The Catalyst
Ratings1
Average rating2
15
Ratings1
Average rating2
'The next JK Rowling' (Today Programme, USA) 'An astounding achievement. I can't wait for the second book! *****' - Reader Review 'A great read for those who enjoyed The Hunger Games and Divergent. *****' - Reader Review ____________________ Rose Elmsworth has a secret. For eighteen years, the world has been divided into the magically Gifted and the non-magical Ashkind, but Rose's identity is far more dangerous. At fifteen, she has earned herself a place alongside her father in the Department, a brutal law-enforcement organisation run by the Gifted to control the Ashkind. But now an old enemy is threatening to start a catastrophic war, and Rose faces a challenging test of her loyalties. How much does she really know about her father's past? How far is the Department willing to go to keep the peace? And, if the time comes, will Rose choose to protect her secret, or the people she loves? ____________________ Further praise for Helena Coggan and The Catalyst 'The Catalyst is a complicated, rich world of magic and danger . . . Both fantastical and startlingly relevant and contemporary, it's tense, exciting, engaging and has at its heart a central character whose incredibly personal story becomes caught up in huge battles and some even bigger ideas.' - Claire North, author of The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August 'A pulsing, labyrinthine, emotionally visceral plot' - Metro 'A phenomenal achievement . . . assured, frightening, action-packed' - Observer
Reviews with the most likes.
Originally posted on bluchickenninja.com.
I think dystopias set in London are the in thing just now. I felt this was quite similar to The Bone Season what with the aliens and all that. Though I would say that The Bone Season was much better than this, I did feel that some parts of it still needed some work.
I didn't quite understand why some of the characters made the decisions they did. I didn't understand why this top secret “Department” allowed teenagers to take part in investigations. It also seemed to be terrible at following its own rules, most of the problems in the book wouldn't have happened if it followed the rules and didn't tell civilians about top secret work.
I also didn't like the references to Tesco, the Westfield Shopping Center and Star Trek. It brought be out of the novel and I really can't believe that in a dystopian setting after years of war people are just going about shopping like nothing happened.
But the thing with this book is I'm seriously impressed with the author, she is only 15 years old, she was 13 when she wrote this story. And while its not great, its not terrible either. It still needs some work but its an impressive first book for someone who hasn't even finished school yet.
