Once We Were by Kat Zhang

Expected publication: September 17th, 2013

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Book summary:

"I'm lucky just to be alive"
Eva was never supposed to have survived this long. As the recessive soul, she should have faded away years ago. Instead, she lingers in the body she shares with her sister soul, Addie. When the government discovered the truth, they tried to “cure” the girls, but Eva and Addie escaped before the doctors could strip Eva’s soul away.
Now fugitives, Eva and Addie find shelter with a group of hybrids who run an underground resistance. Surrounded by others like them, the girls learn how to temporarily disappear to give each soul some much-needed privacy. Eva is thrilled at the chance to be alone with Ryan, the boy she’s falling for, but troubled by the growing chasm between her and Addie. Despite clashes over their shared body, both girls are eager to join the rebellion.
Yet as they are drawn deeper into the escalating violence, they start to wonder: How far are they willing to go to fight for hybrid freedom? Faced with uncertainty and incredible danger, their answers may tear them apart forever.

         With all the bum in the dystpian genre some things started to get clearer with the sequels. Many dystopian offered some really unique and amazing ideas at the start but with sequels it became a challenge to continue and develop that idea. Unfortunately many sequels failed to do so and sadly for me Once We Were falls into that category.

        After I got What's Left Of Me I was thrilled to read it. The book promised some great idea and something that was really new to me. I was blown away with the whole thing and with some minor flaws the book was a really great read to me. You can only imagine how excited I was to read this one. I really wanted to see how the whole idea developed. In case you don't know this book deals with double personalities in one body. Eva and Addie stayed in one body despite everything and maintained the picture of wholeness for a  long time. Now after all the changes in their lives they must fight as they're now not alone.

        Big problem raised here now that Eva was in charge and that changed everything for me. Addie was so easy to connect with and I could feel her fully. Eva is different and I couldn't support her decisions. She even frustrated me a lot. Her selfishness was unbearable at moments. Then there was this problem with pacing. For about two thirds of the book it was too slow for me. Something did happen but at the same time didn't. Until the last third which was actually the only part that I liked. So basically said this book suffered from mid-book syndrome.

         Quite honestly this book leaves me in worry. I have some ideas about what can happen at the end, what would be a solution to this situation and honestly I don't like it. So I'm deeply hoping that the author will pull something to surprise us all.

Rating: 2 stars.

Until the next time,