This book was wonderful. Once it got close to the end I didn't want to put it down! I hope the author will write a sequel because I'd love to read more about these characters.

This a book that I just couldn’t put down, though it is a tiny bit predictable at times. The book is just so beautifully written that it didn’t seem to bother me, I found myself constantly turning the pages through late hours of the night.

Set in the future after ‘the melting’ (global warming), Letta lives in a town called Ark where they are only allowed to speak ‘list’ (with only 500 words as a language) with the reasoning that “Man was the one who spoiled everything. Man and his words”. The man in charged of Ark… Noa, is taking away the people of Arks capability to express themselves through language for fear of ‘the melting’ happening again.

The storyline has some interesting messages behind it. Some that I felt were rather important for the way we are currently living, the carelessness of mankind, being selfish and only wanting to hear things if it suits us. Turning our backs on truth just because it is easier to ignore facts for the fear of the unknown. Although these messages were within the book, they could of taken them further; it was hinting on ideas but never really followed through with them all the way.

There seems to be an open ending with room for a sequel and I personally hope that it does get written.

In Forde's debut novel she artfully draws us into a world attacked by natural forces. Global Warming caused sea levels to rise and the resulting waves stole civilization before many even had a moment to worry--all but John Noa. John Noa saw the signs and had the foresight to build Arc. Noa and his Arc--along with those he saved, were spared and a new society began.

Having seen the mass confusion language and words had on the people from before Noa institutes a change--people can only use a new language in Arc. A language called List for the list of 700 words it contains.

A new generation is growing up when we find ourselves in this world, a generation that has learned only List. Well, all except Letta, the apprentice to the Wordsmith. With the education she has received she loves the old tongue, but it is only safe to speak it with her mentor.

After her mentor goes missing other parts of her world begin to crack. In those cracks there are glimmers of truth that begin to shine through. Who can Letta believe? What is next for the people of Arc? What do the Desecrators really stand for? And who is that bvoy that came into the shop speaking the old tongue?

This was an excellent novel and I look forward to reading more from Forde in the future!

With a wave of greeting to The Giver, this story tackles the power of language, emotion, imagination and bravery in a controlled world which is trying to strangle all four.

Letta lives on a future Earth, where the big 'melting' has left only a few survivors in a place called the Arc. Here, language is controlled and only 500 words are allowed. Speaking any other word is punished by banishment and certain death. Letta holds a rare and important position; she's the Word Smith's apprentice. Not only does she distribute the allowed list, but categorizes no longer used words and files them away in case they might someday be necessary again. When her master goes missing and a wounded traitor of the Arc shows up at her door, her world is turned upside down.

Language is key in this tale, or rather, the attempt to abolish it. The idea is that language enabled unnecessary/useless thoughts, which hindered people to listen and act accordingly in the past. The result was the Melting and almost extinction of mankind. By limiting language to 500 words, needless things such as emotions and imagination no longer get in the way of practicality. It's an interesting premise, but don't think it through too much because it'll hit logic's Swiss cheese. That, however, isn't necessarily important. The theory behind this thought is interesting and worth a couple tumbles through the head. It definitely gets the intended audience (kids 10 and up) to put on those thinking caps and dig a little deeper.

Letta is easy to sympathize with--an average girl (orphan), who has a good life thanks to her master's important position. She supports the odd language laws in the town, but as a person who knows about all of the wonderful words which really exist, questions things at times. Her beginning stand point, the changes she goes through and her later decisions are all understandable and believable. In other words, she's an easy character to like and cheer for the entire way through.

The world comes to life in all of it's hardships, grime and small town quirks. It's not a happy place, throwing this into a definite darker read. The various characters add a lot of flavor and spice, making the every day life colorful and realistic. The descriptions add just the right amount of explanation without weighing down, so that the plot can roll along.

There are many familiar elements from other dystopian works reflected in the plot, but it still carries enough new aspects to make for an interesting read. The plot holds at a quick pace the entire way through and has multi-layers of secrets and intrigue. There are unexpected twists and turns, especially in the way the characters relate to each other. The tension stays high, but then, Letta is up against some pretty gruesome odds. Luckily, she has a good head on her shoulders and isn't overly emotional, but handles things in a fairly believable way.

