Outside In

By Maria V. Snyder

Me? A Leader?

Okay, so I did prove that there's more to Inside than we knew. A whole world exists beyond this cube we live in. And fi nding that led to a major rebellion between worker scrubs like me and the snobby Uppers who rule our world. Make that ruled. Because of me, we're free. I thought that meant I could go off on my own again while still touching base with Riley, of course. He's the one Upper I think I can trust.

But then we learn that there is an Outside. And something from Outside wants In.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Australia
• Release date: Jul 1, 2011
• ISBN: 9781742901329

Maria V. Snyder

When Maria V. Snyder was younger, she aspired to be a storm chaser in the American Midwest so she attended Pennsylvania State University and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Meteorology. Much to her chagrin, forecasting the weather wasn't in her skill set so she spent a number of years as an environmental meteorologist, which is not exciting...at all. Bored at work and needing a creative outlet, she started writing fantasy and science fiction stories. Over twenty novels and numerous short stories later, Maria's learned a thing or three about writing. She's been on the New York Times bestseller list, won a dozen awards, and has earned her Masters of Arts degree in Writing from Seton Hill University, where she is now a faculty member. Her favorite color is red. She loves dogs, but is allergic, instead she has a big black tom cat named...Kitty (apparently naming cats isn't in her skill set either). Maria also has a husband and two children who are an inspiration for her writing when they aren't being a distraction. Note that she mentions her cat before her family. When she's not writing she's either playing volleyball, traveling, or taking pictures. Being a writer, though, is a ton of fun. Where else can you take fencing lessons, learn how to ride a horse, study martial arts, learn how to pick a lock, take glass blowing classes and attend Astronomy Camp and call it research? Maria will be the first one to tell you it's not working as a meteorologist. Readers are welcome to check out her website for book excerpts, free short stories, maps, blog, and her schedule at MariaVSnyder.com. You can also follow Maria on Facebook and Goodreads.

Reviews for Outside In

[liscarey · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This review is also published on my blog Lis Carey's Library

This is the second book in a series, and so I had to pick up clues to the backstory while reading this one. There was enough there that it wasn't a serious problem.

The setting is a generational colony ship headed from parts unknown to parts unknown. The original, or at least the previous, governing structure had been overthrown generations earlier, and the population of the ship divided into Uppers and Scrubs. The tensions in that society came to a head in the previous book, Inside Out, the ruling class dominated by the Trava family was overthrown, and a new government and social structure, intended to be more egalitarian, was created.

As the new book opens, the rebels against the previous regime are finding out that sometimes governing is harder than it looks, and overthrowing a bad government doesn't automatically mean that the new system will work. Trella, the seventeen-year-old leader of the Force of Sheep that spear-headed the rebellion, thinks she's too young and inexperienced to take a leading role in the new government, and insists on deferring to older and presumably wiser heads. She has accepted only an advisory seat on the ruling Committee, and then resigns even that, since she thinks she's more useful exploring the world they now know is a ship, and much larger than they previously thought.

But some of her fellow Scrubs resent the fact that the Uppers still mostly do the relatively soft jobs, while Scrubs still do the heavy, filthy, and sometimes dangerous work. The Trava family is mostly locked up in the brig, and wants out--and they have the greatest technical knowledge of the ship, including knowledge of the Transmission, the ship's drive and power plant.

And then some party identifying itself simply as the Controllers starts taking control of various critical ship's systems. Trella and some of her friends and allies think it's the Travas. Some of the Scrubs, the ones who have kept working but are not happy with the new system, think it's, in essence, the ancestors, the forces that are supposed to be the ultimate governing force in their world, which have been ignored by both the Committee and the Travas before them. And they start cooperating with the Controllers.

Trella finds herself unwillingly drawn back into politics, espionage, and eventually rebellion again, trying to figure out who are her allies and who are her enemies--and then finding out that she has to cooperate with her enemies, as they all confront the alarming fact that, if their world is a spaceship, then there are people outside the ship.

This is an exciting, entertaining story with lots of plot twists to keep you guessing what will happen on the next page, and engaging characters to help you care.

Recommended.

I received a free electronic galley of this book via NetGalley.

