Nobody

December 3, 2012
Barnes (Every Other Day) continues to establish herself as a strong voice in dark fantasy and science fiction. For 15 years, Claire Ryan has been ignored by everybody, from her classmates to her parents. Seventeen-year-old Nix has grown up with a similar invisibility, something he uses to his advantage. Raised by the Society, Nix is a “Nobody,” incapable of being seen, able to travel through walls—abilities he uses to kill Nulls, sociopaths who threaten the world. When Nix is assigned to kill Claire, he’s shocked that she can see him, and he soon realizes that she can’t possibly be a Null, which makes him question the Society and his mission. Barnes skillfully builds tension, keeping Claire and Nix at odds even as their mutual attraction grows. The ending is a bit rushed, with both a contrived concept and a late-debuting character driving a presumed sequel, but the world-building and the mix of dark genre elements (including some genuinely disturbing human actions) more than make up for any letdown. Ages 12–up. Agent: Elizabeth Harding, Curtis Brown.

November 15, 2012
In a fast-paced and simply told action story, Claire, who has spent her life being ignored, teams up with Nix, the boy raised to kill her. Perspective switches rapidly between Claire and Nix, and readers learn first of Claire's constant loneliness and next of Nix's certainty that she is a dangerous Null who must be hunted and killed. When the two teens meet, their worlds change: Nix realizes that the Society that raised him as a weapon has been lying about his targets being evil. Claire experiences the terror of being hunted and then the joy and relief of discovering that somebody--Nix--can see her. Both teens, it turns out, are Nobodies, beings whose power lies in their ability to escape notice and whose lives the Society wants to control. Short, emphatic sentences, dramatic repetition and strategic line breaks shuttle readers through the action and worldbuilding. If there were much of a pause in the action, readers might have time to question some of the story's premises (they don't know, for instance, how Claire escaped the Society's notice until now or whether there are others like her). As written, however, it's a pleasurable ride through chases, escapes, sinister memories and romantic tension. Gripping, with a dramatic climax and just enough room for a sequel. (Science fiction. 12 & up)

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February 1, 2013

Gr 7 Up-Claire Ryan has always felt like a Nobody. As a child, her parents left her at stores, parks, and home alone. She's never understood why she's so forgettable. However, she does not allow herself to wallow in self-pity; instead she survives by losing herself in books and hypothetical situations. One day she notices a young man about her own age watching her. She realizes that he is shocked that she can see him, and that he has malicious intentions. Nix, 17, has been sent by The Society to kill her. She shouldn't be able to see him because Nobodies make perfect close-range assassins because people do not notice them. Nix never thought to question his assignment until Claire sees him and he saves her from a backup team when he is making his second attempt to take her life. Even though he believes she is a Null (someone with the supernatural ability to manipulate others), he takes her into hiding, where he realizes that she is a powerful Nobody. To understand why The Society wants her dead, the pair starts investigating Nix's previous kills, realizing that the organization he has worked for since childhood is evil and needs to be stopped. This thrill ride will keep readers entranced and could appeal to reluctant readers if they can be coaxed to overlook its length. An exciting addition for collections where action novels are popular.-Suanne B. Roush, Osceola High School, Seminole, FL

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