Girl in the Arena

Girl Practically Everywhere Besides the Arena

I have really conflicted feelings about this book. I was expecting some cheap Hunger Games rip-off, but it wasn't like that at all.

This book is about Lyn, who has had seven gladiator fathers, due to her mothers career as a Glad wife. As a substitute to war, and entire Glad culture has arose, blood sport being just as common as football. Lyn's life is ruled by bylaws put forth by the Gladiator Sports Association. It is these bylaws that say she is required, through a chain of unfortunate events, to marry Uber, the warrior who defeated her seventh father in the arena. Rather than give in to these demands, she proposes an alternative: fighting him in the arena.

Initially, I thought I wasn't going to like this. At first it was because I thought it was a rip-off. Then it was because the writing and formatting was odd and distracting. And then it was because I realized that the action would be slow-coming. But then, about half-way through the book, I realized I kinda liked it. Lyn, the narrator was endearing, and the writing was starting to grow on me. I stopped with the exectations and just went with the flow. By the end, I didn't hate it as much as I did to start with.

The writing is not typical of a young-adult book, and that threw me off for a while. I appreciated that the author was doing something different. And I shall warn everyone right now, this book has no quotation marks. This drove me insane to begin with, and I was frustrated with the author. I mean, why couldn't she use quotation marks like a normal author? But in no time, I didn't even realize the difference.

I liked Lyn. She was endearing. She wasn't a Mary Sue, yet she wasn't a stereotypical bad-ass robot. I understood her motives. But I did not understand her brother. Her little brother, who is autistic, is also supposedly a prophet/oracle. I thought this book was set in an alternative now. I don't get the whole mysticism thing. And I also didn't get how they had things like You Tube still, but also virtual living machines that can create a functioning virtual being. But I did like the whole history of GSA. That does seem odd enough to be true.

Don't expect a hardcore thrilling action novel. Despite being about violence, this book had very little action. Lyn wasn't even in the arena until the final pages. I think this is misleading on the marketer's part. This book is way more contemplative than it sounds. I got bored in some places, but I was overall absorbed.

I am still confused about my feeling for this book, so I apologize for the possible wishy-washiness of this review. I can see how some people hate it, some people love it. It's an odd little book.

8 out of 9 people found this review helpful.

Misleading and Disappointing...would give it 1.5 stars if I could!

I seen the cover of this book and thought, "Perfect! I LOVE Ancient Roman culture and gladiators." Then I read the synposis and thought "Sounds reminiscient of The Hunger Games...and I definitely loved The Hunger Games." So I bought it, eager to get reading. I was sorely disappointed. I'm not exactly sure why they titled it "Girl in the Arena" it would have been more appropriatly titled "Growing up as a daughter of Gladiators". I felt that both the title and synopsis were both misleading. This isn't a story of a girl fighting in the arena (perhaps only fighting against a figurative arena of rules and bylaws of the Gladiator culture), but rather the emotional toll that one would endure growing up in this type of a culture. Haines is extremely detailed which I felt was sometimes to a fault although it allowed for clear imagery. The majority of the book is of Lyn reminiscing about her past interactions with her seven gladiator fathers (6 of which were stepfathers, 1 biological). Because she spent so much time in the past it seemed somewhat slow moving at times. I was on the verge of putting the book down so many times but I just kept thinking to myself, ok its about to get good. Unfortunetly it never really did until the last 50 pages or so. I also felt that at times the book was some what preachy. It's very apparent how the author feels about war (not that anyone likes it) and government by the sly comments she would make. To top it off the book seemed unrealistic. The setting for this book is America today. It was hard for me to buy into the idea. I had assumed that it was going to be set in Ancient Roman times or even if it was set in the future like Hunger Games I would have found it more believable. I just couldn't see the Glad Corp getting away with what they did in today's world, nor can I see the public being so ruthless and callous to enjoy such brutality (regardless if it has happened in the past or not). One example being how the Glad Corp tried to increase the likelihood of fatalaties of the spectators by trying to encourage people to leave the arena in a rush. I just couldn't bring myself to believe it under the circumstances that she created. The final complaint I have about Girl In the Arena, is how Haines decided not to use quotation marks. It was confusing at worse and annoying at best. So in light of all these shortfalls I must warn you that if you are one to enjoy action, romance, or suspense I would bypass this book...it lacks all three.

3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

Awful

She didn't even go into the fight until the last chapter! I was so unhappy with this book. Hard to understand, skipped a lot of paragraphs because they were boring and not needed, and so not worth the money.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Dark but satisfying

This book was a punch to the gut but one I didn't know I needed.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Much better than I was expecting.

I don't know what made me pick this book up. The cover is kind of cheesy and it really doesn't give you much of a synopsis. But I'm glad I did.

I read a lot, but not as much lately since I started college. And, I usually don't read YA. But this was a refreshing, emotional, in-your-face kind of story. The characters are well-developed, Lyn as the strong and edgy protagonist, and Uber as the painfully sweet and misunderstood guy that just wants her to like him. It's quickly paced, and I was very invested by the end. I tore through it, even though I really should have been writing a paper, but it was just so GOOD. I needed to know what was going to happen.

