Title: Wither
Author: Lauren DeStefano
Genre: Young Adult
Rating: * * * 1/2
Publishers Date: 3/22/11
Hardback: 368 pages
ISBN: 1442409053
FTC Disclosure: ARC
By age sixteen, Rhine Ellery has four years left to live. She can thank modern science for this genetic time bomb. A botched effort to create a perfect race has left all males with a lifespan of 25 years, and females with a lifespan of 20 years. Geneticists are seeking a miracle antidote to restore the human race, desperate orphans crowd the population, crime and poverty have skyrocketed, and young girls are being kidnapped and sold as polygamous brides to bear more children.
When Rhine is kidnapped and sold as a bride, she vows to do all she can to escape. Her husband, Linden, is hopelessly in love with her, and Rhine can't bring herself to hate him as much as she'd like to. He opens her to a magical world of wealth and illusion she never thought existed, and it almost makes it possible to ignore the clock ticking away her short life. But Rhine quickly learns that not everything in her new husband's strange world is what it seems. Her father-in-law, an eccentric doctor bent on finding the antidote, is hoarding corpses in the basement. Her fellow sister wives are to be trusted one day and feared the next, and Rhine is desperate to communicate to her twin brother that she is safe and alive. Will Rhine be able to escape--before her time runs out?
While I didn’t fall head over heels in love with this book, I had no problem finishing it. I wanted more though. I wanted more details on the whys-- why this was happening and why kidnap young girls off the street as the orphanages were full of them. Hopefully, the next book will answer a lot of these. The first couple of chapters were amazing and quite satisfying. DeStefano did an excellent job of world building and fleshing out the characters. The characters were real and engaging. Their emotions were so intense that you ached for them. That said once I got about 2/3’s of the way through, it began to drag for me. While there were moments that were predictable, it was twisty enough to ensure that I read the next book.
By age sixteen, Rhine Ellery has four years left to live. She can thank modern science for this genetic time bomb. A botched effort to create a perfect race has left all males with a lifespan of 25 years, and females with a lifespan of 20 years. Geneticists are seeking a miracle antidote to restore the human race, desperate orphans crowd the population, crime and poverty have skyrocketed, and young girls are being kidnapped and sold as polygamous brides to bear more children.
When Rhine is kidnapped and sold as a bride, she vows to do all she can to escape. Her husband, Linden, is hopelessly in love with her, and Rhine can't bring herself to hate him as much as she'd like to. He opens her to a magical world of wealth and illusion she never thought existed, and it almost makes it possible to ignore the clock ticking away her short life. But Rhine quickly learns that not everything in her new husband's strange world is what it seems. Her father-in-law, an eccentric doctor bent on finding the antidote, is hoarding corpses in the basement. Her fellow sister wives are to be trusted one day and feared the next, and Rhine is desperate to communicate to her twin brother that she is safe and alive. Will Rhine be able to escape--before her time runs out?
While I didn’t fall head over heels in love with this book, I had no problem finishing it. I wanted more though. I wanted more details on the whys-- why this was happening and why kidnap young girls off the street as the orphanages were full of them. Hopefully, the next book will answer a lot of these. The first couple of chapters were amazing and quite satisfying. DeStefano did an excellent job of world building and fleshing out the characters. The characters were real and engaging. Their emotions were so intense that you ached for them. That said once I got about 2/3’s of the way through, it began to drag for me. While there were moments that were predictable, it was twisty enough to ensure that I read the next book.
Chemical Garden
1. Wither (2011)
1. Wither (2011)
I would love to review this on my blog, but your google form does not seem to be working. It's pretty much impossible for me to get YA books for reviewing, even though I love them.
ReplyDeleteMy blog is http://jacobsbeloved.blogspot.com
What a fascinating concept! Sounds like it combines a number of different dystopian and supernatural elements to create a great story. Thanks for your review!
ReplyDeletelexie.bookbug at gmail dot com
This sounds so intriguing!
ReplyDeleteThe world DeStefano built is wonderful:) I gave it aswell 3,5 stars. There is a lot of potential left and I really hope there will be more action and romance in bk 2!
ReplyDeleteThis book is currently on my wish list. I think the concept intrigues me as well as the beautiful cover which has a symbolism within.Thanks for your honest review!
ReplyDeleteThis is on my to read list. Great review!
ReplyDeleteWither sounds interesting! And sequels and series are always good! Must go to library soon!
ReplyDeleteI've read some pretty good things about this book so this honest review is much appreciated. It still sounds like a fun read though.
ReplyDeleteThat's really interesting--I loved this book but I never considered the 'whys' that you brought up . . . now I hope they'll be addressed in the next book, too :)
ReplyDeleteI saw this at my local bookstore and was yearning for it!
ReplyDeletefingers crossed
girl23rocks at hotmail dot com
been waiting to read this one -- usually not a dystopian fan, but this one calls to me.
ReplyDeleteI am dying to read this book. Just got it. Am really in love with dystopia. And this one sounds so interesting!
ReplyDeletejlkalman26 at gmail dot com