward to watching her develop in future adventures. An excellent middle grade read with action, thrills, a burgeoning romance just hinted at and a few tears too.

My daughter enjoyed this book, she had a very specific taste in books, of which this book falls outside. So +1 star for that.

This book just didn't quite work for me. I found it quite suspenseful, and the premise was intriguing, but unfortunately the main concept - that somehow people were losing language - was not developed enough or didn't come across clearly. Without that, the setting of a post-environmental disaster scenario with a world ruled by a fanatic was not sufficiently original to make the story out of the ordinary.

The List, by Patricia Forde, is reminiscent of The Hunger Games series and The Giver. In this book of futuristic survival, the use of words is restricted to an approved list that continues to be reduced in length, and the main character, Letta, goes to extremes to save the words and the culture of her people. The ending leaves some unanswered questions and one can hope this is book one of a series. This is a recommended read for my middle school students.

The concept was interesting but the explanation of how we got to this point came faaaaaaaar too late in the book. More than halfway, and to me, the world building was everything that was missing from this story. Whats a gavver? How do they regulate the speech limit? How did Letta get the job of wordsmith apprentice? Who IS Noa? How did he come to power? Why has no one opposed him before? No one seems to fear him? What would he gain with a village of illiterate people? Why on Earth would older people who remembered all the old words go along with this? Why do they get words on paper? Doesn't that mean they can read? Why would they need to read if they can't use words? I had so many questions! In the bad way. Holes in the story.

I think with the current day and times, for me to connect and really buy into this society, there needed to be a VERY firm and clear reason why and how this 500 words or less society came to be right from the get go. Or at least in the first third of the book. Without a solid handle on the situation, I felt myself reading with complete disbelief that it could ever be plausible. So. I didn't buy into it but it was otherwise decently interesting. Take that how you will.

The List is about a Dystopian world where the people are only permitted to speak words from a designated list. The premise of this book was really interesting to me. When I first read the description I was really excited to read it. However, it didn't turn out to be what I thought. The very beginning when we were just learning about the world, I was very excited to learn about how the system worked, what happened when people used banned words, why they were banned, etc. However, my excitement quickly diminished. The ending was very exciting as well once the action started but it was over very quickly as well. It was like the long build up didn't really lead to anything.

Characters: The characters were interesting but they weren't fleshed out very well. I would have liked to see them more developed and learn more about their past. The only person we learned anything about was the main character, Letta, and that wasn't until the very end. Also, I couldn't get over the language. I know the whole point of the book was the limitation of words, but I every time someone "spoke list" it made me think of someone who's first language was not English but they were able to barely speak it, like broken English. The relationships, whether that be friends, family, or romantic, were not formed very well either. It was more like the book took place in steps.

Action/Plot: The plot and pacing was not bad. While I was reading I never really got bored or confused. Everything that happened worked towards the ending. There wasn't any surprises either, which could be good or bad depending on what you like. There was a little action at the end but it didn't last long and was over very quickly.

Premise: This premise was very interesting and unique which is what really made me want to read this book. I really hope there are more books because I would love to learn more about the world and the characters.

Overall: If this book ever has a sequel I will probably pick it up. The premise was very interesting and I like most of the characters. I actually hope there is a sequel so we can learn more about the characters and the world. If the author could flesh out the world and characters more then I think this book/series could become very popular. If you have read the premise and it interests you then you should definitely give it read.

I received an advanced reader copy via Netgalley.

I picked this book based on its cover which is absolutely gorgeous. The concept of the book is also good and is a young person's 1984. Sadly, I don't feel that it was executed well.

The back story is not well-developed and it was difficult for me, a fully-fledged adult, to understand completely what happened for Noa to create the Ark. I pitched the idea and the story to some of my students and they didn't understand it or thought it sounded like a "stupid idea". I think that this aspect of the story really needs to be reconsidered and explored much more clearly.

The characters lacked depth and I did not care for them at all. I found them quite annoying, particularly Letta, and could not wait for the story to end.

What I did like about the book was its use of language. There are a lot of lovely noun phrases that I would love to use in class. I might encourage some of my more able students to read this to learn more about oppressive government systems.

Thank you to NetGalley for my copy of this novel.

Wow!! This is the story of Letta, a wordsmith apprentice who is one of the few allowed to speak all words as we do now. The rest of this dystopian society is limited to words off a list & that list is getting smaller & smaller & ultimately there's something more evil afoot. This story was suspenseful, with just the right amount of twists & turns that kept my interest & left me not wanting to put it down! I didn't see the plot twists coming & they were just right for the story. Loved it!

