Publisher's Hardcover ©2020 | -- |
Reality TV survival show Cut Off is revolutionary in its immersive virtual reality experience that allows the audience to see and hear everything as the contestants perceive it, thanks to a new technology implanted in each participant. Contestants River, Cam, Trip, and Liza all have their reasons for participating: the million-dollar prize that goes to whoever survives the longest without tapping out, the fame, the desire to get away. However, when these last four contestants find each other, they quickly discover that the ones they thought would keep them safe have gone radio silent, and they must work together to survive the wilderness and figure out why they can't seem to tap out. Finlay (Your One and Only, 2018) builds an intriguing, slow-burn mystery that takes its time developing the plot, and while the horror elements bring a thrill that will keep readers on their toes, the ultimate twist may be a bit too far-fetched for some readers.
Kirkus ReviewsTeenage contestants. Unfamiliar wilderness. A reality show pushing the boundaries of viewership. What could go wrong?Cut Off is a new survival show with a revolutionary three-dimensional component. Contestants, injected with virtual reality ions that transmit their biological data to viewers' devices, are trailed 24/7 by drone cameras as they attempt to outlast one another to claim a $10 million prize. Trip Johnson-a clinically anxious gay boy-is a contestant as well as the millionaire inventor of the show's 3-D immersive tech. Other contestants include defensive, jaded California girl Cam Jaimes; solitary, outdoorsy orphan River Adan; and practical, mysterious Liza Rojas. After the competition is wiped out, these four survivors team up when they discover that their emergency GPS trackers don't work and they are isolated from the showrunners. As they navigate a remote British Columbia island, hoping to rejoin civilization, they begin to suspect the wilderness has a mind of its ownâ¦and that it's manifesting their worst nightmares, from spiders to earthquakes to abandonment. The stakes rise ever higher as Cam and River's mutual attraction heats up while Trip considers the broader implications of his 3-D streaming app. The narrative begins a day after the first earthquake and is told from several contestants' third-person perspectives, interspersed with interview transcripts and official documents. Whiteness is situated as the default for most characters; Liza is cued as Latinx.Strikes a delicate, and ultimately optimistic, balance between action, suspense, and philosophy. (Thriller. 12-18)
Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)Finlay (
Gr 7-10 Finlay's second novel is a psychological thriller that takes characters on a journey to understand their deepest fears and desires. When River Adan and Cameron Jaimes sign up for the reality TV show Cut Off , they think they're playing to see which teenager can outlast the others in the rugged outdoors. Instead they find themselves confronting a mystery: Where did the game hosts disappear to and what are the malevolent whispers Cam hears in the forest? To survive, the one-time competitors must learn to trust each otherand face the darkest parts of their personal histories. Readers will appreciate the narrative range in this book as it echoes survivalist themes while mixing in tropes common to horror and romance. The plot delivers a number of satisfying twists while slowly revealing the motivations of the main characters. The use of shifting perspectives keeps readers guessing about the story's direction, but it also means the plot evolves slowly at the start, with some of the strongest character interactions coming near the end of the book. VERDICT A genre-bending story that engages with themes of anxiety and trauma in imaginative ways. Recommended for readers who enjoy thrillers with elements of horror and romance. Talea Anderson, Washington State Univ., Pullman, WA.
ALA Booklist (Wed Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2020)
Kirkus Reviews
Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)
School Library Journal (Mon Jun 01 00:00:00 CDT 2020)
Warcross meets Lost in this haunting young adult sci-fi thriller in which teens compete to survive in the wilderness for one million dollars on a new virtual reality show. When something goes horribly wrong and the contestants realize no one is coming to save them, they must question their very reality—and how much of the game is really for show.
Each contestant has their own reasons—and their own secrets—for joining the new virtual reality show CUT/OFF that places a group of teenagers alone in the wilderness. It’s a simple premise: whoever lasts the longest without “tapping out” wins a cash prize. Not only that, new software creates a totally unprecedented television experience, allowing viewers to touch, see, and live everything along with the contestants. But what happens when “tapping out” doesn’t work and no one comes to save you? What happens when the whole world seemingly disappears while you’re stranded in the wild? Four teenagers must confront their greatest fears, their deepest secrets, and one another when they discover they are truly cut off from reality. Sci-fi, mystery, and romance converge in this high-stakes, fast-paced read that will leave you guessing to the very last moment.