Linked by Imogen Howson

Title: Linked

Author: Imogen Howson

Published: 13th June 2013

Review

I don't think I have read a Young Adult novel based in space before and I tend to avoid these types of novels in general, but when I read the synopsis for Linked it really grabbed me and I was keen to read.

At 17, Elissa should be leading a fairly normal life, but instead she keeps having hallucinations and experiencing excruciating pain for no reason that leaves her mysteriously bruised. Finally the doctors find a solution for Elissa to have minor surgery on her brain to burn out the part that is causing her this pain. Elissa cannot wait to get back to normal. But just before she is due to have the surgery, she discovers the shocking truth as to what has been causing her visions and pain. Elissa knows that this other girl she has been seeing things through her eyes is real and when she finds her battered and bruised, she realises she is exactly like her. Elissa and her twin Lin are now on the run from the government who are determined to keep this horrifying revelation secret.

I really felt that Linked definitely had a uniqueness to it with its storyline and it was really easy to get into. Although Elissa is a likeable character there are times when you do get a little frustrated with her and at times I found her too trusting of others, whereas Lin who has been through hell and back is understandably not trusting at all. Despite their obvious physical similarities, Imogen writes their emotional differences really well and also brings in the theme of ethics  really well and we see both characters start to get on the same grounding as to what is right and wrong in their world. One character who I really loathed, even though they only have a short appearance in the novel was Elissa's Mum. A truly horrendous woman who made me feel entirely grateful that my own Mum is a far cry from her.

The setting of the novel on a terraforma planet was what really stood out for me, but sometimes I felt like the surroundings could have been described in a bit more detail for the world to make sense. I found some things a bit fuzzy when I tried to picture them in my mind. That said this only happened a couple of times and it didn't take too much away from the novel.

The book does really start to pick up pace about a quarter of the way in and then it makes for some gripping reading.

Although there is no cliffhanger as such as the end of the book, we know there is more to come so I am looking forward to getting stuck into the next book Unravel.

Linked is available from Amazon UK, Waterstones and most other bookstores.