It was an interesting story. I would have liked to known the consequences (if any) of not pushing the button. While there were quite a few questions that I would have liked answered, it didn't detract from the story. The author created a world that I wouldn't want to experience. It seemed that all the characters were destined to live a tedious life with no changes or improvement. The ending was left open ended so you could imagine what happened to them either good or bad.

Received this for free in exchange for an honest review. ( )

I know this was a novella, but boy was it a quick read! Once again, Ellen Allen has fashioned an un-put-downable tale. I was mildly disappointed by the abrupt ending. I would enjoy reading more in this storyline.

*I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review. ( )

It was a rainy lazy day, so I made a cup of tea, popped up The Button on my tablet, and immersed myself in the delicious storytelling concocted by Ellen Allen.

Let’s be frank, the book has little as a beginning. Instead, the reader is thrusted into the dismal life of an unassuming teen whose existence is defined by her rank in her family – why do firstborns always seem to suffer (asking for a friend), -- which has earned her the mind-numbing job of pushing a button without so much as a scintilla of reasoning.

The reader is pulled into her isolation, her pain and her admiration for Joe. I found myself rooting for her, and rooting for Pig (no pig pun intended). I loved Pig – more than I cared for her sweet family members. I don’t want to give too much away except to say that I spent a good, suspenseful afternoon enjoying a different kind of tale. Ellen didn’t follow a tried and true formula, which may make others feel uncomfortable or cheated. I was a little dismayed by the ending. The build-up had my pulse quickening, so I was looking for more.

Nevertheless, reading this dystopic tale was a great way to spend a quiet, rainy afternoon. I reviewed this book as an honest reviewer for The LibraryThing. ( )

I received a free copy of this book via LT's member giveaway.

My apologies to Ellen Allen, but this novella needs significant work. I like the idea of a story taking place within a single day, and I was interested in the premise, but it was not executed well.

No explanations are given for any questions that the story poses. The concept here is that first born children are required to push a button every 90 minutes. The details are unclear—it is mentioned that they work in shifts, with one person taking the day shift and one taking the night shift, but the buttons reside inside the family home and our unnamed narrator's "night shift" pusher is a girl she has never really met. How can someone take over your shift at the button in your own home for over a decade and you have never gotten to speak with them?

Obviously, the main question of the story is this: why are they pushing the button? This is not explored. From the ending, it seems like Allen may have wanted the story to be more like an allegory for teenage rebellion and the refusal to cooperate in a workforce that has no love for its workers... which would have worked, if the underlying mystery of the button was actually solved.

I have 100 more questions after finishing the novella than I did before I started it. This story should be fleshed out and expanded upon, with MUCH more detail. As is, it has to be a 1 star for me. ( )

I received an arc copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. All views are my own.

The blurb of this story describes how the world in which we know it has been impacted by a global catastrophe. Survivors have retreated to live back in the countryside and away from cities. Part of the lives of everyone now is dependent on a button being pressed every 90 minutes by the eldest child.

I chose to read this book as I found this premise intriguing. I found myself fully immersed in this story. However, one of my main concerns with this was how wordy the writing is. The narrator, we learn, is a nameless girl who has almost been a prisoner in her own house since birth due to the button pressing ritual. The story does mention she has some education but I just found the language used not in fitting with the character’s situation. The writing is heavily laden with extended sentences and is often over formal. It just doesn’t seem to fit with a girl who is practically housebound.

The author has done well in creating a very dark and depressing tone where you feel sympathy for the main character. However, I found the ending very abrupt and sudden to the point where I was repeatedly tapping on my kindle for the next page only to find I was at the end.

This story is just that, a short story, whereas there are far too many loose ends that haven’t been resolved. What is the dirt in the air? Who is the woman who visits the girl? Why does the button need to be pressed so frequently? As a reader, I was left disappointed by these unanswered questions. This would make an excellent book as there is too much crammed into it as the short story it is. ( )