The Repossession [Paperback]

The Repossession was absolutely amazing! It's mesmerizing, clever, captivating, in short it is everything you could possibly hope for in a book. At nearly 500 pages, it's a pretty hefty book, but don't let that discourage you from picking it up. Trust me, you'll breeze through the pages in no time! It took me one day to finish it (although, I admit, I did stay up till 3:00 am to find out what happens next). Combining the elements of science fiction, mystery and supernatural, it is definitely one of the best, and most fascinating, debut novels I've ever read.

The Repossession tells the story of Genie Magee, a teenage girl from Spurlake, BC, who - after predicting her grandmother's death - gets imprisoned in her bedroom by her mentally deranged mother and the wicked Reverend Schneider, who accuses Genie of being possessed by the devil. Haunted by weird visions, verbally and physically abused by the Church of Free Spirit devotees, Genie is confused, scared and desperate to escape. Thankfully, she has someone she can always count on. Rian, her beloved boyfriend, will do anything it takes to protect Genie and make her happy, even if it means ripping out the window with a rope attached to his best friend's car (Western-style -> totally bad-ass, baby!) and leaving town for good.This, however, is only the begging of their many troubles and adventures. They're about to uncover the mystery behind the disappearances of 34 local kids, and its connection to the Fortress, an underground research station nearby that is secretly carrying out experiments with teleportation device. They will also learn the hard way that fighting a well-funded, powerful organization is border line suicidal, even if you have special powers of your own and an adorable little pig for a sidekick.

This book is a perfect example why I love YA books written by male authors so much. They're simply fabulous. You just don't get this awesomeness anywhere else. The Repossession is so well-researched, and written with such remarkable care for details (especially when it comes to the scientific background), it is simply mind-blowing. Sam Hawksmoor not only managed to capture the unique, slightly eerie atmosphere of rural British Columbia, but he also did a great job depicting the inner workings of a small, secluded town, where everyone knows each other, people are very protective of their secrets and don't appreciate outsiders meddling in their business. My heart belongs to BC, and reading The Repossession made me feel all warm and fluffy inside, as, thanks to many nuances scattered throughout the book, I was able to travel in space and revisit all my favorite places (even Hastings Street is mentioned once! Although I wouldn't exactly call it a favorite place of mine :P).

Any way you slice it, it's a great and enjoyable piece of literature that just works on so many levels. The science fiction elements are all believable and terrifyingly real. The love story between Genie and Rian is sweet and charming, their devotion and readiness to do anything it takes to protect each other - truly heart-warming. The pacing of the story is great, too. The tension builds up slowly but surely, leading to an action-packed, not-exactly-a-cliffhanger ending that is sure to send you clamoring for the next installment. There's not a single thing I didn't enjoy about this book. The characters are wicked awesome, especially Rian, who is just the sweetest guy a girl could wish for. He's understanding, giving, warm, protective and funny. To Genie, he is a knight in a shining armor, someone she can trust, who will always be there to make sure nothing bad ever happens to her. I loved them as a couple. Their relationship seemed very natural and genuine. In that sense, they reminded me a lot of Todd and Viola from Chaos Walking Trilogy.

All in all The Repossession is a must-read YA novel. Well written, rich in detail of both character and world building, it's a unique blend of many different genres - from science fiction, to mystery, thriller and supernatural, with elements of teen romance and drama. Smart, dark and graceful, this story is sure to send chills down your spine, make you ponder the events described in it, and wonder just how plausible they really are.

THE REPOSSESSION by Sam Hawksmoor, a young adult thriller, tells of a future high-tech experiment gone awry amidst small-town and backcountry British Columbia, Canada.
Mr. Hawksmoor's narrative premise: The "Fortress," an isolated and secret supercomputer and server farm taking control of teens gone missing from a fictional hick town of Spurlake might have seemed farfetched not that long ago ...
But if I had doubts about the power of Hawkmoor's Fortress supercomputer, I only had to look at the April 2012 issue of Wired magazine. The cover article, "Inside the Matrix," details what the U.S. National Security Agency is up to now. They'd building a computing center to intercept and store all phone calls, emails, Google searches--any Internet traffic you care to name in the world--with promises to hack encryption and build dossiers down to the individual.
So, the creepy high-tech horror teenage couple Genie and Rian come up against, and fight to the final pages, is believable in its "possession" premise, as well as emotionally true and satisfying.
But more than a compulsively readable thriller narrative, I enjoyed the sensitive characterization Hawksmoor deploys.
Essential, of course, is the young couple finding first love in each other's eyes: Genie Munby (lively and psychically gifted) and Rian Tulane (resourceful and chivalrous). Wisely, Hawskmoor avoids a physical relationship for these fifteen-year-olds: far too much of a distraction from the real story.
Enough strong antagonists to keep things on the boil, especially evil, hypocritical, and dissembling Reverend Schneider, head of Spurlake's Church of the Free Spirits. Toss in malevolent employees at the Fortress and a few needy, rigid parents who know how to kill teenage spirit.
But my favorite was Marshall--an older, one-legged apple farmer, who takes Genie and Rian under his wing. Marshall knows the worlds of good and evil, having once worked at the Fortress with enthusiasm for the ambitious goal of their experimentation. But not on human subjects, so he withdraws to farming and will protect the young couple.
Teenage readers will also appreciate THE REPOSSESSION for a contemporary feel of dialogue and attitudes and up-to-date reference to our digital lives--even electric Leaf cars we might drive.
In sum, THE REPOSSESSION features multi-dimensional appeal and a shattering conflict of good and evil in the backcountry of British Columbia. A sequel--The Hunting--is due from Hodder later this year.