[devilwrites · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The premise: ganked from BN.com: Me?A leader?Okay, I did prove that there's more to Inside than we knew.That a whole world exists beyond this cube we live in. And finding that led to a major rebellion -- between worker scrubs like me and the snobby uppers who rule our world. Make that ruled. Because of me, we're free. I thought that meant I was off the hook, and could go off on my own again -- while still touching base with Riley, of course. He's the one upper I think I can trust. But then we learned that there's outside and then there is Outside.And something from Outside wants In.My Rating: Like, Not Love: It's an enjoyable book that's a remarkably fast read. While I prefer Inside Out just a bit more, this is still a great sequel, especially once Trella pulls her head out of her rear and starts taking action. There's a lot of great action in the book and some interesting twists to what's really going on and why, and the book ended on quite the sweet note. Fans of Maria Snyder will be happy with this, and for those of you who like the lighter-side of science fiction but don't want to be bogged down by a lot of technical jargon, this two-book series (you definitely need to read Inside Out first) should definitely fit the bill. Snyder has a great way of pulling readers into her fiction, and she's an author I'm happy to recommend to those looking for something enjoyable and relaxing.Spoilers, yay or nay?: some spoilers, but nothing super-major. The full review is in my LJ, and as always, comments and discussion are most welcome.REVIEW: Maria V. Snyder's OUTSIDE INHappy Reading!

[pollywannabook · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Review courtesy of All Things Urban FantasyThere is a crucial element that I need in dystopian fiction: outrage. I want to be livid over social injustices, incensed over a suppressed people group, and furious over the futility of ever bringing about change. In INSIDE OUT, I felt all of those emotions reading about how the Uppers enslaved the Lowers and treated them like cattle. I fed on that despair and that’s what made the ending oh so good. In OUTSIDE IN, my outrage had been downgraded to indignation, but considering how mad I was in INSIDE OUT, that might not be a bad thing. Since bringing about the revolt in the last book, Trella is less concerned with being recycled if she gets caught sneaking out of the Lower levels. The ‘wall’ has been torn down and the new problems involve breaking down the prejudices between the Uppers and the Lowers. It’s a headache, but it’s not lethal. The real danger presents itself in the form of factions trying to overthrow the tenuous new government, a new potentially explosive revelation about the history of Inside, and a discovery almost as unbelievable as Gateway. A different kind of danger involves a significant step up in the romance department and the introduction of a romantic rival for Riley. The Sheepy baby talk still grated, but with that one exception, I can’t think of a better group of people to be trapped Inside with. Overall, OUTSIDE IN feels very much like the middle of the story, the book that really sets things up for a powerhouse conclusion. I can only hope that’s the case as details are scare about a third book. I’d read a third, a forth, and as many as Ms. Snyder can write, because this series is dystopian fiction done right. Sexual Content: A couple scenes of sensuality

[cindywho-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Solid YA SF adventure. Sheepy was a nice touch.

[joyelett · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Finishing up the first book Inside Out. Great titles for both by the way. Not as good as the first in some ways- I really didn't like the mother - daughter angle. It went on for too long without fixing it. Again it took a while to get it going and it worked very well at times. It was just too neatly wrapped up at the end- all the good on the ship all the bad guys off the ship. How does that happen?Again I have questions- Now you are on the cube and you know you are- what now? Where did you come from? Why did you leave? Blah blah - I'm just thinking out loud.

[mirandalg14 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Lots of up and down with not a lot in between.

[jami_leigh · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Didn't like it quite as much as the first one. It finally, finally got interesting around 48%, and didn't really catch me til ~83% (And I was watching, on my kindle, as the percentage rose). At least it ended up being a good book by the end.

[mrsboswellbooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

At the end of Inside Out, we left our characters off discussing the running of Inside. After the rebellion, the Committee was formed from a mixture of Uppers and scrubs. The Committee can't quite agree on what is best for the inhabitants of Inside which causes discord among the people. Riots break out and there is now talk of rebellion against the Committee. None of this is what Trella had in mind when she started the original rebellion against those controlling the Insiders. She thought she'd be able to return to life exploring the pipes and spending time with Riley. Now she is expected to take on more responsibility, and she's not sure she can handle it.Suddenly there is danger lurking around every corner, and Trella is not quite sure who to trust. Riley? Bubba Boom? The Committee? Her mother? The Travas? There are explosions, bombs, sabotage, technological torture... how much can Trella handle before she breaks?In this installment, Trella fights with her desire to not be a leader but also wanting what is fair and right for both the Uppers and the Lower folks. She is beaten and tortured, but that does not stop her from putting herself in harms way for those that she cares about. She becomes much stronger in this novel.After finding out about the Outside in Inside Out, I was able to guess what the Outsiders were. I was truly surprised to see how the Outsiders treated those on the Inside. Things became dark and somewhat gruesome for some of our beloved characters.We were introduced to some new characters this time around that helped the storyline flow along. While Outside In was not as much of a page-turner for me as Inside Out, I truly enjoyed this series and was glad I stumbled across it.

