Inside Out

I began reading Inside Out with a bit of apprehension. I had loved Poison Study so much, that I didn't think Inside Out could ever live up to it. Fortunately it did! But in a completely different way, which is to be expected since Poison Study was fantasy and Inside Out was more science fiction. But the components that made me love Poison Study were still evident in Inside Out. There were parts where I found myself thinking that there was no way that the book could be tied up neatly by the time it ended, and yet somehow it did. While definitely leaving very much for the next book, enough questions were tied up to satisfy me in the end. There was even a fact revealed that I hadn't expected!

Trella was an interesting, strong female character that I could relate to without having anything in common with her. I enjoyed watching how her character grew and learned throughout the story. Which was great! I loved Riley too! He was so funny and sweet, and the whole bit with Sheepy was so cute! Actually now that I think about it, all the characters were great and interesting. I especially liked Logan and Anne-Jade, they were awesome!

I loved the world that was created! I've been finding that more and more I enjoy the world that authors create nearly as much as the story and the characters. Reminiscent of Logan's Run and 1984 and other such futuristic worlds it still kept a unique feel.

Trella made a pretty good main character for me. She is not really the heroine sort, but she was someone I could very much identify with and understand the motivations of. She is one of the least trusting people and quite antisocial. Quite unexpectedly, she finds herself the leader of a revolution, someone people look up to and help in any way possible. The attention and the role are not something she relishes, but something she must learn how to deal with.

It was really awesome to watch her grow a little bit as a person throughout the book. Although I liked her growth, I also appreciated the plodding nature of it. Some characters change so fast in novels right at the very end; this change is much more natural and complete with setbacks. As a result of Trella's self-absorption, none of the other characters is all that well flushed out. Still, I think that is acceptable in the circumstances. And I do want to see more of some of the characters.

The dystopian society was pretty interesting, especially in the construction of the hierarchy. I don't really want to give anything away, but it definitely makes you think about the impressions one has of the lives of others. The grass is always greener, huh? Except that they're inside, so there really isn't all that much grass anywhere, but you get my point.

What impressed me the most about Inside Out was that I totally did not see the ending coming. Any of it, really. Snyder did a really good job of coming to an interesting and believable conclusion without doing the obvious. I am definitely looking forward to reading the next book, Outside In.

Reader reviewed by Ruthie

Although I can easily say that Maria's Study Series was better, Inside Out definitely has promise. It almost seemed to have a sort of steampunk-esque in it except for the fact that it takes place in the future. It had a great mystery to it and I liked when it was finally resolved. Additionally at times I felt that Trella, however, had a strong shell and she didn't care about anyone. Luckily she began to lose this during the book. The ending was great and I'm definitely looking forward to the sequel, Outside In

Reader reviewed by Kelsey

Inside Out is a GOOD book, but
not a GREAT book. A lot of imaginative thought and plotting went into
it, but I still feel like it could've been deeper and the story more
intricate.

*SPOILER* I
should've guessed that the doctor was Trella's mom, but for some reason
I didn't. I guess this is why I'm terrible at solving mysteries before
the end of the book! *END OF SPOILER*

I will definitely be waiting to read Outside In,
the sequel. I just hate to wait a whole year until its release. I know
I'll forget everything that happened and be all "Huh??" when I'm reading
the second book.

Reader reviewed by Misty (Book Rat)

Okay.  Let's begin with the fact that I got a digital copy of this
early, which -- no, no, no, let's go back farther.  Let's begin with the
fact that I met MVS back in November (and I never posted pictures or
notes of the rollicking good time that was had by all), and at dinner,
she told us about the book she was working on that was due to come out
in, oh, 1/2 a year (the tease).  It was a YA dystopian novel
she says, and then I drifted out a bit, because could she have said
anything more up my alley?  Maria V. Snyder, she of the series' and the
characters that make my book club get really loud and inappropriate and,
dare I say, fangirlish, was writing a YA. DYSTOPIAN. NOVEL.  She
somehow read my dreams.

But I didn't want to get my hopes up. 
Too 'up', anyway, because that's not fair, and there were all kinds of
what ifs.  YA dystopia is not her norm -- what if she can't write YA? 
What if she can't write dystopia?  What if I *gulp* hate it.

What
if I drive myself crazy with worry slash ineeditnow, when I know damn
well that it's going to have her talent and character-driven goodness
behind it.  Back to the "getting the digital copy" bit, I found it on
NetGalley and snagged it for review, and what was I worried about?


All
of the things I loved about Snyder's adult books are her in Inside
Out.  I care about the characters, I see a budding romance, but on a YA
level, the writing is super fast paced and catching, and it flows
wonderfully.  Trella is definitely rootforable, and ya love her even
when you want to shake her.  There was great tension and
edge-of-your-seatness, and the world is fully realized and intriguing,
just as her worlds always are.  All of this I've come to expect from
Snyder.  AND there are 2 more good things, which I wasn't expecting. 1 -
the beginning had me right from the start.  Now, this isn't to say that
her beginnings don't generally grab me, because that would be a lie,
but they sometimes feel like beginnings to me -- they feel clunkyish or
awkward.  This was a "plunge right in, sink or swim" beginning, and it
worked beautifully.  #2 - she shocked me.  ME.  I'm never surprised by
anything that happens in a book.  I always see it coming, at least in
part, and it's generally a question of how well it's done.  But even
though I perhaps should have known -- clues were dropped, I'm not an
idiot -- she shocked me.  I didn't think it could be done.  Hats off,
Maria.

