This novel is The Giver meets 1984 with a little Brave New World thrown in! And even though it's billed as a middle school read, I can see it working so well as a high school title as well. In the near future, because so many believed that Global Warming was a hoax, people were unprepared for The Melting which flooded the land, killing many and leaving only Noa and his city of Ark. Since language became the one thing that Noa believed prevented people from discovering the truth, he has vowed to eliminate it with The List: the 500 words that remaining citizens must use. Now Wordsmith, Letta must discover the truth for herself. Is Noa really the savior he claims to be or is the resistance trying to save humanity? Fast-paced and gritty, this is a dystopian novel for everyone who loves language and realizes the importance of its place in society.

Imagine how many words you speak, read and hear each day. Think about how many choices you have in terms of deciding what you want to say and why and the images that your words can paint. Think about the impact that nuance, tone and irony can have on the words you deliver and the way that they are received by others. Consider how may words have multiple meaning based on culture, region or slang. Now imagine that the leader of your society limited those words more and more each year (only 500 words allowed) and put strict rules in place for the language you could speak, the tone you use and the images they evoke. Crazy, right?

This is exactly the premise of Patricia Forde’s brilliant new YA book The List. Part apocalyptic/dystopian novel and part social commentary about courage, morals and the power of words, I had a very difficult time putting this book down. The story is set in a place called Ark, the surviving society after a catastrophic event called “The Melting” – think worst case scenario climate change impact. Letta, the main character, is the wordsmith’s apprentice and one of the few people “allowed” to know about the full range of language of the past and speak freely. It is her job to write out lists of acceptable words and provide the lists to the people of Ark. John Noa, the leader of Ark, believes that words are the cause of all of humanity’s problems. He decrees that the list of words be cut again and again to the bare minimum required to function as a society. Words including art, hope, love, freedom are all banned and deemed unnecessary. Letta accepts this as simply the way things are until a series of events force her to question Noa’s intentions including the disappearance of Benjamin (the wordsmith) and the appearance of Marlo, a teenage boy who knows about all of the words and is a dissenter living outside of Ark’s society. As the story unfolds, several interactions make her question Noa’s limits on language and the validity of his vision for humanity. The novel is fast paced and engaging as Letta must decide whether to ignore her own values and accept the status quo or face her fears and become part of a revolution.

The List is a perfectly fine entry into the subgenre of postapocalyptic/dystopian novels, and it will be an easy offer to readers who thrive on those titles. Otherwise, the story and setup are familiar, and it's hard to tell if there's really anything special about it as a title. It's well-written, and very swiftly paced, but ultimately reads as a standard entry now that the fervor for such books is waning.

If you are a lover of middle grade fiction I highly recommend this book! I started reading it with my children and they enjoyed it. Then we left on vacation and I tried to continue reading it to them and my nephew joined in. He usually loves to run and be on the go but sat quietly listening and begging to hear the rest of the book. Unfortunately we didn't get to finish it together because vacation ended. But he has asked me a couple different times if I'd finished it and what I thought. I ended up finishing it by myself but am definitely going to have my kiddos finish it too.

Well written, great dystopian world, the characters were well developed. I loved the mystery added in throughout the book. There was the "bad" character who had small little sections of just his thoughts in italics at the end of the chapters and it gave a great added dimension to the story and the mystery behind everything, as well as giving the reader a glimpse into the thoughts and the whys of this society of limited words.

What would you think if you only had so many words to use everyday. Speaking anything other than those words would mean punishment and eventual banishment. Imagine further that those words were slowly disappearing and being destroyed so your "List" would eventually become nonexistent. Definitely was thinking Fahrenheit 451 when I started reading this. I loved that book when I read it years and years ago. Destroying knowledge and books and take it a step further, words and the knowledge of what those words and their meanings are.

Letta is what's known as a 'wordsmith' and has access to all the words, not just list. When a stranger stumbles into her world, all she's thought and believe has been changed and may never go back to normal again. She must decide what to believe and what she deems is right and good. Is she willing to do whatever it takes to truly find out what should be or will her inability to step forward be the downfall of all she holds dear.

