Archive for the ‘dystopian’ Category
Review: Wither by Lauren DeStefano
Wither by Lauren DeStefano
Book 1 of The Chemical Garden Trilogy
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, March 22, 2011
Years in the future, humanity is slowly reaching extinction. The human race has perfected the genetic code, with a horrible price: the children of the “perfect” generation die early, females at age 20 and males at age 25. No cure can be found, and the “virus” hits all without exception. The world is in chaos, and the vast majority lives in poverty, orphaned, struggling to survive. In order to help prolong the human race, the wealthy pay for people called Gatherers to kidnap young women, forcing them into captivity and polygamous marriages.
In Wither, Rhine has been kidnapped, along with two other young women, one really just a girl, and sold to a wealthy man named Linden. The three women adapt to the situation in very different ways. Rhine, determined to make an escape the first chance possible, Jenna, the eldest, resigned to her fate, but desperately angry, and Cecily, only 13, eager to please her new husband and become the wife he expects. While Rhine plots her escape, she gets to know a servant, Gabriel, as well as her sister wives, learning many unexpected things about them, and herself, along the way. Her goal is to fight for her freedom and be reunited with her twin brother, but one main thing stands in her way, Linden’s father, Vaughn, a man that will do anything to find an antidote and ensure his son lives past 25.
I drank this book in one solid gulp and couldn’t put it down as soon as I picked it up. It’s dark, depressing, tear-inducing, but intensely hopeful. Every time I turned the page I eagerly awaited to hear what would happen next for Rhine. DeStefano creates a building pressure throughout the novel, that meets several boiling points throughout as Rhine, and the reader, discover even more dark secrets about the world, Vaughn, and what exactly is going on in this household. Rhine’s passion for her freedom, and her kindness and love toward her sister wives is admirable, but I found her character realistic, at times unsure, but steadfastly holding to her memories of a life before. While these characters live in a world extremely unlike our own, readers will enjoy this new twist of a dystopian novel, and hope beyond all hope that the next novel will be soon forthcoming!
ARC received from Simon & Schuster – thank you!
For More: Learn about the author, Lauren DeStefano, at her website!
The Declaration by Gemma Malley
The Declaration by Gemma Malley
Anna Covey is a ‘Surplus’. She should not have been born. In a society in which ageing is no longer feared, and death is no longer an inevitability, children are an abomination.
Like all Surpluses, Anna is living in a Surplus Hall and learning how to make amends for the selfish act her parents committed in having her. She is quietly accepting of her fate until, one day, a new inmate arrives. Anna’s life is thrown into chaos. But is she brave enough to believe this mysterious boy?
A tense and utterly compelling story about a society behind a wall, and the way in which two young people seize the chance to break free. [Summary from Gemma Malley's website]
I can’t believe that I haven’t read this book until now–and it has a sequel, The Resistance already out, and a third book to complete the trilogy, The Legacy, out this fall. Dystopian futuristic novels are my favorites, especially when elements of science fiction are involved. In The Declaration, adults take Longevity drugs to prolong their lives forever–and if they choose to take these drugs, they are not allowed to have any children. Thus, surpluses–these forbidden children are taught that they don’t belong in this world, and are brought into slavery to serve the “Legals.”
The Declaration had a grip on me from the very beginning, from disbelief that Anna could think that her parents were to blame for her being a Surplus, to surprise and suspense when Peter arrives and challenges all that she had ever held to be true. This book had quite a few twists to it that were unexpected, yet very intriguing, setting the stage for the next novels to come. Fans of Neal Schusterman’s Unwind or Collins’ The Hunger Games will be particularly drawn to this trilogy!
Borrowed from the library!
For More: Visit Gemma Malley’s website to check out her blog and other books!
This World We Live In by Susan Beth Pfeffer
This World We Live In by Susan Beth Pfeffer
Available now!
A year has passed since the events of Life As We Knew It, Pfeffer’s first novel detailing the catastrophic aftermath of a meteorite hitting the moon. Miranda’s family has struggled to survive during this year, fighting off hunger, disease, and intense, dangerous weather. This World We Live In is again told in a diary format, from Miranda’s point of view.
Miranda, Matt, Jon, and her mother fight to maintain their sanity and health in their home, scavenging empty houses and wondering anxiously what happened to their father and his wife. Somehow, miraculously, Hal and Lisa survived and return home, with their new baby, plus 3 strangers, including Alex and Julie Morales (from companion novel, The Dead and the Gone). These newcomers disrupt, yet also enrich, the lives of Miranda’s family, as life on this shattered earth begins to move toward a brighter future, until one horrible event causes all of their plans to come shattering down in front of them.
Utterly depressing, morbid, and ever so sad, This World We Live In is haunting, with a melancholy beauty shaking with the last remains of hope for a broken world. This is yet again a title you won’t be able to put down, as every turn of the page creates another shocking event. Reading this, you want to believe that somehow, life on this world will become better for Miranda’s family. Where is the government? Where are the people to fix these problems? In reality, they don’t exist. The world has become a “everyone for themselves” existence, filled with dangers and secrets. With the arrival of Miranda’s father and company, life begins to change for her family. Till this point, they had been isolated, reaching and pulling back from their breaking point, so many times. New faces are a pleasure, yet also a nightmare in this environment where food and resources are scarce. Yet, the families band together to make the situation work, as once they are reunited, they can’t bear to separate again.
You’ll want to cry while reading this, as fate and fortune finds this family extremely unlucky. Despite a year having passed, disaster is unfortunately still too close to home, and you’ll finish this still wondering–what happens next? Is there any hope for this world?
Pfeffer’s work again exceeds all my expectations. This is a true dystopian novel and will appeal to many fans of that genre. This is a book that makes the reader think, and think again, and even rethink many things that we hold true in our privileged lives.
I recommend this for fans of The Hunger Games, Jeanne DuPrau’s City of Ember books, and Lois Lowry’s Giver books.
Digital copy received via NetGalley–thank you!
For More: Visit Susan Beth Pfeffer’s blog and also visit Amazon or Indiebound to purchase this book!