The Sky Inside by Clare B. Dunkle

****The Sky Inside by Clare B. Dunkle****

Originality- 18/20

Characters- 18/20

Remembrance- 8/10

Quote-ability- 8/10

Entertainment- 18/20

Ending- 8/10

Recommend to read- 8/10

TOTAL- 86/100

Grade- B

Every year a new generation of genetically-engineered children is shipped out to meet their parents. Every spring the residents of his town take down the snow they've stuck to their windows and put up flowers. Every morning his family gathers around their television and votes, like everyone else, for whatever matter of national importance the president has on the table. Today, it is the color of his drapes. It's business as usual under the protective dome of suburb HM1.

And it's all about to come crashing down.

Because a stranger has come to take away all the little children, including Martin's sister, Cassie, and no one wants to talk about where she has gone. The way Martin sees it, he has a choice. He can remain in the dubious safety of HM1, with danger that no one wants to talk about lurking just beneath the surface, or he can actually break out of the suburb, into the mysterious land outside, rumored to be nothing but blowing sand for miles upon miles.

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I just LOVE books like this. Books that have such an original and out of the box idea that I'm awed. This happens rarely. But I sure am glad when it does.

The whole idea of this book was just crazy. It's pretty much a world based on lies. Everyone is hiding their emotions from each other so they don't get punished. Martin is the only one who breaks free. Martin was an amazing main character, he was heroic. When everyone else ignored problems, he tackled them head on.

I could never see any of the plot twists coming because this was a whole new world. It wasn't just a few things that were changed, this book had a Hunger Games appeal.

It was funny seeing Martin adjust to the real world and blowing simple problems way out of proporation and running to seek health care when he doesn't need it. I couldn't help but feel frustrated, but I could also feel his fear and confusion.

Overall I would say Dunkle put a whole new spin on the world as we now it, and put a whole bunch of new ideas into my head.

-Amanda