3.5/5
I couldn't wait to read All Rights Reserved because the premise intrigued me so much. A world where all words and gestures are copyrighted, trademarked, or patented, and people must pay to communicate? I was eager to see how Katsoulis was going to implement that and how he would weave a story under those conditions.
I was surprised by how many restrictions there were-- mouthing words, nodding, shrugging are all deemed forms of communication and therefore off-limits to Speth, our protagonist who chooses to go silent. I was impressed that even with these restrictions, I never felt trapped or bored reading Speth's story. There isn't one clear direct line of plot throughout the novel, it's more a tale of what happens once she chooses to go silent. When the product-placers are introduced, the plot picks up speed. I appreciated Speth's initiative and her dedication to her goals and to her family. I enjoyed hearing what she had to say and that this novel never became some cheesy, romance-filled mush. Nothing was ever perfect.
The reason my rating isn't higher is because the ending left me feeling a little unsatisfied. The novel closed too quickly and felt a little too easy, a little anti-climactic. Yes, their community now needs a lot of rebuilding, but the takedown of our villain, Silas Rog, didn't feel meaningful enough. I also felt like more could have been done with the premise of the novel. Katsoulis had this great idea, but didn't say enough with it. This was an opportunity to tie the novel into human rights, into current events, into revolution, but I felt that that unity never gathered in the novel.
Overall, All Rights Reserved has a unique plot, and Speth has interesting perspectives on everything she encounters. Though I felt that the novel could have been more, it is already interesting and intriguing enough to be worth the read.
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