Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 10/01/2014 Gr 9 Up—A fast-paced fantasy adventure tale in a richly drawn dystopian future. Despite her lifelong dream of living Above, recently orphaned Rio has promised her twin sister, Bay, that she'll stay in their underwater city of Atlantia when they come of age. In one shocking moment, however, Bay is headed Above, and Rio is left alone, separated from the last person who knew the secret of her hidden siren voice and loved her anyway. As Rio tries to find her own way to get Above, she also discovers pieces of Atlantia's hidden past and its uncertain future. Ultimately, the protagonist will have to rethink everything she's been taught and make courageous decisions on her own in order to reunite with her sister and save the world she loves. Complex characters, including Rio's antihero aunt, and a realistically slow and subtle first romance make this a book teens will relate to, even non-genre fans. A slowly unfolding backstory perfectly complements all the action. Despite a bit of a didactic lean in the final chapters, this is a title that's sure to be immensely popular with teens, especially those who enjoyed Condie's "Matched" trilogy (Dutton).—Sunnie Lovelace, Wallingford Public Library, CT - Copyright 2014 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Bulletin for the Center... - 01/01/2015 Generations ago, the underwater city of Atlantia became the last chance of survival for an increasingly polluted world; some humans were selected to remain Above and work to send food and resources to Below, ensuring the survival of those chosen for Atlantia. At least, that’s the story that teenaged sisters Rio and Bay have always been told. After the sudden death (and likely murder) of Rio and Bay’s mother, the Minister of Atlantia, and the inexplicable choice by Bay to go Above, Rio is left confused and bereft-she was, after all, the one who always dreamed of going Above and it was Bay who made her promise that the siblings would remain together forever. Now Rio is playing a dangerous cat and mouse game with the Council (her mother’s potential murderers) and her aunt, a powerful siren who wants Rio to use the her own siren voice (an ability she has kept hidden for years) to uncover the true history of Above and Below. The world-building manages to be both overexpository and vague, focusing too much on minutiae and not enough on the grander workings of Atlantia, while the plot becomes more and more convoluted as not-so-stunning secrets are revealed. The human drama, however, is eloquently conveyed, with Rio’s thoughtful, at times imagistic narration perfectly capturing her devastation at the sudden loss of both her sister and mother, as well as her contemplations on who she now is without them. Readers who can see past the flawed setup may find sufficient reward in the heartfelt family story about what love and loyalty look like in the midst of serious obstacles. KQG - Copyright 2015 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.