Review: Glitch by Heather Anastasiu

Title: Glitch
Author: Heather Anastasiu
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Age Group: Young Adult
Category:  Sci-Fi/Dystopian
Release date: August 7th, 2012
Pages: 371 (e-galley)
Rating: 4 out of 5
Source: Netgalley
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In the Community, there is no more pain or war. Implanted computer chips have wiped humanity clean of destructive emotions, and thoughts are replaced by a feed from the Link network.

When Zoe starts to malfunction (or “glitch”), she suddenly begins having her own thoughts, feelings, and identity. Any anomalies must be immediately reported and repaired, but Zoe has a secret so dark it will mean certain deactivation if she is caught: her glitches have given her uncontrollable telekinetic powers.

As Zoe struggles to control her abilities and stay hidden, she meets other glitchers including Max, who can disguise his appearance, and Adrien, who has visions of the future. Both boys introduce Zoe to feelings that are entirely new. Together, this growing band of glitchers must find a way to free themselves from the controlling hands of the Community before they’re caught and deactivated, or worse.

When Zoe begins to feel human emotion for the first time, she's fully aware that she's glitching, which means that she has to keep it all a secret or risk getting deactivated.  Up until the point where she comes in contact with another glitcher, she has thoughts of turning herself in.  After all, glitching hasn't made her life any easier, especially with the looks of suspicion she begins to get when her powers unexpectedly occur while trying to save a little girl's life.  She then meets a mysterious boy at school named Adrien, who she believes may be a Monitor, watching her every move in order to take her away.  Instead, he takes her to the Surface, where Zoe finds out the truth about the place she's always called home.  Now she'll do anything to escape.

Glitch was filled with action and excitement that grasps all of your attention.  There wasn't a certain point in the book where I felt as though I could predict what would happen, and because of that, I found it very difficult to put it down.  I loved being able to see this unique and terrifying world through Zoe's eyes, getting to learn everything she thought she knew about the Community, her passions and even just how much she truly cares for others.  I had a few issues with how naive and trustworthy she seemed to be, but now I realize that it's expected from someone who is just learning the truth. 

With the help of other people like her, Zoe realizes that controlling her Gift is possible and it will be put to good use.  The aspects of technology is one of my favorite parts of this book, and I believe that the author did an amazing job creating the entire world.  I could honestly get lost in all of the brilliant descriptions of what these characters live like, from the Link right down to how their hardware is supposed to work.

This small group of glitching teenagers begin to find themselves being controlled and taken advantage of by the Community and this is the story of the stand they take to change it all.  Glitch will hold onto you until you flip the last page.  Though I'm not the biggest fan of the dystopian genre, this is one series that I hope to continue, and as many readers will easily see, it's filled with a lot of potential.