I don't give this five stars because it was a perfect book. I really wish the ending had been more conclusive, or that there was the promise of a sequel. I give it five stars because I don't think it's getting nearly as much recognition as it deserves (probably because of the cheesy cover) and I think it was just as good as, if not better than Blood Red Road. It is NOT a rip off of the Hunger Games (though if you like those books, I think you'd enjoy this).

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Gitl in the arena

I really liked this book but it was really confusing at some parts. It was suspenseful. And i really liked the 1 dude who killed her father i liked it i really did but has some confusin parts i give 4 out of 5 stars:)

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Just like hunger games

I really enjoyed this book. Its well written and chock full of suspense.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

A THRILLING 'GIRL'-- MUST-READ FOR YOUNG & OLD ALIKE

I love this book and this writer! Lise Haines always surprises you and always moves you with her vivid edgy prose. Here in her most daring work yet, she creates a heroine you can truly 'root for' in an all-too-real Arena. Haines dares to imagine our own violent and glitzy culture with the 'dials turned up' past 11. This book is marketed for YA and I agree teenage girls will connect to Lyn and will totally jump into her world. But readers beyond teens will plunge in too for the wild ride, the wonderful writing and the jolting message underlying it all about where we are all heading--
So bounce right into this ARENA.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Dont buy

Complete and total waste! This book was SO excrutiatingly SLOW and boring. I an angry with myself for reading the whole thing. Such a waste of my life

Great!!!

I loved this book. Although the ending was lacking. I would very much recomend this book to all of my friends.

It q It was pretty good

This book was enjoyable, although it would've been better with a bit more ajustments to it.

I really didn't like this book. It was soooooo depressing, at le

I really didn't like this book. It was soooooo depressing, at least i thought so. Most books have a bad beginnning but as the book goes on it gets better, not so in this book. If you feel like reading a depressing book with no fighting, no romance, a lot of other things I can't explain then get this book. If not...don't.
Just don't get this book, its soooo bad. Even the writing sucked. I can't thing of one thing I liked about this book. So, just don't get it. It's a waste of money and time.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Disappointing

I felt that it had a lot of potential but was anticlimatic

Highly Recommended - you must check it out!!

I really enjoyed this book!! It kept me wanting more, more, more!

Two and a half stars

Thought there could have been so much more done with the story. I was very disapointed

This guy

Read it for scohol was ok not what i really excpected but all in all a good book

....

Sounds JUST like the hunger games... i dont know if i want to read it or not... its like she copied suzanne collins or vice versa..

0 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

Okay, not what I expected

I thought it was a pretty good book, but it was not my idea of a fantastic book. I love gladiator books and movies but this was kind of a disapointment. The ending was really weak but the characters were well developed, and I loved Uber. I wish the author would of explored more in depth about the the relationships going on with the main character and the two guys. Overall I would read it if you were just looking for something to do if your bored.

Strong Ideas, Weak Ending

Set in an alternate present, Girl in the Arena, is a lightly veiled commentary on the state of politics today, with the decline of social and moral ethics thrown in for good measure. Lyn the daughter of seven gladiators and a career glad wife, is living the double edged sword. Shunned by normal kids, revered in the media, she is the model of glad life. But living in perpetual morning, and having to adhere strict gladiator bylaws is slowly killing her mother. Lyn wants be more than yet another stepford GSA wife. When the last of her fathers die, Lyn finds herself being pushed into an impossible situation by the increasingly corrupt GSA. With a manic mother, and an autistic brother, Lyn must decided if she can give up on her own ideals to become a glad wife and take care of her family, lose everything, or find another way to support them.

Haines weaves her social commentary with old as new ideas, creating a satire of not knowing our own history, therefore repeating societies mistakes. I like how Haines created a subculture based on gladiators, using classical elements to highlight modern day issues. I think it was clever how she used the capitalism, media, and technology to illustrate the problems it perpetuates in our world of commercialism, reality tv, celebrity, and in turn skews societies moral perspective.

SPOILER

All that said though I was disappointed with part of the path Lyn took I would have liked to have seen more action, Lyn become a real gladiator. She was at peace in the ring, could have become a hero, and really take the GSA down. The ending was a real let down, with a lukewarm love story ending, to an under developed love triangle. Even the whole situation with the Gladiator Sports Association was a soft conclusion. I had high hopes for Lyn but in the end she didn't become the shining example of feminism I thought she would be, she barely got her freedom, and stability, plus the romance was way to timid and ifie.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Strength and Independence

Lyn is the daughter of seven gladiators, and when her last and most beloved father, Tommy, is killed in the arena she is forced to choose between marrying her father's killer and disobeying her culture's strict bylaws. Lise Haines' Girl in the Arena is a young adult fiction novel with an interesting plot that is full of great detail. One passage that does a great job of embodying her skill of description is when she writes, "I send Mark a quick text to update him, climb into my pj's and fall asleep, and keep jerking awake and finally fall like lumber dropped into a mill, ready to be stripped of my bark and drawn down to the size of a toothpick, until I'm nothing but sleep." The fact that it is set in present-day America and contains a culture not far from our current one makes the story both relatable and scary. Haines' message of independence and female strength makes a great inspirational page-turner. Her description of Lyn is important because it does a phenomenal job of capturing today's teenage girls as well as the feelings girls experience in general. Girl in the Arena is definitely a book I would consider recommending to a friend.