Review: Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Hardcover, 356 pages

Expected publication: March 22nd 2011 by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing 
Buy from Amazon here
 

Goodreads: What if you knew exactly when you would die?

Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb—males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out.

When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape—to find her twin brother and go home.

But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limted time she has left.

Review: I was so hesitant to read this based on other reviews, but, I always decide for myself if I’m going to like something or not, as I encourage others to do as well. I use other review sites as a guide for finding new books. You should too. But always, always remember that reviews are subjective as people have different tastes. Please give a book that you think you might enjoy a chance, despite one or several bad reviews. Tastes are subjective. That being said, I loved Wither. It is completely different than anything that I’ve read on the current market. Ms. DeStefano is an amazing writer. I love an author that is not scared to take creative liberties, and she does a phenomenal job of breaking the rules—artistic and smart. Rhine was easy for me to sympathize with. Her character was genuine and realistic. If I was in her position, I feel I would have many of the same thoughts and actions. The plot itself, for some, was a hard swallow, but I think given the circumstances of the future world, it can be believable. The only thing that I wished I understood more of, was the virus itself, although I think that I will get more of an explanation in the second or third book as this is a trilogy. I’m looking forward to discovering more about the time, world, and characters. One of my favorite characters was Jenna. I felt for her on a deep level. No spoilers, I know, but the author did an fantastic job with all her characters, Jenna especially. She was distant at times, and in a moment, could become deeply passionate, lighting up and showing a side of herself that would be a shining beacon in their dismal world. As they were sister wives, I felt as if Jenna was the watchful mother, and she protected Rhine, giving her everything as a mother would. Parts of this book were haunting. Other parts heartfelt and gripping. But I can say with certainty that I was never disinterested. I flew through this book in four hours because I could not put it down. I love stories that make you feel, even if it’s not the feeling that you want, and also makes you think. So if you’re looking for something original and a story with deep characters, and if you want something that will tug at your heartstrings and even make you question your beliefs about the human race, then read Wither. Overall it’s a passionate read that will leave you feeling hopeful or discouraged, but it won’t leave you. This story will linger in your soul.