I really enjoyed the writing style and the weaving of the storylines together. Great read that I will be recommending to middle-grade librarians, public librarians and lots of parents and children.

Content: Some moments of peril, talk of torture (nothing graphic), some fights and a very mild love story. I would definitely say this is a clean read.

I received a copy from the publisher, Jabberwocky, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

I’ve paraphrased the rather chatty blurb and my firm advice would be not to read it if you intend to get hold of the book – it gives far too much of the story arc away. I really liked Letta – she gets wrapped up in the words she records for when times get easier and takes great care to copy out The List for the children to learn. But as her job isolates her from most of the rest of the community, she has the opportunity to look and wonder about some of the older words – and make comparisons to their current existence. I also very much like the fact that she is short-fused with a quick temper and cannot abide to see suffering and injustice. Otherwise her actions simply don’t make sense.

In order to believe in this dystopian world, the reader has to go along with the premise that the founder of the Ark, John Noa, has decided that language and words were the cause of humanity’s downfall. He feels that if only humanity is limited to the most basic of communication, they will be nearer the state of animals. He thinks is a great idea – for animals do not harm the planet, or plot and deceive each other. Only mankind is capable of that – because of the lies he can spin with his words. Initially I wasn’t sure this was going to work, but overall I think that Forde has built a convincing case for Noa’s beliefs. Like many charismatic leaders, Noa becomes caught up in his own rhetoric and needs to continue to push the community to make ever more extreme changes as everyone falls short of his grandiose schemes to return humanity to a pristine state.

Forde effectively raises the stakes and it doesn’t take much for this fragile, brutalised community to be tipped into unrest, as events drive Letta ever forward with some plot twists along the way. The climax of the story works very well, though for the more experienced reader, there aren’t a lot of major surprises as the overall story arc follows a well-trodden path. That said, this is aimed at children who haven’t necessarily read much in this genre and it raises some interesting issues regarding the role of language in the development and organisation of human society. If you enjoy dystopian, post-apocalyptic worlds, then this one is worth tracking down.

While I obtained the arc of The List from the publisher via NetGalley, this has in no way influenced my unbiased review.
8/10

Disclaimer: I received a free digital of this book from Netgalley as well as a physical Advanced Reader Copy from Sourcebooks Jabberwocky in return for an honest review. All opinions expressed below are my own.

Head to http://jackiereadsbooks.blogspot.com/... for my full review, favorite quotes from the novel, and pictures!

Synopsis:
The List tells the story of Ark, a apocalyptic and neo-medieval world. For the citizens of Ark, words have to be used carefully. It is actually illegal for them to use words that are not sanctioned. If they break the law too many times, they can be cast out of Ark, where they are sure to die.

Letta, a Wordsmith apprentice, is tasked with shortening the List of sanctioned words to 500 words. While Letta is a keeper and archivist of language, she is tasked with suppressing everyone's speech. She has to watch speech and language leave the only society she has known and loved. Children in Ark are taught a bare minimum when it comes to reading and language. Basically, they are taught only what is required so that simple communication can be transmitted, but nothing more.

My review:
I adored this middle-grade read. I immediately requested a copy once I read about the concept. Fahrenheit 451 is one of my all-time favorite reads, so when The List was compared to a mix of that and The Giver (a childhood favorite of mine), I knew I needed to read it. I was not disappointed. No, this is not an adult read and the plot is fairly simple, but I expected that in a middle-grade read. Even as an adult, I was motivated to continue reading to find out what happened and how Letta would overcome the obstacles in her life.

One theme that I found very important in this novel was the concept of speaking up against authority if the authority is wrong. I think it is important to teach children that just because someone is an authority figure (like John Noa), doesn't make that person infallible. I believe that Letta follows some very appriate steps when questioning his authority - she thinks about other solutions, she goes to John Noa to try to sway him to her side, and really tries most available avenues to try to convince him. I think this is an important lesson for children to see.