Although this book is supposedly intended for a middle grade audience, I'd recommend it more for the tweens (ages twelve and up). Some scenes are fairly graphic on the violence and torture side, and not all kids under twelve are ready to digest this type of material.

This was a slower read for me and I'm not sure who of my patrons I'll recommend it to. But I really love the cover - and I think it could be a fun book club title.

I can't wait to have discussions about this book. Great read.

This book started off with a cray concept. A list of words that are approved and the rest are banned, that's preposterous. There was intrigue and excitement at first, but half way through I lost interest from the slow pace of the story. The writing was good and the characters had depth. It just didn't keep my attention the way I wanted it too. Three stars.

Speaking any words not on the approved List is outlawed, except for the Wordsmith. Orphaned Letta is apprenticed to the Wordsmith, and relishes in her tasks - creating ink, copying boxes of words for students and other apprentices, and archiving words removed from the approved list. Harboring an injured outsider brings her into a plot to overthrow the leader of her sequestered community.

Wordsmith (also called The List) by Patricia Forde tells the story of Letta, a young apprentice in a dystopian future where words are limited. Letta quickly discovers that all is not what it seems in the city of Ark when she meets a young man (Marlo) who lives beyond the city borders who questions the leadership of John Noa.

The premise of the book has been done before, as the description of it being a mixture of The Giver and Fahrenheit 451 shows. It's fast paced enough to keep it interesting, but still predictable in terms of plot and the relationships between characters. It's enjoyable enough, but doesn't stand up to the bigger, more complex YA novels that are out right now.

Thank you NetGalley for providing an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A wonderful read that is most definitely for fans of Lois Lowrys The Giver. "The Melting' has occurred, and the leader of the small community that this book takes place in, known as the Ark, has decided that humanity brought his own downfall because arrogance, and too much freedom. His solution is amazingly simple - limit everyone's language to 500 approved words. As the apprentice Wordsmith discovers during the course of this novel, this seemingly innocent action is actually the first part of a far worse plan. Middle grade readers will find a book full of action and danger, a thoroughly engaging hero, and a interesting, thought provoking novel.

Nice dystopian novel about a future controlled by John Noa and the rules he uses to keep the Ark running without problems. Letta is a wordsmith and words have become precious, too many of them and you have a revolution on your hands. When a mysterious boy and possible desecrator shows up at Letta's shop, it becomes clear to Letta that she has a mission. She must save the language.

Patricia Forde’s debut young adult novel is a love note to art and literature set in a world devastated by global warming.
A coming-of-age tale set in a dystopian society where all but a few words of the English language are banned, it’s the story of Letta, a young wordsmith, whose world is changed forever when she learns of a world outside the highly censored Ark.
Like a tween version of Fahrenheit 451, adult readers will be familiar with the overarching theme, but it's a snappy paced story with likeable characters and ideas.
One gripe would be that the characters seem to find solutions a little too easily, particularly towards the end, which after a lot of build up feels rushed. Still, it’s an enjoyable read that will appeal to a young teen audience.

"The List" was described as "The Giver" meets 1984 -- and in many ways that rings true. Individuals are assigned roles (per The Giver) and there are attempts at censorship from the "powers that be" (1984esque). The List is labeled as a middle-grades book so it is not as indepth as most of the YA books I've read. However, it is a nice "light" version on some hefty topics.

The end lends itself to a sequel, which I would likely read if it were published.

Great read for anyone who values language, science, and freedom. The List could be on school reading lists in the near future.

It was a great read. I feel the character development was good and I would recommend to friends.

I was so intrigued by the premise of this one - one girl standing virtually alone in a post-apocalyptic world, in which words are realized for the power they are, and therefore limited in availability and use to "protect" the world... It's a slightly different take on the young adult version of the "day after" concept, with great cover art, and I was so excited to dive into it.

But...

