Kind of fell flat for me. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't too engaging either.

Looks like a good beginning series book. The Hunger Games setting in a very much slower pace, with more politics thrown in.

THE LINE is an intriguing but unfortunately very slow start to what could be a great and unique series. It’s extremely hard for me to pass judgment on this book on account of its “first in a series” symptoms. If you have a patient love for dystopian literature, you might really enjoy this book…unless you put it down first due to its slow pace and youngish writing style.

Teri Hall has created a scarily believable dystopian world where the government has taken on a whole new type of authority and people must abide by these strict laws or else risk their lives. The idea of living behind a boundary, forbidden to even wonder at what lies on the other side, can be seen as a metaphoric manifestation of a child’s struggle between staying safe by his/her guardians’ rules or venturing out to learn on one’s own, sometimes breaking serious rules along the way. This comparison is subtle but will likely make THE LINE appeal most to late elementary/middle school readers, who will be enthralled by this dystopian world and not put off by the way the story is told.

Indeed, the story is unfortunately quite slow and often not flavorful enough to make it truly stand out among others in its genre. The first two-thirds of the book is spent slowly explaining the state of their world via long-winded and stationary dialogues, with few discernable scenes that contribute to the plot instead of the background information. And the “turning point”—Rachel’s discovery of the message for help—really doesn’t kick the story into action either. I’ll concede that what we glimpse of the Others is fascinating and will surely make this book’s sequel, AWAY, an interesting read. However, too much time is spent on world-building, and not nearly enough on the development of the actual story.

Ultimately, readers may find THE LINE lacking in aspects of plot, and elementary in its telling-instead-of-showing writing style. However, this book will surely find its audience in young fans of Margaret Peterson Haddix, for it is truly an intriguing concept.

Very slow start to this book! I very nearly gave up on it but the ending redeemed it and now I look forward to the next book in the series. I only wish the author had given more background information/history on the society in which they lived. MAde me think they were in a distant future United States but never came right out and said it.

This book was very poorly written. Teri Hall spent well over half the book attempting to establish a background for a plot that never seemed to come. This book is clearly intended only for patient readers.

Rachel lives with her mother at the edge of The Line, where the nation ends and the forbidden area beyond begins. As Rachel's curiosity about the world beyond grows, she begins to suspect there are large secrets her mother and her mother's employer, Ms. Moore, are withholding from her. After finding evidence of the people beyond, Rachel needs to find out more information, and a way to escape The Line.

I found this to be a very interesting dystopian novel, with a mostly believable future for the US. I do wish that there would have been more discovery of the events that led up to this point, rather than having the main character list the history off as lessons. The beginning was a little slow, as well, but once the story got moving it became more engaging. I look forward to reading the next one, because I think it will explain more of the politics of the world in which the book takes place.

n The Line, Teri Hall has built a good framework for an interesting dystopian setting, but left me wanting more. Not in a post-Catching Fire-I-am-dying-to-read-the-next-one way, but in a huh-that-was-really-facinating-but-it-felt-a-little-bare-bones, as if details were held back just to have more to flesh out in the sequel...

The Line is a fast read. I had a hard time figuring out Rachel’s age. At times, she felt nine or ten, and others she seemed fifteen...The ending will leave readers ready for the sequel.

Full review available at http://dogearedandwellread.wordpress.com/2010/05/04/the-line-by-teri-hall/

I enjoyed this more on the second time through I think. I only remembered bits and pieces of it, so it was still entertaining.



First read: June 3 - June 7, 2010 for Santa Barbara YA Book Club

Too short, not a book but a partial book

I feel like I got the first third to half of a book. It was good, though. Glad it was a overdrive elibrary checkout, and not a purchase . . . The story was just getting going.

If you asked me if I'm a fan a dystopian fiction, I'd tell you no. Yet everything time I read a dystopian novel, I end up loving it.... maybe I am just in denial.

The Line is a very diverting novel. Maybe I'm just a dystopian newbie, but the whole concept was very intriguing. The first part of the novel was a little slow for me, the introduction of the characters, the explanation of the world. Don't let that slow start stop you from reading the rest of the novel, because you will be disappointed if you do!

The world Hall has created is both engrossing and terrifying....the supreme control of the government, its constant domination over every aspect of life, it was intensely depressing. Most of the knowledge you gain about this world is in the lessons Rachel receives from her mom, so you're getting the lesson as well. That was a little tedious at times, but it was a canny way to give the reader a lot of information!

The characters, while I found them to be a little blah in the beginning, really grew on me by the end of the novel. Especially Ms. Moore, that lady is layered like an onion! Rachel is an excellent main character, she's very easy to relate to, but she's a little naive and headstrong. The possibility for growth there is undeniable.

Not to mention the last half of this novel... was just wow. I really can't tell you anything about it without being spoilery... but wow. What an ending!

Overall, this is an awesome dystopian novel, don't let to slow start scare you away!