Comment

Mar 17, 2017TEENREVIEWCREW rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
The story is, without a doubt, a futuristic Gossip Girl. Similar to the scandalous lives of the upper east sider teens in Cecily Von Ziegesar's novels, the teens in this novel aren't shy or brand new to the practices of drugs, cheating, love triangles and crimes. Of course, it being in the future, there are particular unique perspectives and elements. It is highly imaginative and new; not many would think of putting the entire state of New York into one entire colossal building. In my opinion, dystopian novels are losing their touch and becoming too similar, melding together and leaving many readers unamused and unsatisfied. They're the same concepts of a harrowing government with a young teen to save the nation from it followed up with movies that all are the same but just with different colour palettes for the franchises promotion pictures. Whereas Katherine brings in nostalgic feels for an older audience who are familiar with Gossip Girl, and an exhilarating high for a younger audience with the newfound gossip and defamation. Although it would have been nice to have a completely brand new concept instead of being reminded of the Gossip Girl franchise we all know and love, it is helpful to read something different after so long. @moonlightbae of the Hamilton Public Library Teen Review Board The Thousandth Floor takes place in Manhattan one hundred years in the future- the entire city is a towering thousand-floor skyscraper. The higher the floor the wealthier the resident, leading to a new form of social class. The story follows the lives of five teenagers, each with a secret to hide. I found the idea of a tower to symbolize status a creative way to showcase the novel’s setting. Quite literally, a character’s status can be gleaned from a simple number. However, it became clear a few chapters in that the entire story was just a teen drama disguised as a futuristic sci-fi thriller. Some may enjoy seeing the same old story in new clothing, as it adds new layers to a story traditionally set in a high school. However, I’m not usually a fan of teen dramas and felt myself somewhat cheated. I also had trouble with identifying with the characters. Not one of them was likable or compelling, which made it hard to care what happens to them. As a result, I have no interest in reading the sequel. That is not to say that no one should read The Thousandth Floor. On the contrary, I know many people who have read the book and loved it. What I mean to say is that this novel is for a certain type of reader- the type of reader who loves high school dramas, battles over love, status and secrets. This is a novel meant for fans of Riverdale, Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars. Unfortunately, not being a fan of this genre, I disliked the book heartily. But just because I don’t understand this novel, does not mean that it’s necessarily awful, just that if you’re not a very specific type of reader it’s probably not for you. 1.5/5 Stars. @viedelabibliothèque of the Hamilton Public Library Teen Review Board