Another theme that I loved was using language and art as both tools and as a means of expressing emotions. Not everything in life has to be done for the purpose of furthering society. Art and language may be used to simply express ideas, opinions and feelings.

Overall, I rate this middle-grade read 3.5/5 stars. The List tells an amazing story of a young woman proving to herself and society that words are important. While this is marketed for children aged 10-14 years, I think both younger and older readers will also enjoy this novel. It tells many important messages and I anticipate that it will create amazing conversations if approached correctly.

I highly recommend this book for middle-grade readers, for parents, and for people who love books, language, and being able to express themselves. Think of The List as a younger, more introductory, read to the lessons in Fahrenheit 451.

Ark is the last safe place on Earth, and every resource is utilized fully. After the polar ice melted and the seas rose, the world changed, and Noa was smart enough to create Ark and hold it in his iron fist. He doesn’t allow art. Or music. And there’s a list of 500 words that are the only ones allowed to be used.

Letta is an apprentice Wordsmith, and can read all words, not just those on the list. When her master vanishes and Letta is made the new wordsmith, she’s told to cut even more words from the list. Then Letta meets a boy who knows all the old words, and he warns her that Noa intends to take language from people forever. Letta must decide between fighting for words and art and music, or facing banishment in the wilds.

As an avid reader and writer—and as a former environmental biology major—the premise of The List horrified me. The environmental disasters that led to the changed world are not far-fetched to me, but the idea of forbidding almost every word is horrifying beyond belief. While I’ve seen a lot of comments that this book is middle-grade, I don’t really agree with that. It’s not written on a middle-grade reading level, and it deals with much deeper issues than most middle-grade books I’ve seen. I would classify it as solidly YA, and while the premise isn’t totally unique, the worldbuilding and characters are solid enough to make it worth reading…even if the idea of someone who controls spoken words is terrifying.

(Galley provided by Sourcebooks via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)

Strong, evocative writing makes The List a story difficult to put down. I loved Letta’s care for words and her struggle to do what’s right as she begins to realize that may mean defying the leadership and rules of Ark. Something about the story reminded me very much of The Giver. I think because of the repressive environment and Letta’s growing need to escape. I liked Marlo’s character, too, and the way he protected Letta and helped her without expecting anything in return.

The plot moved quickly and kept me guessing at what would happen next. I think I read the whole book in two sessions—I could barely stand to put it down until the last page. The story builds to a pretty intense climax and resolves with plenty of setup for a sequel.

Other than some references to violence and brief depictions, it’s a pretty clean story, and a great read for those transitioning from middle grade to young adult literature. Fans of dystopian literature, especially stories about communities under repressive rule like Uglies by Scott Westerfeld or Divergent by Veronica Roth definitely need to put The List on their reading lists.

Posted 8/11/17

I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

So alright, I don’t have to wax poetic what the story is all about. If you’re familiar with the story of Noah’s Ark then you have the basic premise of The List. Set some time in the future, Earth finally succumbed to Global Warming. The glaciers melted causing a massive flood that killed a lot of people. Fortunately, a radical environmentalist named John Noa had already anticipated the catastrophe and built an Ark. To cut the story short, John Noa and the rest of the survivors made a new world where technology was forbidden and speech regulated. Yes, you’ve read that right. Due to John Noa’s resentment and perverse obsession to protect Ark from another bout of Global Warming, he mandated that speech must be regulated. Because ya know, speech=freedom…freedom to manipulate…freedom to express…freedom to spread lies…etc. So a Wordsmith was appointed to release a List of words that every Ark citizen must use to communicate. Speaking/using words not included in the list would mean punishment.

In Ark, our heroine, Letta, was born. Despite being an orphan, her life is still pretty much easier compared to the other Ark dwellers. She was made apprentice to the Wordsmith, Benjamin, which means that she can speak words outside of the list without getting punished. Everything was working fine in Letta’s world when suddenly it turned upside down and found herself being hailed as the new Wordsmith.

