The Body Electric

I am at a loss for words

Because this book really took my breath away, but I need to tell you more…
I need to tell you how beautifully written this story is, what an amazingly vivid world Beth has created, how incredible and fleshed out the characters are, how mind-blowing and breathtaking the plot is, how unreliable but relatable Ella seems, how deeply she feels the loss of her father and how much she tries to keep her mother in her life, for as long as she can.

And just how nice Jack is & how I wanted to know more about their relationship, about all the memories Ella has lost…
There is so much beauty in this book – from cover to cover and on every page in between!

But, let’s start with the beginning.
Remember the story of the spaceship from Across the Universe? Well.. Meanwhile, on Earth exciting things happened. No, actually that’s not really accurate, but I did find a reference in there, so I’d like to think that I am right ;))

Anyways, this is a STORY from the future too, with the world (as we know it) pretty devastated after a war, but rebuilt as well as people could. And there were good as well as bad sides to this dystopian new world. Some were easy to spot, some not so much, though I think I liked the surprises the best – because I was so focused on some elements that I missed entirely some hints left behind – and that always asks for a re-read 😉

Obviously, I can’t tell you much about the story itself, but rest assured that it blew my mind so badly that I can hardly think straight. I loved Across the Universe series, but this one might be even better. Or maybe just as much, I don’t know for sure… The fact is I really love this author and I can’t wait to read more from her.

THE BODY ELECTRIC is probably the most vivid dystopian story I’ve ever read. Those dreams were so awesome (!) I have no words to express my excitement. They alone would make for a great movie. Also, the turnarounds were absolutely crazy. And just how amazing the idea of reliving great memories is, huh? Not to mention the influence Ella had on them, without even knowing. Fantastic, I tell you, this story is fantastic! And yes, this means that I really loved everything about this book and it exceeded all my expectations – which were considerably high to begin with.

A few words about the CHARACTERS:

I will start with Jack, because we had less of him in this story and I want him to be a bigger part in this review. He was fun, determined, loyal and pretty much the perfect image of a nice guy, even with his imperfections. He suffered a lot, he didn’t understand lots of things, he’s lost many friends and family members, but he was still strong, he still knew what he was fighting for and didn’t want to give up.

But we also didn’t know some other sides of him. There were things I didn’t see coming, there were thing maybe not even him could have anticipated, and I really wished for his input after everything was over and gone. I knew how he felt about losing some people, I wanted to know how he felt about himself.

And there is Ella, and their lost relationship – all the things Jack does remember, all the things he sees when she looks at Ella. When she lost her father, he lost him too and it was just as hard or more so, as he didn’t have anyone to rely on.

And talking about Ella, I liked her as a protagonist. I liked her troubled mind, the feel of her grief, her insecurities, her need to find the truth, the way she cared about her mother. There were so many sides of her and there was that loneliness, that feeling that she is not complete. She was quite a complex character in more than one way, and I loved this about her – about the whole story, because nothing is as it seems.

I dived into this book without knowing much about it. And that was a good thing because I was surprised with each step I took, with each page, and nothing makes me happier than enjoying a good book.

I have only one ‘negative’ thing to say – I wanted more; I could never get enough of this. I wanted more memories from the lost past and even a short epilog into their future, more time to spend with this characters, I wanted more opportunities to visit this futuristic town Ella lived in…  But yeah, I’ve got my imagination and I should make use of it already.

I am half joking, as you might have noticed the missing half star – it’s because the ending felt like missing something. I am not sure what exactly, I might need to re-read it again and figure my own feelings (I might even raise the rating to full 5 stars afterwards). Anyways, that doesn’t take away much from its uber-greatness, so don’t worry :p

CONCLUSION:

I wish more books were like this one – with an unpredictable plot, strong characters and unique world building. Yes, it is still a dystopian world and the characters want to change the system, but the beauty sits in the nuances, in the details, in the beautiful images created through words, and Beth manages that magically.

I loved this book and I can’t wait for another one!
Happy midnight reading

Book source: ARC from the publisher & purchased Limited Edition – on both cases, a big THANK YOU!

Fan-art created by me, originally posted on my Tumblr page.

Music of choice:

Though the focus is not on the romance, I will still go with this song, for her loss of memories 🙂 Enjoy!

Leann Rimes – Please Remember

PS: There were a few stories that popped in my mind while reading this one – won’t tell you why, as those thoughts might contain spoilers: Nevermore + The Forever Song + Blackout + “Inception” movie.

PSS: Graphic images created by Hizome, Marion Bordeyne and Christine Tyler.