Author: Elana JohnsonLong story short: Vi knows all the rules - they've been impressed on her by the Thinkers since she was a child. But lately Vi's been wondering if life according to the rules is enough for her. Maybe she wants more. Then the Thinkers discover Vi's secret and start trying to recruit her, forcing her to flee or become the thing she hates most. 
My thoughts: No no no no! That can't really be the ending, you're kidding me right?
*attempts to will more pages into existence using the force*
Wowie zowie!
In the action-packed opening scene of Possession, our heroine is arrested for walking a park with a boy. A novel that opens with an intense scene like that has a lot to live up to, and this one delivers. Vi's adventures bring her through danger, hardship, mystery, temptation, and self-doubt. Nothing like taking a nice person and torturing them to make good reading material.
Not that Vi's entirely nice. She's satisfyingly snarky and has a rebellious streak a mile wide. In a world where the entire population plugs themselves in to brainwashing messages every night, she's the kind of girl with the courage to refuse. Even if she isn't sure exactly why she's doing it.
One of the most interesting things about this story is Vi's struggle between "good" and "bad." In her world, these terms are very clearly defined. If you obey the Thinkers' commands, you are good. If you don't, you are bad. Vi has never questioned these definitions, even though she doesn't always do what she should. As the story moves along, Vi finds herself confronting the idea that this worldview is wrong. Maybe good and bad aren't as clear-cut as she always thought. Every time Vi used "good" or "bad" to define something, I had to stop and think, "does she mean Thinker-good or true-good?" It added another level that really got me involved in the story.
The only thing about Possession that I didn't love was the world-building. There were times when I had a hard time getting into Vi's world because it didn't feel solid. It left me with a lot of questions. How did the Thinkers come to power? What was the motivation that caused the population to accept brainwashing as a better way of living? How does all this magical technology work, anyway (not that I want a technical manual, but a little more grounding would be nice). The terrain keeps changing! What exactly does Violet's world look like, anyway? In this one area, I wanted more from the story.
Final word: Possession is an interesting blend of genres. There's dsytopia/speculative fiction mixed with some intriguing paranormal elements in a way that felt fresh and exciting. Add a generous splash of romance (two sizzlin' hot boys!) and you've got a combo I can't wait for more of.
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