Well, this was a good read although I’m still partial to the Giver. The premise alone is already intriguing from the get go. And I was highly interested as to how the author would handle such ambitious idea. Though there are still areas for improvement, I think that Patricia Forde did a good job in presenting a world where language is constrained. I especially enjoyed the dialogue where the conversationalists are speaking List. Grammar Nazis, beware!

I also liked the environmental message that the author was sending particularly that the target audience of this book is our youngsters. It never hurts to educate our young ones regarding environmental protection as early as possible. Cheers for that, Forde!

I was, however, quite turned off with the way the author is hinting a romance between Letta and Marlo because it’s not necessary. And I don’t even feel any chemistry between the two. And one more thing, that ending feels like a cop out.

All in all, if you enjoy middle-grade dystopia and still crazy about The Giver’s, then, The List is the perfect book for you.

I don’t usually read middle grade books since they’re geared for an audience much younger than me, but I couldn’t resist the synopsis for The List. This is a dystopian book where a great flood has covered much of Earth’s landmasses and the only civilized sanctuary is called the Ark. In the Ark, citizens have fresh water, food, and occasional electricity, but their language is being limited by mandate of John Noa, leader of the Ark. He thinks that by limiting language he can prevent what he sees as the failures of the previous society, but not everyone agrees with his decisions.

The Ark may be the only truly developed sanctuary, but there are a few other small enclaves of humanity left – the town of Fearfall and an enclave of artists known as the Desecrators, many of whom fled the Ark when restrictions were placed on freedom of artistic expression. The Desecrators regularly stage rebellious expositions of their talents (from art to music) to protest Noa’s ridiculous laws. What surprised me was how docilely the citizens seem to accept the new impositions on their language and everyday life… when your freedoms are taken slowly and every day is about survival, I suppose you don’t think about things like that. Letta, the wordsmith’s apprentice was just like everyone else – meekly accepting each new law handed down from above – until an injured boy entered the shop. Marlo was a Desecrator, or as they refer to themselves, a Creator and should have been turned in to the gavvers who enforce Ark law.

Letta was a likable enough character, though I was frustrated with her on several occasions because she couldn’t accept that Ark law was wrong and John Noa wasn’t such a beneficent ruler after all. This was a believable and expected reaction, and I was mostly annoyed that she didn’t see what I (the knowing reader) could see from an outside perspective so it wasn’t a big deal. Overall, the story was pretty good and I think that to a reader of the right age group, it would be awesome. I’m a little old to appreciate middle-grade to its full extent, but The List was creative and pretty entertaining!

The story itself was interesting. A dystopian future where much had been lost. The book follows a young girl through her apprenticeship as a wordsmith. Readers will instinctively shudder at the loss of words.

However, this book had trouble convincing me of its motivations. Noa wants to limit communication among the people around him by limiting the words they can use, but I never got a real feel for why. He says he wants people to be more like animals, but they are living in a communal setting which requires collaboration. I just couldn't figure out how he thought that his actions were going to make anything better. As a villain he was just a big question mark..

I really enjoyed this book. The concept is absolutely terrifying and would make a good lesson - identifying words we need and trying to use them for a lesson or day. Relevant themes of global warming and conspiracy theories are included. As are the consequences of censorship.

"Fahrenheit 451 meets The Giver" is an apt and irresistible description! The thought that a society could be controlled by strictly limiting the words that are allowed is chilling. I would recommend this title to middle school and older readers.

There were a lot of logic issues with the premise of the book. While there were great characters, the premise that one could use a chemical to take away the ability to use language, and that future generations would be affected by this, doesn't make sense. Chemical exposure cannot alter one's DNA, so the next generation would not be affected.

Also, I was offended that the people who couldn't speak would be in so much despair that they would kill themselves. Lots of people can speak, use sign language, and do just fine, thank you very much!

