Beneath the Shine
Written by Sarah Fine
Narrated by Lauren Ezzo and Noah Berman
4.5/5
()
About this audiobook
When a very few have everything worth living for, those beneath the shine will stop at nothing to burn it all down.
In a future United States where those who control technology control the wealth, seventeen-year-old Marguerite’s viral video propels a populist candidate to presidential victory on a platform of “tech for all.” But as the mouthpiece of the new leader determined to break the elite stronghold, Marguerite finds herself on the opposite side of the divide in a new high school full of technocrat teens.
When the enigmatic Percy, with his flamboyant fashion sense, sharp wit, and tragic past, takes an interest in her, she is suspicious. But with everyone against her, she needs an ally. Percy is drawn to Marguerite’s passion for the cause, but the legacy of his murdered scientist parents prevents him from letting her get too close.
Soon terrorists strike the capital and technocrat leaders begin turning up dead, and the two must work together to protect both their families and the country. With everyone literally plugged into technology, total domination will take only a flip of the switch. In order to preserve their freedom and the future Marguerite envisions, she and Percy may be forced to pay the ultimate price.
Sarah Fine
Sarah Fine is the author of several popular series, including The Impostor Queen and the Guards of the Shadowlands. And while she promises she is not psychoanalyzing those around her, she manages to use both her talent as a writer and her experience as a psychologist to great effect. Sarah's stories blur lines, challenge convention, and press boundaries. Her mash-up of seemingly disparate genres yields stories that not only are engaging but will keep readers guessing. Sarah has lived on the West Coast and in the Midwest, but she currently calls the East Coast home. She confesses to having the music tastes of an adolescent boy and an adventurous spirit when it comes to food (especially if it's fried). But if her many books are any indication, writing clearly trumps both her musical and culinary loves.
More audiobooks from Sarah Fine
Uncanny Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5In Search of Deeper Learning: The Quest to Remake the American High School Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Related to Beneath the Shine
Related audiobooks
Article 5 Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Murder Complex Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Unraveled Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Breaking Point Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Three Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Testing Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Ending Eleven Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSwarm Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Graduation Day Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5MILA 2.0: Renegade Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Perfected Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Monument 14 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Perfect Ruin Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Empress Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Disclose Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5MILA 2.0 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Fracturing Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Unknown Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Reborn Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Cured: A Stung Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
YA Dystopian For You
Shatter Me Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Unravel Me Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Delirium Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Imagine Me Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Grace Year: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Darkest Legacy Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Unite Me Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5In the Afterlight Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Divergent Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Secrets of the Starcrossed Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Ones We're Meant to Find Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Defy Me Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5UnBound: Stories from the Unwind World Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Butterfly Assassin Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Restore Me Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Insurgent Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Wave: Based on a True Story by Ron Jones-the classroom experiment that went too far Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Rule of Many Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Allegiant Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Rule of One Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Hummingbird Killer Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Gleanings Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How We Became Wicked Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Four: A Divergent Collection Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Pretties Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Red Labyrinth Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Specials Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Extras Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for Beneath the Shine
10 ratings1 review
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5For the first half of this futuristic reimagining of The Scarlet Pimpernel, I was mentally preparing a three (or less) star review, thinking that the concept was clever but two high school students were never going to match the pace, or the romance, of Sir Percy Blakeney and his brilliant wife Marguerite. The first person narration didn't help, in that I don't think the chapters alternating between the hero and the heroine really sounded any different, and I hate that.But then Sarah Fine's original characters and story just gelled with Orczy's classic somehow, the pace picked up, I started to care, and I really enjoyed the world-building (especially the AI cars - very Knight Rider!) Set in a dystopian future, the aristocrats of the Pimpernel's eighteenth century France have been replaced with technocrats - not so much born into wealth and privilege as the mega rich creators of the companies controlling the future of technology. Percy Blake, the son of two tech wizards who were brutally murdered, is one such beneficiary of the age of bionics. Opposing the mega money and machinery of the new age is President Wynn Sallese and his administration, who have got into power on the promise of people first - no more computers taking over jobs, or toys for the rich. Sallese's teen mouthpiece is Marguerite Singer, a seventeen year old girl whose father killed himself after his teaching job was taken over by a computer program called Aristotle. Marguerite believes in the egalitarian vision of the new regime, and uses social media to spread the word - but is she being manipulated by her idols?When Marguerite is sent to a wealthy school in DC, a technocrat enclave which is 'all shine, all sparkle, floating on a constructed cloud of seamless technology and unimaginable wealth', she butts heads with the rich students, but soon there is more for her to fight than just bitchy comments in the classroom. When technocrats and their families start disappearing, Marguerite starts to suspect that maybe the new administration isn't the bright new world she was promised after all. Technology needs to start fighting back - and Percy Blake, of the sharp fashion sense and painted nails, is prepared for battle.After a shaky start, I loved the story, especially Percy - less Pimpernel than Batman meets Ironman, he is wonderfully charming and morphs into the perfect hero. Marguerite, although her betrayal makes slightly more sense than in the original novel (she is only seventeen), takes longer to warm to - her character just felt forced. But I would love to read more about the 'Shine' dystopia, particularly the cannies, or AI robots. Great stuff, and a worthy interpretation of The Scarlet Pimpernel for teens.