[sithereandread · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

OUTSIDE IN, by Maria V. Snyder, is the equally amazing sequel in the Inside Out series. We pick up right after the rebellion when a new Committee is established and the recently discovered empty levels are being prepared for Insiders to live in.Trella initially shrugs off any leader duties, feeling her work has been done. She starts off on the Committee as a consultant but eventually drops out in the hopes of going back to exploring and spending time with Riley. Things all seem well and good until Insiders are being accused of destroying important mechanical systems. Trella is once again thrown into the mix again to keep herself and fellow Insiders away from harm.I was so happy to see Trella and Riley together! I think they are perfect together in how they complete each other. Snyder stepped up the romance between these two and at times it was very steamy (pun for 'shower scene'). But their happiness was short lived in the midst of what seemed like another rebellion. Also, Trella's relationship with Dr. Lamont was tried upon again and again, and I was anxious to know if Trella would ever accept their genetic link.This book stepped up the action in so many ways. Trella was tested time and time again and I was sucked into this book until the very end. Snyder tortured Trella incessantly and at certain points I was nervous for her survival.Once again, Snyder took me for several loops and I had no idea who to trust at any point. With the book in Trella's POV, it was nerve-wracking (in a good way) to know only what she saw was happening. This book, more so than the first, kept my heart racing to understand what was really going on and how Trella would try and overcome.This book was a magnificent sequel to Inside Out and fans of the series will not be disappointed!!NOTE: I am not sure if there will be a third book, but I do feel that if there isn't, the book did wrap up enough to keep me satisfied. But I am always up for more Trella and the adventures she encounters!

[thelostentwife · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I love science fiction. I love, love it. I didn't use to love reading science fiction, but the Young Adult genre of books had a huge part in converting me. I was always more of a fantasy girl and Snyder's Poison Study series really had me digging her version of fantasy - so when she started putting out some more sci-fi type (not SyFy, you silly people), I jumped at the opportunity to read them. I wasn't disappointed.In Outside In, Trella offers the reader a view on a very conflicted, very real teenager who's struggling with taking responsibility after inciting a rebellion in Inside Out. I could relate to that, I mean - who wants to make decisions that could impact thousands of lives, especially if you are a teenager and wanting just to live free of torture with a few basic, humane rights.While parts of the book are a bit far-fetched, I really enjoyed the continuation of the story begun. I thought it an honest, realistic view of what happens when one government is overthrown and another established in its place. I loved the ending (and normally those types of endings I really don't, but it fit SO WELL here) and went positively ga-ga over the book as a whole. Two thumbs up for Snyder! Job well done.

[c5ibarra · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Contains spoilers for Inside Out - Book 1 of the Insiders series! Outside In takes us back to Inside where things aren't going as smoothly as the uppers and lowers had hoped they would after the rebellion. Trella is still reeling from the situations and losses (Coggon *sob*) she experienced during Inside Out. It took me several chapters to reconnect with the characters and situations. I guess this is to be expected since I read Inside Out more than a year ago. Once I did this was a book I had no desire to put down. While I didn't love this one as much as the first it was still really, really good. The first half has a fair share of action, but not enough to call it action packed. There seemed to be more scheming and speculating in this one. I guess everyone thought once the Travas and Pop Cops were disbanded things would go smoothly. This is not the case and a rebellion seems to be on the horizon. Trella isn't popular among the uppers or the lowers considering she promised them change but refuses to step into a leadership role. After sitting by and watching her throwing herself into harms way repeatedly it is amazing how unsure of herself she is. She really didn't seem like the Trella I'd come to love over the course of the first book. Her insecurities were definetly preventing her from stepping up and being the leader she was meant to be. I actually kind of liked this side of Trella. It made her more real for me. If she’d come through the torture and pain of book one unscathed it wouldn’t have been believable for me. I love that the author showed us the "Queen of the Pipes” has a vulnerable side. The second half is non-stop action. Who would have ever though there could be a greater threat than the Trava family? Well there is! I'm also pleased to announce there is plenty of Riley and Sheepy. Zippy even makes an appearance :) Riley managed to make me swoon and break my heart over the course of Outside In. I’m not sure if I’ve forgiven him yet ;) If you loved the first book in this series, I’m pretty sure you’ll enjoy this one too. It has loads of new characters and some pretty nasty bad guys. I also loved watching the characters and their relationships grow and change. I was kind of bummed by the end because I thought this was a series that would contain more than two books, but the ending seems to tie up the majority of the loose ends. I still have a few questions and one big that was mentioned but never answered. So who knows. I'd love to spend more time with the residents of Inside in the future and hopefully all of Trella's fans will have the chance.

