Title: Wither (Chemical Garden Trilogy #1)
Author: Lauren DeStefano
Classification: YA Fiction, Dystopian
Source: Bought!
Author: Lauren DeStefano
Classification: YA Fiction, Dystopian
Source: Bought!
Overall Grade:
A
Would I recommend it?
Yes, a very entertaining & chilling dystopian!
Would I recommend it?
Yes, a very entertaining & chilling dystopian!
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Summary (from Goodreads):
Obviously, something went terribly wrong. Genetic mutations have festered, reducing human longevity to twenty-five, even less for most women. To prevent extinction, young girls are kidnapped, mated in polygamous marriages with men eager to procreate. Sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery, a recent victim of this breeding farm mentality, has vowed to break loose from its fetters; but finding allies and a safe way out is a challenge she can only hope she will survive. A dystopian fantasy series starter with wings. Editor's recommendation.
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My Thoughts:
Wither is a book that works on so many levels!
Firstly, the concept. While being forced to marry against one's will is not exactly a unique trope in the YA genre, the polygamous marriage in Wither make for an immediate and exciting threat to our main character, Rhine.
However, because Rhine is immediately shipped off to live in a mansion with two other wives and a husband she's never even met, we don't really receive much information about the outside world. How were Rhine's parents involved in the crisis leading to the demise of society? What is being done now to fix the problem? How is society being led today?
All of these questions remain vastly unanswered in this book. On the other hand, with the close society that Rhine is thrown into, we become closely acquainted with the other wives, Jenna and Cecily, their husband Linden, Gabriel, and Rhine herself.
The characters in this book were fantastic! I absolutely loved the secondary characters in this book, particularly the other wives. It was cruel how these girls were forced to share a husband, yet interacted as sisters... or step-sisters, yet the author did a great job at creating a bond between each of these girls.
Another strong point of Wither was Rhine's relationships with Gabriel and Linden. Even though I did not by any means like Linden, it was interesting to watch how easily charmed he was by Rhine, and you certainly felt a small degree of sympathy for him. Her time with Gabriel, on the other hand, was filled with subtle contact, contraband candies and forbidden glances. I loved Gabriel's character and how both he and Rhine were forced to overcome their innate judgements of the other in order to connect.
The ending? SERIOUSLY?! Lauren... you evil, evil wizard you. I am incredibly excited to read the next installment to this unique dystopian series, titled Fever
and set to be published in February of 2012!__________________________________________________________________
Overall Grade:
A
Would I recommend it?
Yes, a very entertaining & chilling dystopian!
Would I recommend it?
Yes, a very entertaining & chilling dystopian!
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