2.5 stars

Expected to release August 8th, 2017

Review: I found the concept of the novel very interesting but sadly it did not come through. I felt my mind drifting away a lot and I felt it took a while for the story to actually pick up. The characters were flat and stereotypes..been there done that, nothing new or fresh. I did like the ec0-friendliness but I found the female lead to be strong and then to that crumbled. The villains were nothing new but I did find it intriguing the citizens had a approved list of words they could use. I felt this book had a lot of potential but all in all I didn't find it very memorable..I feel it would have been better for someone more interested in dystonian novels.

I received an arc of an advanced copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you very much NetGalley.

I liked 'The List', but I didn't love it. It has a lot of great elements: a beautiful cover, an intriguing dystopian setting, a charismatic leader with a dark side. However, some of the dialogue didn't work for me, and the pacing of the story felt off at times. There were some parts that were way too slow and others that could have used more detail and explanation. For me, this book didn't quite live up to its potential.

It was like the City of Ember, Fahrenheit 451 and The Giver were thrown into a pot and mixed to create this book. The dystopian genre was very popular at one point and this is part of that line. It has a very strong statement to make regarding environmentalism so if you're anti global warming you'll hate this book.

One of the premises of the book is that their society is controlled by only being allowed a 500 word vocabulary. The list of words for their vocabulary must be approved or you can be punished for using words that are not on this list including being kicked out to survive on your own without societal/family support. Reading the character dialogue when they were using The List was sometimes difficult as prepositions and other 'connecting' words are considered useless in this society. It definitely made for some stilted and cold relationships. The author seemed to pour all her effort into setting up the rules for this world but not character development as too many are mentioned then dropped out of the story just as quickly. At other times no real context or background is given to explain why one character would react the way they are towards another leaving it to feel awkward to the point of forced. Unfortunately underdevelopment seemed to be a common problem throughout the book as plot lines, characters, what went on to create this world, how a word is allowed to make the list, etc is never fully explored.

An interesting lesson taught in this story though is that words have power because they create ideas. Make people unable to talk beyond limited means and it will stifle their ability to think for themselves. Thankfully it's a fully contrived story so there is a satisfying conclusion however the story is still set up a sequel could easily be done.

After reading this I had a greater appreciation for Free Speech and it made me realize how important the arts are to our freedom and ability to create our own unique identities. Even with some obvious issues I still think the concept is a good one and would encourage people to read the book if only to open dialogue into the idea of the power behind words and if you were forced to create a list limiting human vocabulary what would you include and why?

The List by Patricia Forde (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky)

Review copy provided by Netgalley.

Genres: Dystopian, Sci-fi, Drama, Futuristic

RATING: 3/5



The Story

In the city of Ark, speech is constrained to five hundred sanctioned words. Speak outside the approved lexicon and face banishment. The exceptions are the Wordsmith and his apprentice Letta, the keepers and archivists of all language in their post-apocalyptic, neo-medieval world.

On the death of her master, Letta is suddenly promoted to Wordsmith, charged with collecting and saving words. But when she uncovers a sinister plan to suppress language and rob Ark’s citizens of their power of speech, she realizes that it’s up to her to save not only words, but culture itself.

The Review

The idea behind The List is an extremely compelling concept. Language is severely restricted in order to be functional without allowing for freedom of thought or belief. Devised by John Noa, it is an attempt to remove the ability for movements to form, for ideas to be created, and for beliefs to be born. Noa believes that The Melting, a planet-wide disaster, could have been prevented if not for language. Politicians who denied global warming used words to persuade and distract citizens from dealing with the problem.

It is a very relatable idea- just look at the 2016 presidential elections. This Wordwatchers blog tracked the use of language in the last presidential debate and explains how words can be used to sway and manipulate an audience. Trump did it so effectively that he is soon to become the most powerful man in the world.Against the backdrop of our own global climate, both politically and environmentally, The List is very fitting for our times. It’s exploration of both the importance and the danger of language is exceptional.

Aside from the obvious links between the concept in the novel and the real world, the use of List made me aware of my more personal beliefs about language. In the novel, when characters speak in List, I noticed that I would assume those characters had lower intelligence. This happened regardless of the concepts they were discussing or the ideas they were trying to communicate.

Of course, there are arguments that language does impact intelligence. Abstract concepts cannot easily be conceived of without a language to describe them. Nevertheless, we are still capable of having, understanding and applying knowledge without using words.

The List has many specific and more general opportunities for self-reflection on the part of the reader.There are many moments where the protagonist, Letta, is playing double-agent. Each time Letta must make a decision within these moments, I feel as a reader that I can’t help but think about how I would behave. Novels which encourage introspection are, in my opinion, quite important. You can learn a lot about yourself when reading a book.

Unfortunately, despite the unique concept of the novel, I feel Fordge promises something she doesn’t quite deliver on. The plot itself is not, perhaps, as intricate as it could have been. For instance, there are brief mentions of the ‘Wordless’, people who have lost the ability to speak entirely. These people are discussed with fear and confusion, and I was hoping for a moment when they would prove themselves worthy of more. Unfortunately, this moment never came.

