Review: Skinned by Robin Wasserman

I had been waiting FOREVER to read this one...it was one of those books that I had on my list since the premiere, but just never bought or borrowed. It had the coolest premise, an almost-dystopian futuristic society in which bodies are optional, and people can recover from almost anything by being downloaded into robotic humanoid machines.
Mia was uber rich and definitely snobby, until she died in an almost impossibly unlikely accident. She tries to hold on to her old self, but no one treats her the same way-- some even avoid her-- and she loses every one of her old friends. She can no longer run track, get cold, or feel the effects of uppers (futuristic drugs). She makes friends instead with the school outcast, who helps her try to come to terms with her new inhuman body. They encounter people like Mia, those who have been cast out of society because of their undead condition. She has to decide where she belongs- her old shallow life, where she has no one? Or the new world full of crazed, cult-like teenagers who aren't like her?
What I thought: Alright. This book was confusing. Not the plot, it was easy to follow. But it was NOTHING like I thought it would be. The society, for one. Everyone is shallow and addicted to technology, but they are also addicted to futuristic party narcotics, and go to high school. Cars drive themselves, everyone has an online profile from early childhood, and you can pay to make your child perfect before they are born. Mia is lucky-- her parents made her smart, beautiful, and athletic with their plentiful wealth. Second, the language was pretty horrible. All types of obscenities. And sex, as well, although only once was it actually described. I liked the book, because the story was intriguing. I liked the two main characters well enough. And the writing wasn't terrific, but it wasn't annoying or horrible, except for the explicit content. I think the author lost me on some parts, but it was all-in-all a good book. I think people who don't mind the cursing would like it much more than I did, and maybe be more enthusiastic about the book.
I guess I will decide later whether or not to continue the series, but I wasn't rushing out for the second one when I finished...

3/5 stars, or chess pieces, or bananas, whatever you wanna rate it with.