Review: Dissonance (Dissonance #1) by Erica O’Rourke

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Dissonance by Erica O’Rourke

My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Received: bought
Publication Date: July 22nd 2014
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Pacing: fast
POV: 1st person & female
Genres & Themes: YA, Science Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Time-Travel, Secrets.

BLURB:

Delancy Sullivan has always known there’s more to reality than what people see. Every time someone makes a choice, a new, parallel world branches off from the existing one. Eating breakfast or skipping it, turning left instead of right, sneaking out instead of staying in bed ~ all of these choices create an alternate universe in which an echo self takes the road not travelled and makes the opposite decision. As a Walker, someone who can navigate between these worlds, Del’s job is to keep all of the dimensions in harmony.

Normally, Del can hear the dissonant frequency that each world emits as clear as a bell. But when a training session in an off-key world goes horribly wrong, she is forbidden from Walking by the Council. But Del’s not big on following the rules and she secretly starts to investigate these other worlds. Something strange is connecting them and it’s not just her random encounters with echo versions of the guy she likes, Simon Lane.

But Del’s decisions have unimaginable consequences and, as she begins to fall for the Echo Simons in each world, she draws closer to a truth that the Council of Walkers is trying to hide ~ a secret that threatens the fate of the entire multiverse.

REVIEW:

My main problem with this story was seeing and feeling how important and present Simon (main character’s love interest) was in the story.

He was everywhere.

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Since I didn’t like him very much and found him quite stereotyped and banal, that became a real problem for me to enjoy the reading experience.

Del is not a weak main character but she definitely is careless and doesn’t think very further in the future when making decisions. It brings her much trouble that could’ve been avoided (yet there needs to be a plotline, right?)

There is what we can call a love-triangle but it—what a strange thing to say—doesn’t last much. It’s like the author didn’t mean to create one but it inadvertently created itself. It wasn’t heavy nor necessary. Quite useless to be honest.

Such a shame that Del and her sister, Addie, don’t share the kind of admirable sister bond that would make you smile. Addie is not a rule breaker, unlike Del. On the contrary actually, she would even expose her sister to the Consort without much thought. I mean, come on, she’s your sister and you know Del would never do that to you!

This is a massive book, approx 500 pages of length, but it doesn’t feel like it as for the pacing. It was face-paced and thank God because I would have DNFed this one if that wasn’t the case. While it was fast-paced and the pages did fly by, I found the plot very boring and it seemed to me like it was mostly going round and round. Not much actually happened.

Indeed, the plotline was very weak and its biggest weakness was the lack of secondary unique characters and chemistry between those that were present. I’ve no idea who Del really is, except that she has a sister, is in love with Simon and likes her grandfather, Monty (what an unusual name.)

Since I brought the grandfather subject up, is he really one—metaphorically speaking? I mean, he didn’t feel like one. The author didn’t describe him like a true grandfather to us. In fact, the author didn’t seem to care very much about characterization since there was so much lack of it. What she seemed to focus the most on was the world-building.

The complex, detailed but also very confusing world-building. I did like its originality and how the main concept was special but the execution wasn’t great. There were so many words related to the world and, since like I said not much happened, the descriptions felt flat and like info dumps.

Would you ask me if I would read the sequel I would be very thorned. While I did like the premise and where it seems to be going enough, everything around it makes me retreat; the main character, the love interest, Addie, the Consort, the lack of characterization, etc. I guess what I enjoyed the most was the pacing and the concept of the world-building which is sad because there was so much possibility with this kind of subject (alternative worlds.)

My review on Goodreads.

31 thoughts on “Review: Dissonance (Dissonance #1) by Erica O’Rourke”

  1. Hmmm. I don’t know if I want to read this book or not. I’ve heard a few things about it, not a lot. Some of them good, others bad. I’m sorry this wasn’t a great read for you, Lola. Hopefully your next one is better, and thanks for the wonderful review.

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  2. Ah yes when you don’t really like a character it’s soon a problem in the reading. I haven’t read this one and haven’t planned to do so for now but I’m sorry it wasn’t for you.

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  7. Aw, sorry this didn’t work so well for you Lola! I really enjoyed it, but I do agree with you on Simon. He was a problem for me too, mostly because I didn’t believe any of his feelings for Del were genuine. I wanted him to make me believe but he didn’t manage to do that before the end, though I’m hopeful that might happen in book two!

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  8. Ouch! I mean love triangles are bad as it is, but unexpected ones? Why? But yeah and this really happens often to me that I read the book quite fast but when I finish I feel like I have no idea what I have read. It’s like I don’t feel any connection with it. So yes, I totally understand your feelings. Great review, Lola 🙂

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  9. Argh! What the…? And I was so looking forward to reading this book because one of the bloggy friends actually loved it. But 2 out of 5? Hhuhuh. You are making my heart bleed. I really hate it when books with pretty covers have ugly content.

    LOLl to Del’s character. I would be very frustrated too regarding her decision making skills. Oh dear, this book was still lucky that it even managed to get a 2 stars from you.

    Lovely review, Lola!

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  10. Hmmm…that cover does look enticing, but those are always deceiving, aren’t they 😉 I may pass on this one…

    While I do love some world-building, what I hate the most is when it’s done over the top and with little care to any other elements. It’s a real shame. Sorry this read wasn’t too enjoyable. I hope you next on hits the target! x

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  12. Aww… it seems you’re having an unlucky streak right now Lola! 😦 I don’t think I would have enjoyed this either – my pet peeve in reading is when the romance bombards the plot, and that sounds like exactly what happens here. At least the pacing was fast though! Thanks for sharing, and, as always, BRILLIANT review! ❤

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  13. Argh I did kind of want to read this. I’m sorry you didn’t like it though. The concept seems incredibly cool, but it just doesn’t look like it has a plot. I don’t know. I think I’ll borrow this from the library instead of buying it.

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  14. I haven’t heard very much about this book, but what I have heard was all negative. I don’t think I’ll read this one- the summary was just too much for me. I don’t like incredibly complex worlds, unless they’re executed VERY well, so I can be a bit picky about it. I adore Lucy Hale, by the way, so love that gif! Sorry it wasn’t a good read for you, though!

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  15. This book has always intrigued me but something about it has just been putting me off! I like the sound of the premise, but I still don’t know if I’ll go for it. One things for sure, if I ever do decide to read it, I’ll probably be borrowing it from the library 😉 lol

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  17. Aww, I don’t know if I want to read this. I think you and Aimee (The Deadly Darlings) have the same thought about this. And I trust you guys, so.. I did add this on my TBR though. But the romance! UGH IDK if I can take it =))

    Thanks for this fantastic review, Lola! ❤

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