Review: Dissonance by Erika O’Rourke

July 17, 2014 4.5 stars, Book Review, Young Adult 21 ★★★★½

Review: Dissonance by Erika O’RourkeDissonance by Erika O'Rourke
Series: Dissonance #1
Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers on July 22, 2014
Genres: Science fiction, Young Adult
Pages: 496
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Goodreads

*This book was provided by the Publisher for review. No compensation was provided and all opinions are strictly my own.

Delancy Sullivan has always known there’s more to reality than what people see. Every time someone makes a choice, a new, parallel world branches off from the existing one. Eating breakfast or skipping it, turning left instead of right, sneaking out instead of staying in bed ~ all of these choices create an alternate universe in which an echo self takes the road not travelled and makes the opposite decision. As a Walker, someone who can navigate between these worlds, Del’s job is to keep all of the dimensions in harmony.

Normally, Del can hear the dissonant frequency that each world emits as clear as a bell. But when a training session in an off-key world goes horribly wrong, she is forbidden from Walking by the Council. But Del’s not big on following the rules and she secretly starts to investigate these other worlds. Something strange is connecting them and it’s not just her random encounters with echo versions of the guy she likes, Simon Lane.

But Del’s decisions have unimaginable consequences and, as she begins to fall for the Echo Simons in each world, she draws closer to a truth that the Council of Walkers is trying to hide ~ a secret that threatens the fate of the entire multiverse.

four-half-stars

Dissonance is a wonderfully harmonious book. Erika O’Rourke has really done a great job creating this world and making it interesting, realistic and action packed.  As a teen, Delancy (Del) Sullivan is your normal, hot headed “I am awesome and I don’t need to learn or follow rules” kind of girl. She is also a Walker. This idea and the world the author has created in Dissonance truly shines. In the key world, there were Walkers and normal people all mixed together. Normal people, in their everyday decision making processes create alternate dimensions, called “echoes” causing entire echo universes to exist. Millions, billions, even! A Walker does not create echoes, or have an echo personality like a normal person would. The Walkers are sworn to protect the Key world by cleaving (un-weaving) any unstable echoes that may affect the key world in a negative way. Cool, right?

Del is very skilled, and very anti-authority. She has to go out on her own and figure out how to be the best, showing that she is better than everybody else. This is her main failing. Her motto, “Learn by doing.” The problem comes in when she doesn’t have the knowledge needed to back up her abilities and bungles things up. Which she does in huge ways, constantly. Luckily, she has a supporting cast that help her get through. Her grandfather, her friend and her sister help her to get out of some of her messes. Seeing her grow in responsibility and realizing that she may indeed need to read a book sometime is refreshing and saves Dissonance from being another “Vampire High.”

This series is worth a pick up!  It ended with a groan-inducing, ” WHERE IS THE SEQUEL?!” feeling though so watch out.  =) Happy reads folks!

Maggie

Maggie

When not taking care of my two children, husband and mini doxy, rushing here and there on the go, I can always be found reading. Fantasy of course being my favorite genre, but not the only I'll read. Oh yes, and I throw bad books.
Maggie

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21 Responses to “Review: Dissonance by Erika O’Rourke”

  1. Alise

    This is probably my most anticipated read of 2014, I’ve been itching to read it for so long too! I’m really happy to know that you enjoyed it. The world building seems pretty cool and it sounds like a really well-thought out novel. But aw, cliffhanger? 🙁
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  7. DannyBookworm

    I agree with you for the wish for the sequel, the ending was horrible right?? I really liked this one, but I had a few problems with the romance and the world building.

    The new worlds were so close to the original world, with all these endless possibilities, I’d have liked it a little more epic?
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  8. Kirsty-Marie

    Ohhh, pretty much perfect! I haven’t read that many parallel worlds anyway, but I finished one the other day that was a lot darker than I expected. But I love how in each one I’ve read so far, the different ways they can set up for the parallel aspect, always fun to read. 🙂
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