[soliloquies · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The second in the dystopian duo. Trella has helped the Scrubs to attain freedom, but now she must wrestle with bringing the society together and facing an Outside threat. In some sense this book has a greater scope than the first, as we see the pressures that are faced within any society when major changes are made. Trella doesn't believe she is particularly qualified to assume the role of leader, but as the book progresses it becomes obvious that she must. Throw in the premise of Outsiders and it creates an intriguing book.

[bookworm_lisa · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I believe this book is better than the first. I had a harder time putting this one down. This book kept me turning pages, or in this case hitting the button for the next page on my kindle. ;0)Trella has just saved "inside" from the pop cops and the corrupt leadership of the spaceship. She is trying to find herself, come to terms with her mother's betrayal, and figure out where Riley fits in to her future.Maria V. Snyder is great at building relationship in her characters. You can feel the struggles that they have. I loved that there were so many complex relationships in this book. Trella has to learn who to trust. There are many watching and judging her. If all if this isn't hard enough, enter the beings that are outside, trying to get inside and take over the spaceship.Trella is a very strong and determined character. I liked her better in this book. She seemed more mature and confidant. I recommend this book to anyone who likes a dysopian, relationship, sci-fi book. There is some mature content. I would only recommend this to older YA readers.I received a copy of this book from Harlequin Teen through Netgalley.

[bookswarm · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this story--it's so different than the majority of the YA's out there today. This is the second in a series (I'm hoping there's another one in this series!) and, because of this, there will be some spoilers in this review. Aaaand I'm starting with a spoiler for INSIDE OUT! (Okay, you really should read INSIDE OUT--it's a great story and you'll love Trella, the scrub who's a main character.) After the rebellion against the uppers, Trella and the scrubs thought everything would be different. There's a committee made up of both uppers and lowers, the bad guys are in the brig, and everyone's free. There's even enough space for them all to spread out finally, instead of being trapped in that tiny space.But people aren't happy. Things aren't as they expected and, when they look to Trella to fix it, she doesn't step up. I felt bad for Trella. Sure, she started the rebellion and was one of the leaders but she's ready for someone else to make all the life-or-death decisions. She's a very likeable character, at least to me. I could completely understand where she was coming from with her wish to just be left alone. It's hard to be a leader, especially when the job seems to be forced upon you. Too bad for her she can't help but meddle. That guarantees she'll be neck-deep (and sometimes eyebrow-deep) in the middle of whatever trouble comes their way.Her guy, Riley, has a hard time dealing with a girlfriend who's so willing to risk her life and who doesn't seem to put him very high on her list of priorities. Unfortunately, Riley annoyed me for much of this book. He wasn't very understanding about what Trella was going through, and couldn't seem to see her side of it at all. And I had really liked him in the first book. But (without giving too much away), he does redeem himself (yay!), so I guess he's not all that bad.There's a ton of action going on in this story, too, although it doesn't seem quite so life-and-death until the second half of the book. The first half is filled with political maneuverings and a build-up of tensions between people. But it's a great set-up for the second half since the issues in the first part destroy the trust of the people Inside just when they need to trust each other the most.Maria V. Snyder really knows how to tell a great story, how to create a fantastically interesting world populated with characters readers want to root for and OUTSIDE IN is no exception.

[strider66_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Pros: good pacing, interesting story, realistic relationship developmentCons: Trella manages to do an awful lot despite injuries and being tracked at one pointThe Pop Cops are in the brig and a committee now runs Inside. But the scrubs aren't happy and most have stopped working. Trella's still reeling from the events of Inside Out and doesn't want more responsibility. So she's only a consultant to the committee, which is ignoring all of her suggestions. After a blast destroys a key system and injures a lot of people, Trella discovers that it was not an accident but caused by saboteurs. How could things have gone so bad so fast?Ms. Snyder's forte is with relationships, and this book shows off her skill in that regard. Trella's relationship with Dr. Lamont begins strained and slowly develops into something new. Her relationship with Riley also progresses at a natural pace, with her reckless behaviour causing him stress and hesitation with regards to taking things further.As with the previous book, Trella makes mistakes and grows as a person when she acknowledges them.Lots of unexpected twists will keep readers on their toes. While Trella does endure more pain and injuries, again recovering remarkably fast, she remains a fun, flawed character.

