Review: Inside Out (Inside Out #1) by Maria V. Snyder

Title:  Inside Out

Author:  Maria V Snyder

Series: 1st in Inside Out series

Pages: 320

Published: Available now from Harlequin

ISBN: 9780373210060

Source: Personal Copy

Description: Keep Your Head Down.  Don't Get Noticed. Or Else. I'm Trella. I'm a scrub. A nobody. One of thousands who work the lower levels, keeping Inside clean for the Uppers. I've got one friend, do my job and try to avoid the Pop Cops. So what if I occasionally use the pipes to sneak around the Upper levels? The only neck at risk is my own…until I accidentally start a rebellion and become the go-to girl to lead a revolution. 

I Give This ...

 

It's funny how a book can start a trend.  From the first time I read the description I thought that it sure sounds a lot like The Hunger Games.  And while there are quite a few similarities, the stories each hold their own.  Oddly enough there is another element to the story that predates the idea behind another newer release that I won't name.   If you've read both, you'll know exactly what I mean.

It seems appropriate that Trella is a loner.  It makes it hard for her to trust anybody, which also makes it hard for her to accept help.  And she's not looking to cause a rebellion, just merely acting in the best interests of the only friend she has.  The problem is that one friend also happens to be one of the most well liked scrubs.  When her actions lead to his arrest, those scrubs that know her involvement will do anything to help her accomplish the goal, even if that goal really is a myth.

It took awhile to get into the book.  Snyder has to create the world that Trella lives in and it's no easy task.  It really was hard for me to picture it.  But, I fully understood the government that was in place.  It's easy to keep the status quo when everyone around you has been made to believe lies.  What started out as a simple task to help a friend see the "truth" ends up bringing together the oddest group of people that actually have one goal, and of course one traitor.   

Once the world has the proper set up and the story got going, I was enthralled.  I loved the characters and the storyline.  I loved watching Trella learn who she really is and that's ok to let in others.  I can't wait to read the next one!!