Book: The Line by Teri Hall

Book Info: Published by Dial; 219 pages; hardcover; from the library

Goodreads Summary: An invisible, uncrossable physical barrier encloses the United States. The Line is the part of the border that lopped off part of the country, dooming the inhabitants to an unknown fate when the enemy used a banned weapon. It’s said that bizarre creatures and superhumans live on the other side, in Away. Nobody except tough old Ms. Moore would ever live next to the Line.

Nobody but Rachel and her mother, who went to live there after Rachel’s dad died in the last war. It’s a safe, quiet life. Until Rachel finds a mysterious recorded message that can only have come from Away. The voice is asking for help.

Who sent the message? Why is her mother so protective? And to what lengths is Rachel willing to go in order to do what she thinks is right?

I’m not sure what to think of The Line.  It was interesting, but something about it was very simple.

There isn’t any resolution in the book, and everything that came up was still a mystery at the end.  I couldn’t connect with the characters or the world in which they lived because we know so little about them.  I felt like everything and everyone was just there.

The basic premise is really interesting and really cool, but it just didn’t come together.  It was also boring, and not much happened.  And the ending!  It didn’t feel like a proper ending.  It felt like someone randomly decided that’s where the book should end…almost like it was supposed to be longer.  And decided to stretch this series out as long as possible.

It gets a 2 out of 5.  The idea was cool. but the story wasn’t as good as I thought.