[resugo · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Inside Out, the first in the series, was okay to begin with. I thought the romance undeveloped, the writing was more like a list of actions than a story that flowed, and the plot was kind of slow. I was less than impressed...until the very end. Then it kinda blew my mind. And my final impression of the book was very favorable.So I had to read the next in the series. I wasn't disappointed. Outside In was pretty much awesome the whole way through. I didn't want to put the book down and read it in one sitting. There were a lot of twists and jumps that made reading it lots of fun. And suspenseful.It wasn't just the plot that I liked more, I also enjoyed the characters and relationships more. Riley we get to know better and him and Trella's relationship is a lot more developed. Though a lot more than innocent kissing is going on. The dynamics of the uppers and lowers and the issues they face after Inside Out was very interesting and believable. Trella's evolution as a character was also believable. She really didn't want responsibility in either of the books, but she does what she has to do to save her world. And she changes by doing so. I like her a lot.The wrap up at the end was rather abrupt. We have 300 pages of problems, then a few at the end making all the problems go away. Some parts of the plot took me out of the story because they didn't fit for me. And it was rather serendipitous how the technology they needed popped up at the most opportune times. But it was just fun. And exciting. So that makes me overlook the rest. I really enjoyed this book. Snyder is amazing at creating intriguing worlds and characters.

[bookswithbite · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love sequels. Especially ones where the main characters losing sight of things and then brings it back with a vengeance. Heck yeah! Trella is now a leader. After the last mast rebellion the people on the ship are looking up to her on what to do next. The problem is she's not sure. People are waiting on her for answers she can't give and it has become too much pressure. Trella begins to lose sight of what she fought for and now is just there. Soon someone else from the outside is trying to take over the ship.Will Trella become the Queen of Pipes once again to save her people?Queen of Pipes. I love that name and Trella. I can totally understand why she did what she did. She had a plan but it didn't go that far. And the people didn't help much. They wanted change but no one wanted to change. She did her best to set an example and it all just backfired on her. I am glad that she is able to get back on her feet and help her people. Even though in my opinion didn't deserve it. They were selfish.The love interest in the book frustrated the living daylights out of me. It wasn't Trella. It was the guys! I had a fit with Riley and his attitude. Instead of trying to help Trella he put her on the line and called her out. *snaps finger* Oh No He Didn't! Trella need guidance and help. And Riley just fought with her constantly. I know Trella needed reassurance on who she is. But the way Riley did it just hurt.There were some real deep secrets exposed in this book that lead to many questions answered in the first book but also left many new questions unanswered. Ms. Snyder did a great job writing this book. I enjoyed reading the plot, drama and the great secrets in the book.

[theepicrat · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I didn't realize Outside In was a sequel until after reading the opening paragraph, but I will have to say that it was that opening paragraph alone - not to mention, the sheep! - that got me wanting to get the first book ASAP and I'm totally glad that I finally finally read one of Maria V. Snyder's series.I'm not entirely certain that Outside In has the same page-turning effect that its predecessor had, but I still enjoyed it for the most part. Trella is the same girl that you meet in Inside Out, yet it quickly becomes obvious that being the same is not necessarily a good thing. Gone are the days that she can hide among the pipes and stay solitary - instead, Trella gets surrounded by more responsibility than she had expected and oftentimes feels overwhelmed by everyone's expectations of her. I can understand Trella's instinctive want to not take charge and let the adults handle matters. I mean, how often have we taken on something far bigger than ourselves? How often is it easier to let the "adults" or "professionals" take over?The power struggle between the uppers and scrubs might have been addressed in Inside Out, but it still runs rampant in Outside In as everyone tries to figure out how to harmonize and treat each other fairly. The stereotypes of both parties remain part of the problem - and this struggle leaves everyone disgruntled, angry, and totally unprepared when bombs and other strange events start to happen.I liked how Ms. Snyder didn't provide a happily-ever-after with Outside In - it was interesting to see how things unfolded and watch Trella realize that she can't fall back into the shadows anymore, not when lives depended on her. While I did not love it as much as Inside Out, I still think readers will find this sequel quite the satisfaction for their curiosity!

