BOOK REPORT for CODA by Emma Trevayne
Cover Story: The System is Down
BFF Charm: Yay! (With Benefits)
Swoonworthy Scale: 7
Talky Talk: He Said/Déjà vu
Bonus Factors: Brave New World, Rock stars
Anti-bonus Factor: First in a Series
Relationship Status: I Wanna Hold Your Hand
Cover Story: The System is Down
The cover introduces nothing about the book’s characters, but does a lot to hint at what’s to come, plot-wise: a speaker, headphone and Ethernet wires that look like snakes, and the coda symbol, which looks an awful lot like a target. Something about it made me think of techno music (doom doom doom), which then got me thinking about Strong Bad (doodoLOOdoo, doodoLOOdoo) and The Cheat (The System is Down, The System is Down).
The classic Homestar Runner cartoon has nothing to do with the book, but now you totally have it stuck in your head. You’re welcome.
The Deal:
Anthem is a citizen of the Web, a utopian dystopian society led by the faceless Corp and formed from the ashes of a humanity nearly destroyed by world war. All citizens of the Web are addicted to/controlled by “tracks” of music encoded to do a variety of things—keep the peace, ease pain, influence thoughts, etc. Anthem and his friends realize the harmful effects of the Corp’s “music,” but they cannot go without for long without it lest they succumb to withdrawal symptoms. He and his friends also know that there is more to music than what they’re forced to listen to. When they start an underground band, their aim isn’t to incite a revolution … but soon Anthem realizes that life cannot continue down the Corp-prescribed path.
BFF Charm: Yay! (With Benefits)
It’s always been a bit easier for me to make IRL friends with guys, so finding myself becoming attached to Anthem was no surprise. I’m not sure if it was because he was written by a woman, but he’s kind of a perfect guy, too. For example:
1. Anthem cares, deeply, for his friends and his family. In the back of his mind, he’s constantly wondering how his actions will affect his younger siblings Alpha and Omega. Pretty much everything he does is with their well being and continued survival in mind.
2. He’s a rock star. 6’1”, skinny, blue/blonde spiky hair, leather pants, giant platform boots. And guyliner. He’s lead singer and guitarist of an underground rock band. He writes the band’s songs. And yet, he reads classic Russian literature—War & Peace, Crime & Punishment, etc.—while working at his day job.
3. He’s open-minded. At the start of the book, Anthem’s got the serious hots for a lady, but it’s soon revealed that he previously had a pretty deep relationship with a bandmate, Scope. (A guy.) Anthem broke off the relationship, but the two remained close friends.
4. He’s selfless. When he realizes that the existence he’s forced to live isn’t really life, he makes a decision to help change to world, his own safety be damned. Even broken—literally—he fights on.
Swoonworthy Scale: 7
Anthem’s feelings for Haven make it easy to fall for the guy. His love for her shines through most of his actions, and the way he thinks about her is the way most people long to be thought about by their significant other. YOU GUYS: He sings her a song he wrote for her. In front of a huge crowd of strangers.
Talky Talk: He Says/Déjà vu
Trevayne tells the entire story from Anthem’s point of view. It came across as realistic, but not every having been a dude, I’m not sure it’s an entirely accurate guy’s POV. For a debut novel, Trevayne did pretty dang well. The book was easy to read, and the story flowed well, but both the plot and the characters felt a little too familiar/undeveloped for me to get fully sucked in. Also, the world of the Web isn’t as fleshed out as I would have liked. I kept getting glimpses of the sets and characters of Divergent as I read.
Bonus Factor: Brave New World
Ever since reading Huxley’s classic during my senior year of high school, I’ve been addicted to the utopian/dystopian genre. I later took a class in college called “Brave New Worlds” in which we read a variety of books in this genre, and I went back to the bookstore each semester afterward to see what new books had been added to the syllabus. I also, natch, have a love for YA, so the combination of the two genres never fails to entice.
Bonus Factor: Rock stars
I mentioned the guyliner, right?
Anti-bonus Factor: First in a Series
According to my sources,* CODA’s sequel, CHORUS, is due out next spring.
Wait, what?
Although not everything was wrapped up in a pretty bow at the end of the first book, the ending made sense (and seemed final), it being a book about a dystopian society and a revolution and all. I don’t see the need for a sequel, but I’ll likely read it when it comes out. (See the whole “perfect-guy-Anthem” portion, above.)
*The Internet and Google.
Casting Call:
Jake Abel as Anthem
At first, when I thought, young, somewhat pretty, blonde dude, I thought Alex Pettyfer.
HAHAHA, just kidding.
Jake’s got the tall, skinny blonde thing going on, and I bet his eyes would look good rimmed in black. His recent role as Ian in The Host, too, makes me think he could pull off the revolutionary with a heart of gold role.
Olivia Wilde as Haven
Haven’s described as a stunning woman with long black hair, olive skin and a body that catches the eye of anyone she passes near. She needs to be able to pull off both strength and vulnerability, which I think Olivia has proven she can do.
Relationship Status: I Wanna Hold Your Hand
Any girl (or guy) who’s ever lusted over an emo guy who wears eye makeup will find themselves falling for Anthem. And anyone who’s ever wanted to “Damn the Man” will fall for his beliefs. I added this book to my must read list on the glowing recommendations of a few friends, and CODA, for the most part, didn’t disappoint.
FTC Full Disclosure: I bought my own copy of CODA to review. I received neither money nor cocktails for writing this review (dammit!). CODA is available now.