Books for Christian Girls: "Revolutionary" by Krista McGee

About this book:

“Back in the hands of the State, Thalli is caught in a horrible game of power—with consequences reaching further than she ever imagined.

After several months aboveground, Thalli had almost forgotten what living in the State was like. Programmed to be without emotions or curiosity, she was always an anomaly there. Too emotional. Too curious. Citizens of the State should behave exactly the way the Scientists designed them to behave: work in their assigned fields, maintain productivity.

Thalli’s entire genetically engineered generation has been eradicated by a scientocracy that believes human life is expendable. Now a pawn in a mad game of manipulation, held hostage, and tortured in the name of the State, Thalli can barely summon the strength to hope that the future of humanity could be any better.

She clings to her new faith in the Designer. But when she discovers that even the few villages aboveground are in danger of State domination, that fragile faith begins to crumble.

As Thalli, Berk, and Alex make plans to overthrow the evil Dr. Loudin, a chilling secret explains why they have been left alive at all . . . a personal secret that will haunt Thalli forever. And as she struggles with this new truth, she also struggles with decisions of the heart.

Can the State’s expansion be stopped? Or will humanity—above and below the surface—be irreparably damaged? Thalli is faced with a purpose both overwhelming and undeniable: to assume the role of a Revolutionary.”

Series: Book #3 in the “Anomaly” series. Review of Book #1 Here! and Book #2 Here!

Spiritual Content- Scriptures are mentioned, remembered, & quoted; Prayers; Witnessing; Church going; Thalli struggles with why the Designer isn’t helping & answering her prayers; Many talks about God, believing, & trusting; ‘H’s are not capitalized when referring to God; Many mentions of God (called The Designer) & trusting; Mentions of prayers & praying; Mentions of Bibles & faiths; Mentions of those in the Bible & events; Mentions of a church, pastors, sermons, & services; A few mentions of a song about Jesus & salvation; A few mentions of miracles; A couple mentions of Heaven; A couple mentions of baptism; A couple mentions of sin;

*Note: Mentions of evil in the world & evil people; Mentions of a man thinking he is God/higher than God & that believing in God is foolish; A few mentions of someone who does not believe in God; A few mentions of a man believing in evolution & that the Bible is mythology; A mention of a man mocking others for praying to a god; mention of someone believing they are more evolved than another; A mention of a group of people being called ‘superevolved’; A mention of someone calling others ‘underevolved’; A mention of mythical gods; A mention of superstitions.

Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘shut up’; A bit of eye rolling; Seeing people killed, bleeding, & how it happened (barely-above-not-detailed); Seeing deaths & the smell of a body burning (barely-above-not-detailed); Seeing an autopsy & organs (barely-above-not-detailed); Pain, Being Shocked, & Passing out (up to semi-detailed); Fighting & Pain (barely-above-not-detailed); Attacking someone (Thalli apologizes while doing it); Thalli has a few moments where she wants to physically hurt Loudin; Being held captive; Many mentions of being annihilated (including those being forced and those choosing to end their life), poison, & dying/deaths (and seeing people die); Many mentions of a war, fighting, bombs, & deaths (and seeing deaths, barely-above-not-detailed); Many mentions of threats of torture & threats of killing others; Many mentions of lies, lying, & manipulation; Mentions of deaths & how they happened (both peaceful deaths & awful murders, barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of assassinations, a cruel murder, & a sacrifice (Book #2); Mentions of plans to murder others (Thalli doesn’t think she could take a life); Mentions of mass murders; Mentions of drownings & deaths; Mentions of autopsies (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of a body, cremation, & the smell of burning flesh; Mentions of fights, fighting, pain, & blood/bleeding; Mentions of being shocked, being beaten, pain, & blood/bleeding; Mentions of injuries & blood/bleeding from beatings; Mentions of drugs/poisons, being drugged, being poisoned, & deaths; Mentions of nightmares; Mentions of hatred; A few mentions of a drunk & bars; A couple mentions of cheating; A mention of suicide; A mention of poker.

Sexual Content- a barely-above-not-detailed kiss, two border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed kisses, and two semi-detailed kisses; Touches, Warmth, Embraces, & Nearness (from two boys, barely-above-not-detailed); Noticing & Smelling (barely-above-not-detailed); a ‘babe’ and a form of ‘hot’; Mentions of a kiss & kissing; Mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of seeing couples kiss; A couple mentions of embraces & touches; A mention of a honeymoon; A bit of love, falling/being in love, & the emotions.

*Note: Many mentions of procreation, the Scientists eliminating it, the ingredients for creating life, & the donors for those ingredients (*Major Spoiler* It is revealed that Thalli was not created like others, but a product of love between a couple. That it all that is said on the ‘how’ it happened besides the fact that they never created children in the traditional way *End of Spoiler*); A few mentions of scientists creating infants & many infants dying; A mention of the fertilization process for those ingredients for creating life; A mention of a possibility of people being sterile; A mention of people only producing children with severe disabilities.

-Thallium ‘Thalli”, age 17
1^stperson P.O.V. of Thalli

298 pages

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Pre Teens-

New Teens-

Early High School Teens-

Older High School Teens-

My personal Rating-

{Death is a topic often discussed in this book and some parts might be creepy/triggering for younger reads. Very clean, but the Scientists can be disturbing with their methods and an evil man with his murderous ways and threats.}

While I definitely cannot say this was a perfect ending, it was an ending to a wild ride.

Let’s back up a bit: I first read this book when it came out after waiting months for it. Fast-forward to now—over four years later—I didn’t remember this book at all. Book one and two I remember vividly, but this final one? Not so much. Needless to say, this second time reading it was very similar to a first time reading a book.

This third and final book continues the story of Thalli, the love-triangle, and the overall plot of the evil Dr. Loudin’s. This book definitely felt more violent than the previous books because of that last point and all the killing. While it was still pretty clean, if a reader dwells on certain parts it can be depressing/sad.

There was one loop-hole that I caught (p.98, Loudin says Helen’s name, but it was never said & he apparently didn’t know about her, so how did he get her name?), but I think most readers might struggle with certain parts of understanding the differences between the crazy brain activity parts and what are dreams shown or even because Loudin lies often.

Again, not my favorite ending (that epilogue was a bit rushed), but it was a slightly more than decent ending for this trilogy in my opinion.

See y’all on Friday with a new review!