[bookaddictdiary · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

After taking readers to a completely new world in Inside Out, author Maria V. Snyder takes us Outside In with the next novel in the series. Since I was first introduced to Snyder through her excellent Study series, I thought it was interesting that she chose a topic that's so different from the fantasy/adventure genre, instead opting for a darker dystopian science fiction novel set in deep space. Can't say I was disappointed though, Inside Out was an exciting novel and a breath of fresh air. In Outside In, the story picks up shortly after the end of the previous novel and sends readers through a whirlwind adventure that a non-stop thrill ride from beginning to end.Now that the scrubs are free and the truth has been discovered, Trella's life has changed forever -but not necessarily in a good way. With the changes come new responsibility, as Trella discovers that the scrubs need a leader to survive -and there are still forces even more horrible than the Controllers who will stop at nothing to keep the scrubs, and especially Trella, from succeeding. As Trella explores the outside world, she learns there's a universe on the Outside filled with its own challenges and enemies...Though I didn't find Outside In to be as unique and twisty as Inside Out, it's a worthwhile sequel that continues Trella's story in a satisfying way. Trella grows into a stronger protagonist that readers will want to cheer for and a fairly believable romance blooms. While some teen readers will latch onto the romance aspect of the novel, I enjoyed the quick pace and edge-of-your seat action that made Outside In so much fun to read.Unfortunately, Outside In can be a little bit of a letdown for some readers -okay, so it was for me after Outside In and some of Snyder's other novels -but it's still an action-packed story that's a quick, lively read and time well spent. I'm not sure if there will be another book in this series -I think it's a trilogy, but don't quote me on that -but I'll definitely be picking up the sequel.

[usagijihen · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed the first one of this series, so I’ve been pretty excited about this book since I finished the first last year.So now we know that Inside is waaaaaaay bigger than anyone on the ship had known (at least, within the last generation or two), and that it’s actually speeding around outer space. I have to give it to Snyder – ending the first book on that note just made me jones for more of the story. And I wasn’t disappointed, not in the least – with the threat of Inside collapsing and then the possibility that maybe the Outsiders had been controlling them all along…it was a bit of a mind-screw from where we were in book one.I liked how Inside was collapsing while trying to break the structure everyone had known since they were born – it gave everything a lovely imploding feeling, only to swell and explode when the factions within the committee, scrubs, and uppers are revealed. The pace was so fast that I realized I’d finished the book (from picking up at around 1/3rd of the way in) before I’d known it. But it wasn’t so fast that I couldn’t follow. This is one thing that’s difficult to get right, and Synder once again takes the gold in this category. Some novels try to keep a fast pace, only to confuse the readers, or don’t try at all, making the story drag. With the revelation that the Insiders and Outsiders were related (at least, by planet if not by actual genetics) made it fly by all the faster, and all the more delicious.The denial of instant gratification regarding Riley and Trella’s relationship (in terms of clumsy making out) was also a fresh change from so many novels aimed at the YA market. Their relationship evolved slowly, like proper ones (even in real life) should. There wasn’t any “instant boyfriend!” within the third chapter, which was nice. Don’t get me wrong, I like romance in my books – but only when it’s done right.And on all of these points, Synder has done it right.I sincerely hope this isn’t the last book with the Insiders and Outsiders. I’m too drawn in now to let go. I have so many questions unanswered. And yet, maybe sometimes, that’s the best way to end a book – open-ended and therefore neverending. (crossposted to goodthings & witchoftheatregoing.wordpress.com)

[rosa.mill · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

At the start of this volume of the Inside Out series, the rebellion is over and the committee has been reformed to help govern inside. Trella is trying to quietly step into the background and allow the committee to do it's job. Unfortunately, the committee isn't quite working out the way it was planned and there is unrest among everyone which gives Outsiders a foot hold in.

In the first book the revolution comes about quickly and with minimal blood shed. I was really glad that in this book the transfer to a new government wasn't smoothed over. I was afraid that it was going to be a book where after the rebellion everything was going to be perfect until the Outsiders came. I was very happy to that author showed how hard it was to bring everyone together and to find a good way to govern inside.

The pacing of the book is quick with action on almost every page. There is one incident after another and it seems impossible to figure out who is doing what. If I hadn't known about the Outsiders from the goodreads blurb, I don't think I would have figured it out.

Trella's temprement adds to the action because she often doesn't stop and think about things but just continues to do what she deems is necessary. Trella is a character that I have grown to love and I really enjoyed reading about her development. She could see the problems caused by the committee and slowly came to the realization that her involvement was important because she was able to help bridge the gap between Uppers and Lowers, both because of who she was and how she saw things.

There are two things that I really wished I had gotten to see though. I would have loved to have gotten some more of the history of Inside when Logan found it and I would have liked to have followed Riley a little bit. I'm not going to explain why because I don't want to give away any spoilers but it would have been interesting to see things from his perspective. However these are really minor issues for me and overall I really enjoyed the read.

