The Awoken

A Novel

By: Katelyn Monroe Howes

Narrated by: Sarah Naughton

Length: 14 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

"The Awoken is a phenomenal story—filled with action, romance, plot twists, and a few big juicy reveals!"—Issa Rae

A cinematic, speculative debut about a woman who undergoes cryogenic preservation at the time of her death and wakes up a century later in a world where her very life is a crime.

When Alabine Rivers, a politically active young woman with a bright career and romance ahead of her, finds out the devastating news that she has terminal cancer, the only thing that gives her solace is the possibility of a second life through the emerging field of cryogenics.

A century later, scientists have indeed discovered how to bring the dead back from preservation, but humanity has been locked in a philosophical battle over the ethics of this new Godlike power, a battle that has turned violent: Those who are resurrected, the Awoken, have been declared illegal and are to be shot on sight.

This is the world Alabine is brought into by the Resurrectionists, an underground militia fighting for the rights of the Awoken. Finding herself in a completely unfamiliar world, and one where she is an outsider for the first time in her life, Alabine must figure out how to survive and determine her place in this new society, all while being haunted by lucid memories of her previous life and the man she loved.

The Awoken is a gripping, action-packed story full of plot twists and high emotion. It's a look at prejudice, complicity, the fears that tear us apart, and the hope that can bring us together.

©2022 Katelyn Monroe Howes (P)2022 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"This action-packed speculative novel will have you reading long into the night.”—Book Riot

“Howes thoughtfully extrapolates from current events to create a chilling, all-too-plausible future. Vividly sketched, deeply sympathetic characters and high-stakes, adrenaline-fueled plotting propel the tale to a cathartic close. Intelligent, action-packed, and emotionally charged.”—Kirkus

“Documentary filmmaker Howes' debut novel treats readers to a reflective, futuristic adventure story that’s full of twists and turns while also offering thoughtful commentary on issues that are all too real in our here and now: medical ethics, equity and inclusion, and personal freedom.”—Booklist

The Awoken

I really wanted to like this book but by the middle I just wanted it to end. I did not like the main character I found her to be annoying, whinny, overly dramatic. I quickly tired of the relentless retelling of the love story, the main character dying of cancer, the politics, how unfair everything was. I actually finished the book and was really annoyed by the last 2 minutes, going for Happily Ever After in the last minute just pissed me off. On the other hand, I have purchased a lot of other audible books that are so much worse that I felt this actually did deserve three stars, if for nothing else the author is a skilled storyteller, I just happen to not like the main character in this story.

A great roller coaster sci-fi

A very engaging read. I actually read the book and then had to listen to the audio book to make sure I caught everything. The audio book really brought it to life. The only downer was the ending; the epilogue was strange.

What an original story!

The story itself was very original and I really enjoyed listening to the narrator, which to me can really make or break a great book.

The publisher should have let the author finish it on her own schedule

The actual end was put in as an afterthought. I was disappointed in the whole missing part of the story being recapped and time jumped like a footnote. It had such potential. Perhaps I will read the story again when the author makes it into several volumes and actually TELLS the story instead of snipping and clipping it.

This was a decent scifi novel.

I love science fiction. The reason I chose this particular book is that I have read other books with this particular narrator and loved her! The book is good, but not great. The story was somewhat interesting, buoyed a bit by the narrator.
Would I recommend it? Yes, but not rave reviews.