Review: Girl in the Arena by Lisa Haines

Title: Girl in the Arena
By: Lise Haines
Reading Level: Young Adult
Released: October 13, 2009
Bookwhisperer Rating:


Book Description:
It’s a fight to the death—on live TV—when a gladiator’s daughter steps into the arena

Lyn is a neo-gladiator’s daughter, through and through. Her mother has made a career out of marrying into the high-profile world of televised blood sport, and the rules of the Gladiator Sports Association are second nature to their family. Always lend ineffable confidence to the gladiator. Remind him constantly of his victories. And most importantly: Never leave the stadium when your father is dying. The rules help the family survive, but rules—and the GSA—can also turn against you. When a gifted young fighter kills Lyn’s seventh father, he also captures Lyn’s dowry bracelet, which means she must marry him...

Girl in the Arena is an astouding alternate reality where violence and fame determines the status quo. Lyn may be the daughter of seven gladiators, but the glamour and glitz have lost their shine, her primary goal is to find a way out. While reading I found my emotions to be on a roller coaster, although one emotions tended to prevail from the beginning to the end; that is being flabergasted at the acceptance of this lifestyle. The gladiator lifestyle consists of death and destruction, so if you exit the ring alive you are probably maimed and possibly handicapped. Lisa Haines created a inventive and breathtaking world, and I am impressed by the depth to which this world exists in this book. The Prologue of this book is a report Lyn is writing called A History of the Galdiator Sports Association; that is seven pages of history of the world Haine's is building. This was just a general overview in the beginning as we progress through the story Lyn leads the reader through discovering the true colors of the GSA. The writing style is very easily to follow. Lyn narrates this story with flashes back to add more understanding to the story. Haines is a amazing talented author that has the kind of imagination that will take you for a ride. This is ultimately a story of one girls rise to take on everyone and everything she knows to make her life her own and to protect her family. This is a must read book, while it was not my typical kind of read I was beside myself in concluding this story, and you will find yourself still thinking about this story long after the last pages. 

**Special Thanks to Bloomsbury for my Review Copy of this book**