[emmyson · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It's hard to review this book without starting with a brief explanation of Inside Out, the first in the series. Maria V. Snyder has created the nicely ordered world of Inside, where people are divided into uppers and scrubs. They're kept completely separated, and controlled by the Population Control officers, otherwise known as Pop Cops. Things generally go according to plan until Trella hears what the latest "prophet" has to say and is intrigued. Things spiral out of control, and before long, we've a revolution on our hands.

Now, the revolution is over and things are going to go smoothly from here on out. There's a newly formed Committee to oversee things, and people are definitely going to do what they're needed to do.

Hah. Nope. In fact, pretty much nothing goes according to plan and then it really gets interesting. I'm seriously hating that I can't really say much more about plotlines without giving away huge things. I'm just going to have to tell you to go read these two books. Because really, you should.

I'm really starting to love dystopia. I started out hating it, thinking solely of things like Animal Farm and 1984 from my high school days. They really colored my perceptions for a long time. Now I'd probably read them with a different mindset and actually like them. I like reading things like this with the added bonus of a couple more decades of living. :D I somehow like knowing that our society really could degenerate to this point and I like hoping that perhaps some of the powers that be are reading the same books I am and taking notes. I know, it's probably a pipe dream, and probably really weird of me, but there it is.

These books, Inside Out and Outside In, are great representatives of the genre. Freaky to the point of being nearly believable and well-written at that. I promise I'm not just being nice because Snyder is one of my favorite authors. These are seriously well done. I sometimes read dystopia with the mindset of finding plot holes and such, but there are none. None that leaped out at me and distracted me from the story, at least, which leads me to believe that there just are none.

I like the characters, I like the situation, I like the struggles, and I like the independence shown. But most of all, I like it when...

Wait. Can't tell that bit. O_o

Okay, you get the picture. Head on out and buy a copy of both books. It'll be money well spent and you won't regret it.

Both books get my 'Pick me' rating for awesomeness.

[a_reader_of_fictions · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the sequel to Outside In, to which I had a mostly meh response. I am very happy to report that I really liked the sequel. I cannot say with any assurance whether this stems from my altered expectations, a change in my mood, a decrease in frostiness in Trella or a general improvement in the story. Perhaps all three. Outside In definitely had less crawling through the pipes and a bit more character development for everyone.

I really appreciated the position Trella found herself in after the revolution completed and the real governing began. She, much like Katniss in The Hunger Games, has unintentionally found herself the figurehead of a revolution, and everyone has expectations of her. As she says on page 64: "I've done my part. It's time for other people to step in and set up a better system. I wouldn't know the first thing about running a society." She fears the authority that gives her and would prefer to continue exploring. Trella really grows through the course of this novel, way more than in the last one, but she does so very naturally.

As a last comment, I have to give Snyder some major props for the steamy (if sadly brief) scenes between Riley and Trella. She can write some good stuff that definitely leaves you wanting to find a Riley of your own (not to mention a shower). I will be definitely be reading Snyder's Study series soon!

[akreese · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Outside In is the sequel to Inside Out. There will be spoilers for the first book in this review, but not for the second.Outside In addresses the difficult aspect of revolution that dystopian books so often gloss over – what happens after the revolution. Outside In is about the rebuilding of social structure and the attempt to unite people of opposing forces in order to live in a peaceful and equal society. This proves nearly impossible since old prejudices don’t disappear overnight, and most find compromise unpalatable. As the peace starts to falter, the residents are faced with an even more dangerous problem from the outside – one that will destroy them if they can’t find a way to work together.As in the first book, Trella’s relationships with guys don’t buzz with chemistry, but I was less interested in the love story anyway, and liked that the focus was on the conflicts. People are double-crossing each other left and right, and it’s hard to know who is “good” or has the people’s best interests at heart until you near the end of the book. This was a fast and fun read, and should be enjoyed by those who liked Inside Out.

[pussreboots · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Outside In by Maria V Snyder is is the sequel to the excellent Inside Out. As it draws so heavily on the original, I recommend reading the books in order.Trella, though still a scrub is also part of the newly formed leadership of Inside. She has plenty of ideas for improving her world but she is constantly pulled in multiple directions. The committee wants to do one thing, her friends another. Just as she's trying to find the perfect balance between her obligations, there are accidents, sabotage and the Controllers, all threatening to end Inside's journey through space.Be warned, that the book starts off a little slow. The slow pacing is there to reacquaint readers with Trella, Riley and Inside. It also serves to show how much time Trella is spending trying to placate the committee while the clock is ticking on important repairs and maintenance.Once the stage is set, though, Outside In picks up the pace and doesn't let up until the last page. It is a satisfying mystery/thriller in a science fiction setting.While Outside In finishes Trella's story with satisfaction, I would love to revisit Inside at different times in its journey. I'd love to see how things started. I also want to see how things play out when the journey is ended. I don't expect Maria V. Snyder to write either of these books, but it speaks to the strength of her world building and character building that I have come away both sated and wanting more.