Futuristic dystopian novels are becoming very popular. I believe for an author to be truly successful, they need to step away from the obvious story – a restrictive society which is disrupted due to a desire for more freedom. There was a pleasing reveal about two-thirds of the way through the novel regarding Letta’s family, but aside from that there were very few surprises.

As well as the somewhat unimaginative storyline, I struggled a little with Letta as our main character. For starters, I found I wasn’t able to easily decide on her age. We are told she is under eighteen, but to me that didn’t help much in really understanding her. There is a big difference between 13 and 17 years of age. This difficulty in placing her age made it tricky to completely relate to her.

Throughout the novel there are hints of her affections for another character, but these are not fully explored. Are these feelings the earliest flutterings of attraction within a young teenage girl, or more fully-fledged emotions emanating from a young woman? Rarely mentioned, and not at all acted upon, I think this plot device was thrown in for the sake of it. There is little to no chemistry between the two characters, and they don’t even speak to each other particularly frequently.

On top of this non-romance, I was also disappointed in the relative rarity of moments which encouraged me to feel for the characters. I believe Forde did attempt to show the strength of connections between her cast, but for whatever reason I found it difficult to empathise with them when characters were in danger. As a result, I was interested in what happened to the characters, but I didn’t really care what happened.

I would recommend The List for fans of the dystopian novel who want something new, but don’t expect to be wowed. An intriguing concept which could have been more fully explored.

The List (alternative title: The Wordsmith) is released on 8th August 2017.

You can find out more about Patricia Forde via her website, Facebook and Twitter.

NetGalley Review
Let me start off by stating that I was really intrigued from the start. You are immediately immersed in a new dystopian world of few words. That concept clicked with me immediately. I loved the idea of possibilities around it. However, based on how many stars I had given this book, I wasn't overall completely impressed with the direction of this book.
The List dealt with many subjects of controversy; religion, art, power, and of course, language. However, I felt as if they could've been handled better than they had been.
One thing I must say is that I was surprised by the diction that the author had chosen. I expected it the writing to be a little bit more advanced, then again this is directed towards middle graders. With that it mind, I think the world limit of 500 was genius yet hurtful to the story. How could you limit yourself to 500 different words? But, with the limit, the concept strengthened the idea of how small the character's vocabulary was.
Though this book was set in another world, we didn't get to experience that much of it. Or see the differences between our world from theirs. The book implies that you should already know everything about this world before even reading the first page. I mean, with only 500 words to work with you'd think it would be easy to understand. However, I found myself rereading sections, confused as to what in the world was going on.
Speaking of characters, some of the interactions felt awkward and confusing, as if the author was forcing the conversations to go one way but the characters wanted it to go another.
Overall, The List is a little cliche. Though I probably won't read it again, I do recommend giving The List a go.

(I received a copy of this book via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review)

As soon as I saw this beautiful cover and read the interesting description I just knew that I was going to like this book. However I didn't think I'd love it as much as I did. I read this book in one sitting. Everything from the world, interesting cast of characters, a plot surrounding language and the writing just pulled me in, compelled to read until there was nothing left.

This book is centred in the city of Ark where we read from the perspective of Letta who is our protagonist and an apprentice of the Wordsmith. I won't say much more about the plot as I think it's better to go into this book not knowing much and just seeing where this world and characters take you.

I loved the character of Letta as she was genuine, determined and caring. I also loved Marlo, Finn and Amelia and the rest of the characters in this story as I felt they were all so well developed. I never knew what was going to happen next and whilst there was a little glimpse at romance it wasn't the main focus of the story. Whilst the ending was satisfying, I would love to find out what happens next!

In "The List", Patricia Forde creates a world that is rebuilding itself after a worldwide flood caused by global warming. The lucky ones survive inside Noa's Ark community, a walled off city with food lines, water rations, and an imposed language limited by the "List". The main character is Letta, an apprentice wordsmith with the job of transcribing the List language and maintaining the memory of banned and forgotten words. It is interesting that Noa's greatest threat is not from famine, wild animal attacks, or even revolts from those outside his community. His greatest perceived threat is language and its ability to cause dissent, passion, and disobedience. It is when Letta meets a mysterious young man who helps her become aware of Noa's plan to eliminate language that Forde's story truly shines. The end is satisfying and yet poised for sequels, which I would be interested in reading as well.
As a middle school teacher, I can see myself using this story to engage my students in several discussions and learning opportunities. Why does the List not include intangible words like hope and love, adjectives, adverbs, and emotions? Why does Noa fear those words? What parallels could be drawn between the characters in this story and Native American children who were forced to forget their own language and culture as part of their education? I can see a real value in using this book in my classroom to help my students understand the power of language.