By Lauren Destefano
For Everybody else was doing it
Source I own it
Synopsis
Due to societies obsession with creating perfect children and eradicating disease a virus has struck mankind. All woman die at the age of twenty and all men at the age of twenty five. Because of this (and stick with me cause this doesn't make sense) women are kidnapped and married off to men with several wives to have babies so the babies can be tested for a cure. And so we meet Rhine, a woman in just that very situation. She's taken from her twin brother and home and sold and married to a wealthy man with three other wives.
General thoughts
Um, I just have a lot of questions. First, why was this book not more thought out? Because it had a great idea behind it but it just seems like anything that didn't make sense was just overlooked in a rush to get it published. Why do they have to test the babies? Wouldn't the adults that were not first generation be fine to test? And why were their people who didn't want a cure? Seriously, would anyone really decide they didn't care that they'd only live for a short time? That's as stupid as saying people are sick of trying to find a cure for cancer so they're going to protest and say that we should just give up! I don't think so.
I think I just need a break from YA books. It seems like everyone is copying everyone else and not just in story ideas but in style too. This one felt like I was reading The Hunger Games again.
Characters
Rhine was too wishy-washy for my taste. One minute she was going on and on and on about wanting to escape and make it back to her brother and the next she was too worried about all the people in her new life to want to escape. I know that should sound like an intriguing character but it was like: come on, make up your mind already! Gabriel was a wuss! Need I say more? And I'm tired of male characters that think they're in love and before getting any sort of reciprocation they have the nerve to get jealous! I think women authors must think that's romantic! Argh! Linden was a wuss! Linden's father, (can't remember his name) dude, just kill him already! If someone is that evil, grrrr! Please just kill them and take the fall! I could go on and on. I didn't like any of the characters except maybe Jenna but I felt like I didn't get to know her very well so that was a bust!
Would I recommend it?
Yeah, I think everyone else is going to eat this one up. I just wasn't impressed. I do know that other people were bothered with the world building that just didn't make sense, so beware.
Other opinions (as you can see, everyone likes it but me)
It's all about books
One Librarian's Book Reviews
There definitely was stuff I didn't get, but as you know, usually I don't worry about that too much. It would make me crazy. Great review though! I think people will love to see someone who actually thought about it more than the rest of us. Know what I mean?
ReplyDeleteSo... what "adult" books do you plan to read next? Are you going to read Utah authors and join us for the big local author blitz in May?
I have this one sitting on my shelf and have yet to read it. We'll see.
ReplyDeleteSuey, I wish I could turn of the inner pessimist. I have a few library books I need to get out of the way that are YA but then, yeah, anything adult. Maybe some classics too.
ReplyDeleteSarah, I'm super picky and negative so don't be put off by my dislike. Everyone else seems to be enjoying it.
I'm impressed you read it even as you were expecting to hate it :) Good thoughts and good points.
ReplyDeleteMelissa, actually I didn't hate it for the reasons I thought I would it was just all that stuff that didn't add up. And that I'm getting tired of YA.
ReplyDeleteIt can be quite distracting when plot specifics make no sense to you as the reader. Sounds like you are right to switch genres for your next few reads :)
ReplyDeleteBookgirl, Yeah, I just need a break from all the monotony.
ReplyDeleteI hope my negativity about the plot problems didn't unduly prejudice you against it. I'm also wanting to get away from YA a bit but May is Utah Author Month and that is a lot of YA. I'll have to decide what to do about that.
ReplyDeleteWell, I liked the book just based on the fact that I could not put it down, and I am like Suey, I do not have to understand everything in the story to like it or to move along, or to even not be fully annoyed. However, I did have issues with this story, but different than from yours. I liked, but would not eagerly recommend it and nor would I want my daughters to necessarily read it...at least not the 11 or 13 year old, and as for the 15 year old...well, she probably would just be plain annoyed by the plot, and lack of depth that she craves.
ReplyDeleteThis book did not remind me of Hunger Games, rather it fully reminded me of The Handmaid's Tale.
If you want to know more what i thought, take a look at my blog. I think I posted about it in Feb. or maybe in March.
Ibeeeg, Thanks for stopping by, I'll check out your review to see what bugged you.
ReplyDeleteFinally, someone who didn't get this book either. As you said, it was a great premise. Could have been a wonderful book. There were just too many things left unexplained. Not that I finished it. Why did a society where people died so young find it fit to just kill of masses of girls who could have borne children for future generations? And what's with having to marry Linden? He kidnapped his wives and imprisoned then. I think propriety went out the window ages ago. And why oh why was Rhine even nice to him? WTF was that? I would have gone all mutant on his butt the first chance I got. Choked him with those creepy lollies Rose used to eat. Argh!
ReplyDelete