For these reasons, I cannot recommend this book.

I requested a review copy of this from Netgalley because of the cover. I don't usually read Middle Grade because I usually dont connect to the characters and their decisions, but the cover kept catching my eye so I ended up requesting it. Thankfully, the main character Letta wasnt immature like I thought she was going to be. She was a likeable and well developped character, but I dont know if her bravery was very realistic, especially considering her age. I was afraid for her.

The pace wasnt fast enough for me, but the concept of only having a small amount of words available was interesting and the author did a good job with the dialogue. It was the first time I saw LOL used in dialogue. Even though we got a vague reason why Noa hates words so much I kept waiting for the real reason to be revealed. I felt like the reason wasnt that believable for the amount of hate Noa had for words. I also didnt believe the ending of Noas mates character arc or the fact that Letta didnt drown in the barrel.

The plot was pretty basic and not exactly gripping. Letta was trying to figure out of what happened to her master, but it was pretty obvious to me. Then their was a rebellion. The end. I liked the characters in the rebel group, but the part where they followed a trail of ink wasnt very realistic since it would have washed away with the rain. I would have liked to know what happened to Daniel. It felt like that plot line was just forgotten. After she talked to his mom she didnt even try to find him.

Overall I thought this book was alright. I didn't feel like I was forcing myself to finish it. I think people who read Middle Grade will enjoy more than I did. The world and the characters were a lot of fun, but the plot wasnt as unique as I would have liked. I liked how the environmental disaster was something that could actually happen in our future. It was predictable and none of the twists surprised me, but Ive read a lot of these types of books. Someone newer to the genre might find it more exciting.

This book had a great concept and a fun story. I was really intrigued. The concept was interesting and the biblically influenced elements were great. It did fall short for me and I wasn't overly impressed although it kept me interested. I may still continue with the series, even though it won't be something I'll be rushing to get.

I will be unable to review this book. Thanks for the opportunity.

This book was incredible, thank you netgalley for this lovely book to review. It was challenging and scary if you think about it. Our words are part of what define us and if that was taken away from us, controlled, we would lose part of our humanity.

This was exciting and gripping at every page and I couldn't put it down. Such a great book and I recommend it to everyone!

3.5 Stars
A middle-grades dystopia that is reminiscent of many of the classic dystopian and post-apocalyptic novels with a few original elements.
4 Stars - The worldbuilding, the overall plot, the pace, and the setup.
3 Stars - The gaps in the story and some characters needed a little more development (although some were well-written).
If you read dystopias, I would give this book a chance, especially if you're a younger YA fan.

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The List tells the story of Ark, a village that survives in a near cult like stoic manner after a massive and catastrophic worldwide event called The Melting. People that call Ark their home do so with very few words, as according to their self professed leader the spoken and written language is to blame for the end of everything that came before. It's the words that are to blame for the way the planet has behaved. That's right, the words.

With only certain words allowed, the leader hopes he can rebuild some form of society within the allotted confines of the earthly space given. As you can guess, as is the case anytime someone becomes too fond of himself and the power he holds, things do not go the way of the people. Thankfully, there are some among them who are willing to question the motives of the wolf in sheep's clothing.

One of these is Letta. It's a fine thing to be a Wordsmith. To be in charge of finding the words left over from the time before. To determine and apply meaning to the words. To write the cards that are used for teaching. Yes, it's an admirable job indeed. But when Letta discovers a plot to relegate her position and her life's meaning to the bottom of the trash heap she must delve in with both feet. It's a harrowing and dangerous job, yet if anyone can do it she can.

This middle grade novel has gotten some strongly varied reviews. I, for one; however, can't think of a single bad thing to say about it because I enjoyed it immensely. I thought the dystopian storyline was different from the others I've come across, which made it fresh and exciting. The stilted manner of speech, when the characters were speaking List, did take a little getting used to. This was the only thing that I can honestly think to mention that isn't abject praise for the book.

Thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for granting me this early review opportunity.