The Body Electric by Beth Revis - Paul's Review

*I received this book as an eARC from Scripturient Books on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

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Title: The Body Electric
Author: Beth Revis
Publication Year: 2014

My Pre Reading

Synopsis: 

The future world is at peace.

Ella Shepherd has dedicated her life to using her unique gift—the ability to enter people’s dreams and memories using technology developed by her mother—to help others relive their happy memories.

But not all is at it seems.

Ella starts seeing impossible things—images of her dead father, warnings of who she cannot trust. Her government recruits her to spy on a rebel group, using her ability to experience—and influence—the memories of traitors. But the leader of the rebels claims they used to be in love—even though Ella’s never met him before in her life. Which can only mean one thing…

Someone’s altered her memory.

Ella’s gift is enough to overthrow a corrupt government or crush a growing rebel group. She is the key to stopping a war she didn’t even know was happening. But if someone else has been inside Ella’s head, she cannot trust her own memories, thoughts, or feelings.

So who can she trust?

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Review: Beth Revis delivers another excellent YA science-fiction novel. The technological concepts in this novel are very interesting. This is definitely sci-fi, not space fantasy like many sci-fi out there (which I really enjoy as well). 

The way going into others' dreams is done reminds me of the 90's version of Johnny Quest. The way it is used throughout the story changes in an interesting turn of events.

Like Revis's prior trilogy, The Body Electric excellently blends mystery with science-fiction. This book had me questioning everything and with good reasons. 

The future world is renewed world, coming back from a damaging past. The politics in this novel are subtle, but take a major role in the plot. I liked that the story takes place in Malta. 

Although there aren't many connections, this book does take place in the same world as Across the Universe. I liked the Godspeed reference. 

This was a great science-fiction YA. I definitely recommend it. I give it a 4/5. Some of the pacing was a little off for me, but overall I really liked this novel. I will continue to consume anything Beth Revis I can find!
--PAUL