Wither - Review

Title ~ Wither
Series ~ Chemical Garden #1
Author ~ Lauren Destefano
Release Date ~ March 22, 2011
Age Group ~ Young Adult
Publisher ~ Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Source ~ Gifted

Goodreads Summary

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, and in the limited time she has left.

Review

Wither is a work of art. This stunning dystopian novel captures the raw emotions of a society that is living on the brink of possible extinction. The characters are what make Wither so addicting.

Rhine is a perfectly crafted heroine. Kidnapped and forced into a shared marriage, Rhine is desperate to escape and find her twin brother before their time is up. It was disturbing to me that Linden is made to marry three wives at once – Jenna, Cicely, and Rhine. He is a likeable guy who has no more control over the situation than the girls have. It is most upsetting to realize that Cicely is married at the age of thirteen. That’s only two years older than me! The relationships between all four of these characters are richly developed and intertwined so nicely.

Housemaster Vaughn (Linden’s father) is desperate to save his son from an early death. So desperate, in fact, that he begins gathering dead bodies to run experiments in the hope of finding a cure for Linden. In a race against time, Vaughn’s unusual actions are creepy and distressing – while also loving and courageous. I can’t help but feel that Lauren Destefano hasn’t shared Vaughn’s entire story with us yet.

Sweet Gabriel, the servant. There is definitely a connection between Gabriel and Rhine. Not like a thunderbolt – more like a tiny spark that slowly grows into a flame. Gabriel is that glimmer of hope that Rhine needs to continue on her journey.

Wither is powerful. If you only read one debut novel in 2011, let it be Wither.

Rating

5 Loved

Cover Comments

Rhine is the caged bird. She is trapped and the lace on her dress reminds me of the bird’s feathers. She wants to fly away and be free. The wedding ring on her finger is like a lock to that cage. This cover is not only beautiful, but it captures the story.