The Line Review

The Line by Teri Hall

Publisher: Dial

Release date: March 4, 2010

Source: Publisher

Other books in the series: Away (The Line #2) - 2011

An invisible, uncrossable physical barrier encloses the Unified States. The Line is the part of the border that lopped off part of the country, dooming the inhabitants to an unknown fate when the enemy used a banned weapon. It’s said that bizarre creatures and superhumans live on the other side, in Away. Nobody except tough old Ms. Moore would ever live next to the Line.

Nobody but Rachel and her mother, who went to live there after Rachel’s dad died in the last war. It’s a safe, quiet life. Until Rachel finds a mysterious recorded message that can only have come from Away. The voice is asking for help.

Who sent the message? Why is her mother so protective? And to what lengths is Rachel willing to go in order to do what she thinks is right?

Review:

The Line was an original and captivating read. The beginning was a little slow and I was wary about whether I was going to like it or not. Soon I was sucked into the world Hall had created- filled with terrific characters and an original and terrifying world. Written in third person, The Line let each character develop and be understood by the reader. There was a lot of background information (at times what may seem to be a little too much) but it was all needed for the reader to understand what was going on. The world Hall created was both terrifying and exciting. The government was extremely controlling and the Line was a big part of the novel. I really like dystopian novels, and The Line was different than any I have ever read. It was suspenseful and had many sub-plots that all tied in with the main plot at the end. The ending was...OMG! Such a cliffhanger. I can't believe I have to wait until 2011 to find out what happens to all the characters.

Rachel was a unique character. I liked her, but at times couldn't understand her choices. Overall though she was a strong female lead, like many of the characters. I loved the scenes with Ms. Moore, especially her flashbacks. She added a lot to the novel and the twist involving her and Away was unexpected but awesome!

This was a novel of hope, survival, love, and trust. The reader experiences a wide range of emotions while reading and by the end you'll be rooting for Rachel, Vivian, and Ms. Moore. There are many surprising twists in the story, and some characters may be different than they originally seemed.

Taking place in the United States, The Line will have readers wondering about what the future may bring. This was a wonderful debut and I'm eger not only for Away (The Line #2) but for more books by Teri Hall!

This is out now, so I recommend picking up a copy soon :)

Overall: 4 out of 5 stars