Shutdown by Heather Anastasiu

Author: Heather Anastasiu
Title: Shutdown
Series: Glitch #3
Publication: July 2, 2013
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Genre: Sci-Fi, YA
Source:  Publisher via Netgalley

Synopsis via Goodreads:
The battle is all but over, and hope seems to be lost. Zoe and her fellow Resistance fighters are on the run, having lost their home, their protection, and their leader. They are outnumbered and outmatched by the powerful corporation that controls the world, and the cruel Chancellor is inches away from completing a scheme that would kill most of humanity. Zoe's only remaining option is to chase the impossible dream of upending the Link system, freeing the world from the hardware that controls their thoughts and emotions, and hope it will trigger a revolution. 

The plot requires a nearly impossible mission to infiltrate the dangerous Community, and it is a task that Zoe must unfortunately complete alone. With challenges and surprises at every turn, nothing goes according to plan. Adrien's visions of the future now show two possible outcomes: one in which they succeed, and one in which humanity falls. It all lies in Zoe's hands. 

Full of romance, high-adrenaline action and shocking twists, Shutdown is a heart-pounding conclusion to an exciting sci-fi adventure trilogy for young adults. 

The thrilling conclusion to an action-packed sci-fi trilogy.

"There's nothing more dangerous than someone who knows they have nothing left to lose"

Zoe's is trying hard to keep it together. Now, the new leader of the Foundation, she has the huge task of figuring out how to eliminate the Chancellor and free the drones with minimal loss of life. Her boyfriend, Adrien, is forever changed by his encounter with the Chancellor. He's seemingly incapable of expressing emotion and Zoe's afraid to face the reality that the boy she loves is gone forever. The thought that he may never love her again weighs heavy on her already troubled heart. She's filled with so much sadness, anger and hate but it her guilt that overwhelms her. Can she be the spark that the Revolution needs to overcome the power of the Chancellor and a chance at freedom or will this burden become too much for her to bear?

I've followed Zoe's journey since it began in Glitch and it's nice to see her taking on a leadership role. She's comes into her new responsibility gradually, all those that oppose her look to her in times of crisis. No one realizes Zoe's internal battle, on the outside she projects this toughness but really she thinks she's a failure and her mistakes have heavy consequences. She also has to deal with her increasing power, which may become a danger to everyone around her if she can't rein it in. It is good to see that she's learned to control her allergies. 

"The Adrien we'd known and loved might be lost to the caged spaces of our memories"

Adrien has changed from the boy we met in the first book. He's no longer hopeful and everything he once believed true now seems illogical to him. Love is obviously one of those things because it makes people do irrational things. Adrien finds love to be pointless. Everyone expects him to magical become his old self not wanting to believe he's gone and in time he will return to them. Zoe learns the hard way that this hope will never come true as she finds herself alone in the wilderness with this stranger. Every time, she thinks he's opening up, he withdraws back into the shell of himself...but maybe there's a chance that they will find a way back to love. 

Overall, this book was good ending to the trilogy. Some of the characters such as Molla and City worked my nerves but other than that I liked them, especially Ginna. The plot moves along at a steady pace, so I was able to finish this in one sitting. I think this would be a good book about self-worth, forgiveness and new beginnings. 

Favorite Quote:
"Were hope and love merely lies we told ourselves to try to create meaning where there was none? And if we were brave, we'd just look in the face of it and call hope what it truly is: a delusion to make the cold nothingness of life seem less dark and futile."

More books by Heather Anastasiu

About the Author
Heather Anastasiu grew up in Texas and recently moved to Minneapolis with her family. When she's not busy getting lost exploring the new city, she spends most days writing at a café or daydreaming about getting a new tattoo.
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