Title: 5 TO 1
Author: Holly Bodger
Pub. Date: May 12, 2015
Publisher:
Pages: 256
Formats: Hardcover, eBook
Find it: Amazon, Barnes& Noble, iBooks, Goodreads
In the year 2054, after decades of gender selection, India now has a ratio of five boys for every girl, making women an incredibly valuable commodity. Tired of marrying off their daughters to the highest bidder and determined to finally make marriage fair, the women who form the country of Koyanagar have instituted a series of tests so that every boy has the chance to win a wife.
Sudasa, though, doesn't want to be a wife, and Kiran, a boy forced to compete in the test to become her husband, has other plans as well. As the tests advance, Sudasa and Kiran thwart each other at every turn until they slowly realize that they just might want the same thing.
This beautiful, unique novel is told from alternating points of view-Sudasa's in verse and Kiran's in prose-allowing readers to experience both characters' pain and their brave struggle for hope.
Now on to the post!
Favorite Quotes
Favorite Quotes
1.
“She wants them
to believe that obedience is the only option. Like all leaders, her reign
depends on it.”
There
is a strong theme of obedience in 5 to 1.
It is the meaning of Sudasa’s name, as well as the character flaw she must
overcome. It is also the main character trait expected of the boys and the one
that is most questionable. Some people have wondered why the men would obey
these rich women in charge. I think that is a question that society has been
struggling with for a long time. Why do women allow themselves to be treated
like lesser human beings? Why did history’s slaves do this same thing?
2. “Nani’s allegiance is to her
anger
and
anger
runs
deeper than blood and skin.
It’s
set in bone
and
bone, once broken,
never
heals
the same.”
I
think this quote really sums up Sudasa’s grandmother’s entire character. Nani is
angry. She was treated poorly as a child and then was forced into a bad
marriage to a drunk man, who murdered her first two children because they were
girls. Everything Nani did in creating Koyanagar was done with the intention of
fixing all of the problems that caused her own suffering. Unfortunately, while
Nani’s intentions may be good, she is too blinded by her pain and anger to see
the effects of what she is doing.
Side
note: This line was inspired by my best friend, who had broken her arm while I
was writing this book. She made a comment about how the bone would never heal
the same, and it made me think that all injuries are like that, especially the
emotional ones.
3. “Appa
says an honest man wears his scars on the outside, and I’m not ashamed of
getting bloody any more than I am of having to work. I would be more ashamed if
I came here to cheat, all so I could spend my life letting some girl boss me
around.”
For me, this quote really epitomizes Kiran’s character
flaw. He is not ashamed of who he is or what he comes from, but deep down he is
hurting because he believes his mother deserted him. Like Nani, he doesn’t see
that his pain is clouding his judgment.
Side
note #2: Anyone who has read the book will probably have noticed that Kiran’s
father (Appa) is my Yoda. The only difference is that Yoda would have said, “On
the outside, an honest man wears his scars.” And then Yoda would have done a
cool back flip.
4. “Surina gives me the kind of look
only
an older sister can give.
The
one that’s part,
‘I
know better,’
and
all,
‘I
told you so.’”
This quote really demonstrates the charged dynamic
between Sudasa and her older sister, Surina, which is important because it also
happens to be the same dynamic as with Nani and her older sister, Yasmin (Mota
Masi).
Side note #3: Yes, I am a younger sister, although I
adore my older sister even if she does have an I-told-you-so look that should come with its own music and jazz
hands.
5.
“As far as I can
tell, the only difference between them and us is they admit their country is
falling apart while our leaders honestly believe they’ve created some kind of
utopia. It’s like Appa says, ‘The people at the top of the pyramid always think
the sun shines the brightest.’”
In
this passage, Kiran is talking about why Koyanagar needs a wall to keep the
people of the old country out, but he is also communicating his father’s view
on the pyramid of wealth and how those at the top (rich) are the least likely
to see the problems at the bottom (poor). I like this passage because it
touches on why this was such an important book for me to write. Years ago, I
did not know about gendercide. I knew people were adopting girls from China,
but I had no idea why and I had never even considered the ramifications of those
actions. I didn’t know that people in India (and elsewhere) actually murdered
their babies if they were born female. I didn’t know that some girls were not fed
as well or educated as well or given medicine if they got sick. In summation, I
was at the top of the pyramid thinking things weren’t too bad for women’s rights.
And I was wrong, so very wrong.
HOLLY BODGER has a BA in English Literature and has spent her
entire career in publishing. She is an active member of RWA and is a 2013
Golden Heart finalist in the Young Adult category. She lives in Ottawa, Canada.
Giveaway Details:
3 Finished copies of 5 TO 1 US/Canada Only.
3 Finished copies of 5 TO 1 US/Canada Only.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Check out the Tour Schedule!
Review Tour
Week 1:
5/4 - Addicted 2 Novels
5/5 - YA
Bibliophile
5/6 - Good Books & Good Wine
5/7 - Fiction Fare
5/8 - The Quiet Concert
Week 2:
5/11 - WhoRUBlog
5/12 - The Book Cellar
5/13 - Swoony Boys Podcast
5/14 - Resch
Reads & Reviews
5/15 - Chapter by Chapter
POSTING TOUR:
Week 1:
5/4 - Bookiemoji -
Guest Post
5/5 - The
Book Swarm - Character Dossier
5/6 - Alice Marvels - Q&A
5/7 - Two Chicks on Books - GP
5/8 - Reading
W/ABC - Q&A
Week 2:
5/11 - Pivot Book Reviews - GP
5/12 - The Irish Banana Review – Author and Cover Designer
Interview
5/13 - No BS Book Reviews - Q&A
5/14 - My Friends Are Fiction - GP
5/15 - Seeing
Double in Neverland - Q&A
This book is both beautiful and so very important to get the message out there!
ReplyDeleteFantastic quotes!!
Great quotes! It really gives a good feel for the characters.
ReplyDelete