I just couldn't really lose myself in the story. While the premise was great and an original take, the story itself felt rehashed. The characters were rather flatter than I expected - the heroes less heroic, the villains less villainous, than I would have liked to see in a good versus evil tale such as this. The pace was uneven - I'd feel really engaged for a chapter/so, then find myself slogging through numerous pages and suddenly realize I had no idea what I'd just read. And while the premise of a controlled vocabulary is still, I think, a great and interesting one - it makes for difficult reading. The portions of the dialogue conducted in List were difficult to get through. It's ironic, since the Noa List is intended to simplify life and thought, that it winds up making comprehension more difficult and disengaging for the reader. I'm sure there's a great analytic interpretive graduate thesis in that idea, but it didn't exactly lend itself to engrossing reading...

There's nothing bad or wrong, it just didn't feel new or original. And unfortunately, in the current - crowded - reading marketplace, that's a big strike against you in my book...

I got a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Netgalley!

This young adult novel was fast-paced with likable characters and surprising plot twists. There was such immersive detail that, while reading it, I felt as though I was present in this community, on the beach, and in the forest. However, the amount of detail was not so overwhelming as to be extraneous or annoying.

The book was also highly thought-provoking. The concept of limiting language in an attempt to control people and create a "better" world was intriguing (but obviously misguided). I tried to "speak List" myself on a few occasions (or what I imagine it would be) and found it challenging and limiting, but also requiring greater precision than I typically give my words. If you only have a 500 permissible words to choose from, each of those words must be identified and selected carefully. Moreover, limiting spoken word is incongruous with the way our minds process thought and ideas at present -- limiting our words might very well lead to limitations in one's own imagination and abilities, not just interpersonal interactions.

The idea of different subsets of words for different subsets of people, as required by one's job for example, was interesting and reflective of our real lives. The statement that writers have always stood between the people and their rulers was so timely for America! As I read the novel, I paid close attention to the words selected by the author, and became more aware of the words we as a society are using right now. This book inspired me to try to use language more eloquently and persuasively.

A highly recommended read for both young and older adults alike!

Forde, Patricia The List, 384 pages. Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, AUGUST 2017. $17. Language: G; Mature Content: G; Violence: PG.

Letta loves her job as the apprentice to the wordsmith in her village of Ark. Especially because when with her master she is allowed to speak off List, the official List of the seven hundred approved words for communication in Ark. Then John Noa, the ruler of Ark orders them to cut the List to only five hundred. Immediately after, the Wordsmith leaves on a trip. Then a mysterious, injured boy stumbles into the shop. Events start piling up quickly and dramatically around Letta, leading her towards defiance and rebellion against her narrower and narrower community. But defiance always brings attention and blowback from those in power. Is Letta ready for the consequences of her actions?

I was surprised to learn that this book is slated to be 384 pages. It didn’t feel like it had the depth of narrative to occupy so many pages. But I read this as an ebook and I rarely connect with the ebook as I do with a printed copy. Reminiscent of The Giver, it doesn’t quite hit that high mark, but it is still another good dystopian book. It would make a great added selection to literature circles.

MS – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher

This was a little bit difficult to follow at first, as there is an element of this story that takes some adjustment to get past. Still, that element is essential to the plot of the story. This is a post-environmental disaster story wherein the leader of the surviving city of Ark believes that heart of all evil steams from humanity's ability to speak. Therefore, he has limited all human speech to a hundred or so words that everyone refers to as List, and some large piece of the text is written in that very limited speech. That's hard to get used to, but it gets easier with time.

Once you get past the distraction of that difficult element, you'll realize that this is a story about recognizing and valuing humanity's ability to appreciate and create beauty through the arts. Though the leader of this community, John Noah, is well-intended, he has lost perspective and honestly believes that humanity needs to lose the elements of their personality that separate them from all the other animals. He wants people to be like all other animals, and he thinks that can be achieved by taking away creative expression, and ultimately, the human ability to speak.

The main character, Letta, begins the story as the apprentice to the word collector. She believes her master's job is to collect words for a time in the future when humans are ready to use the full breadth of human language again. She slowly discovers that her job isn't what she believes. There are pieces of this story that you would expect, such as the resistance movement that Letta is introduced to by a mysterious young man that she rather predictably develops a romantic attraction toward. Of course, she eventually joins the resistance and readers will be carried along in her fight against Noah. It's a good example of the genre. Readers who like this sort of writing will be pleased with the results, provided then can acclimate the use of List speech throughout much of the story.