[wyvernfriend · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Last book had the revolution, this one has the post-revolution. I could imagine how Trella wanted someone else to take charge and leave her be for a while. She needed her life and some breathing space after the revolution and everyone seemed to be convinced that she should be some sort of great leader. I mean seriously, who wants a teenager in charge of a society?Plots and misunderstandings and backstabbing abounds along with mysterious sabotage and an enemy from outside (not that they needed that as well). Not a bad read but there were times when I really wanted the society to make some decisions that didn't involve a young girl who needed space and time to become an adult that she wanted to be.

[librarybrandy · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Picking up right where Inside Out left off, Trella has now incited the revolution and stepped back from it, uncertain of her role in the new order. Not so much uncertain, really, as unwilling: she's not cut out for committee meetings, but politically it's doing a lot of harm to morale Inside for her to go back to her usual exploring ways. A ton of conspiratorial plot twists (I can trust this person! No I can't! Oh, wait, he's actually a double-agent! Whoops, triple-agent!) are wearying, and the periodic infodumps don't help, either. (On the bright side, this does get better after the "Introduction" chapter, which is a quick rehash of the events of the first book, culminating in "I won't tell you everything; if you want to know what already happened search the computer for this file: ISBN: [first book's ISBN].")

The first was only borderline dystopian; this will still get the "dystopia" label just because it follows along. If pressed I could make an argument for Rebuilding a New Society, but a claim like that is on pretty shaky ground. I probably should have put off reading this one once it was clear it didn't have the scope I was looking for, but even with the blah writing I still wanted to know how Trella extricated herself from the fine mess she'd made.

[ebook from NetGalley]

[francescadefreitas · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was a very credible continuation of the first book, Trella's reaction to society-building after her rebellion, and the difficulty integrating the two groups of insiders rang true. I had a little bit of difficulty tracking the alliances of some new characters, but on the whole it made sense.Two things bugged me. I was frustrated by Trella's reaction to the possibility that the doctor was her mother, I would have been much more explodey and wanting to know details, and I would have read the file from the first book. Second, we never find out why the Outsiders were sent away. Their origin story was left unresolved.

[weirdology-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really liked this book. I think it was even a little better than the first. It has more daring rescues and aliens (kinda).

But I wish we were reminded of who the minor characters were from book one when they made a reappearance in book two. I didn't read the books back to back, and forgot some of the minor characters, like Hank and James Trava.

The humor in this book is great and was just like the first. I like how it makes sense only in their world. For example, "Green carpet and blue ceilings" to describe a planet. And logans "unrecycable idiot" insult. I'm going to have to remember that and use it next time it's necessary, and nobody will know what I mean. lol.

I got excited when Trella thought Jacy was a bad guy, then was disappointed when we found out he wasn't. I was hoping for a show down between those two. I don't like Jacy.

Maybe I missed it, but I don't think we found out how the people with collars got them off or if they ever did. I love the concept of those collars by the way. That's so bdsm.

I wish we could've learned more about the outsiders. Especially their history and why they were exiled.

[angelafristoe · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

When I finished reading this I was so torn. I loved Inside out, and had really high hopes for Outside In. But I was left feeling very blah about it. There was just a feeling of the author not really caring about developing anything in depth or about where the story was going. Trella is still a strong character and I'm glad that at least didn't change, but her relationship with Riley just confused me. There's no showing of how they are falling in love. We are just told they are, and then given a couple of make out sessions, which while being steamy, felt more like filler. I wanted to be part of their falling in love, and we don't get that. Maybe Snyder added in the romance angle because it's expected in YA, but this is not a romance. It is a science fiction novel, and I think it would have worked better if the romance weren't in there.I also had a hard time with the plot. Too many people were double crossing everyone else, and there's no real explanation as to who the Outsiders really are and what their reasoning was. It's possible that Snyder is planning on a third book in the series to answer these questions, but I don't think I really care, and it makes me really sad to say that because I enjoyed Inside Out so much. The book wasn't horrible, and it's possible that my ambivalence towards science fiction writing is coming through. The writing is decent, and there were some good scenes between Trella and Riley, and Trella and Lamont, just not enough to get me through he confusion of Trella being captured, tricked and tortured by a different group every couple of chapters.