So I think that's all I can say.  I don't want to give
anything away, I just want you teased enough that you'll go out and grab
this, because trust me, it is well worth it.  And then you can sit and
wait anxiously with me for the sequel, Outside In.
[laughs
diabolically]

Originally posted: http://bookrat-misty.blogspot.com/2010/04/inside-out-by-maria-v-snyder.html

Reader reviewed by A Journey of Books

Wow, what to say about INSIDE OUT by Maria V. Snyder? Its hard to form concrete thoughts about the book when my mind keeps replaying the story over and over again. If I had to sum it all up, Id say that this book was a fantastic story of discovery, rebellion and love. To shorten it even more this story was awesome.

Trella is a scrub, a young girl assigned to work in the lower levels of Inside. Every day is the same, spend half of her time cleaning the air pipes and the other half sleeping. Occasionally shell find some time to eat and take care of necessities, but every day is the same. Change is actually such a rare occurrence that it literally stops everyone dead in their tracks. When Trellas life is interrupted by change in the form of the prophet, Broken Man, its no wonder that she is less than thrilled about it.

Living in a world where everything is controlled by the Pop Cops and the Uppers, Trella has to fight to learn who she is and what part she plays in the journey that is unfolding before her. Leading a rebellion may not have been at the top of her to do list, but when the rest of the Lowers start to look at her as the revolutionary they have been hoping for, well, whats a girl to do?

Part of what made this book so fantastic to me what Snyders writing style. INSIDE OUT was very easy to read although there were a few concepts that could have been quite confusing. Snyder really created a world quite unlike the one we live in and yet she still managed to make it very understandable without being too obvious. Weve heard it before show us, dont tell us. With so many new ideas and explanations required, Snyder could have easily just told us about the changes in this new world. Instead, she did an amazing job of incorporating this education into the story and allowing us to discover it as the book progressed.

I do believe that Trella is one of my new all time favorite characters. Shes a strong girl and yet a believable one. She has her weaknesses and yet Snyder did such a well job developing her that she refrained from turning angsty. Theres something about Trella where even though nobody would ever want to fill her shoes and the horrible conditions she lives in, shes still a person you want to be. Funny when she can be, strong when she wants to be, shes a well rounded and relatable character.

I believe that Science-Fiction lovers of any age will truly appreciate INSIDE OUT. While it is technically a Young Adult book, there are some older themes in it and the overall feel of the story would work for both Young Adults and Adults in my opinion. Snyder didnt just spend all her time creating great characters and letting us see what kind of shenanigans they can get into. She also spent a considerable amount of time creating a fantastic world and a great storyline. Her descriptions are colorful and he imagery is such that it really feels like the reader is transported into the story as an active participant.

Reader reviewed by TheBookworm

Memorable and Heartbreaking

Inside Out by Terry Trueman
5 out of 5 stars

Zach is just sitting in a busy coffee shop waiting for his medicine& and his mom, when two young gunmen walk in. With their guns pointed at the nine people, they insist that they are given the money out of the register. Zach notices everyone is acting scared, so he tries to also look scared but to no avail. His watch says its almost time for more medicine. When sirens fill the air the teen gunmen get nervous and scared and force the customers into the backroom. Zach doesnt really care but he needs his medicine. His inability to focus on one thing at a time and his lack of judgment concerning reality or not reality, get him instantly noticed by the two boys. Fortunately, these boys really arent bad at heart. If they had the money for their mothers cancer medicine they would never of though of robbing a coffee shop. But as the hours pass, Zach grows more and more desperate for his medicine. Can Zach survive the voices of his Schizophrenia long enough for the two would be robbers to decide how to get out of this mess they created?

Inside Out is a book I will never forget. You really get inside Zachs head and are able to watch the battle within him going on. Zach isnt the only one fighting a inner battle though. The teen gunmen brothers are also fighting to decide what to do. The book is even more heartbreaking and vivid because even though Zach has Schizophrenia, he is really trying to be a nice guy and doing his best to always be appropriate.

Though Zach saves the day, the ending is heartbreaking. Its a rich, deep book that you will never forget.

Date Reviewed: September 3rd, 2008

Reader reviewed by Kris

This book is about a teenage boy named Zach who has schizophrenia. He has an urge for a bar, and ends up getting caught in an attempt and robbery and is even held hostage.

No book has ever before touched me in such a way as Inside Out has. The first line draws you in immediately. You sympathize with Zach and feel what he's going through every step of the way. And I'm sure I'm not the only one who had an urge to eat a maple bar by the end of this book. The scary part is: there is someone like Zach out there; many people in fact. Schizophrenia is real and Trueman captures the naiveness and lack of grasping concepts only too well. And last, but certainly not least, was the twisted yet tear-jerking ending. All in all, this is a 5 star (*****) book everyone should read.