An enthralling start to a trilogy.
Fifty years have passed since the birth of a girl on Earth—until Eve, that is.
Sequestered in the Dome atop the all-pervasive Tower, Eve represents humanity’s last hope to slow humankind’s descent into irrelevance. Now 16 years old, she must choose a mate to procreate with under the watchful, stern eye of lead Mother, Vivian Silva. When meetings with the first two potential mates have disastrous results, the Revival program spirals into a state of utmost urgency. Complicating matters is 18-year-old Bram, a hologram pilot in the Extinction Prevention Organization. In defiance of threats from his abusive father, the brilliant Dr. Isaac Wells, Bram forms a bond with Eve, which disrupts the EPO’s plans. Slowly, Eve questions the reality shaped around her and begins to rebel. Meanwhile, Bram uncovers the Tower’s secrets and falls into the climate-ravaged world below, joining a rebel group of Freevers who wish to reclaim Eve as a symbol. Part meditation on reproductive rights, part dystopian thriller, the novel casts a wide web of intrigue, deception, and hope. Chapters alternate between Eve’s and Bram’s perspectives, fruitfully intertwining into a heady page-turner. Though Eve and Bram don’t rise above character archetypes, and the authors adopt a fairly rigid framework for gender roles and sexuality nearly devoid of queerness, there’s plenty here for fans of tales of humanity gone wrong. A white default is assumed.
An enthralling start to a trilogy. (Dystopian fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: June 18, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-9848-3011-1
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: March 6, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019
Eden’s emotionally raw narration is compelling despite its solipsism. (Fiction. 14-18)
In the three years following Eden’s brutal rape by her brother’s best friend, Kevin, she descends into anger, isolation, and promiscuity.
Eden’s silence about the assault is cemented by both Kevin’s confident assurance that if she tells anyone, “No one will ever believe you. You know that. No one. Not ever,” and a chillingly believable death threat. For the remainder of Eden’s freshman year, she withdraws from her family and becomes increasingly full of hatred for Kevin and the world she feels failed to protect her. But when a friend mentions that she’s “reinventing” herself, Eden embarks on a hopeful plan to do the same. She begins her sophomore year with new clothes and friendly smiles for her fellow students, which attract the romantic attentions of a kind senior athlete. But, bizarrely, Kevin’s younger sister goes on a smear campaign to label Eden a “totally slutty disgusting whore,” which sends Eden back toward self-destruction. Eden narrates in a tightly focused present tense how she withdraws again from nearly everyone and attempts to find comfort (or at least oblivion) through a series of nearly anonymous sexual encounters. This self-centeredness makes her relationships with other characters feel underdeveloped and even puzzling at times. Absent ethnic and cultural markers, Eden and her family and classmates are likely default white.
Eden’s emotionally raw narration is compelling despite its solipsism. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: March 22, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-4935-9
Page Count: 384
Publisher: McElderry
Review Posted Online: Dec. 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2016
Entertaining.
A tale of love and loss that spans the globe.
Instead of having a carefree summer, biracial (Korean/White) Anna is sent away from the familiarity of New York, her friends, the past school year’s scandal—and the memories of her dead boyfriend, Alexia Vronsky. While struggling with grief, her shattered self-image, and an uncertain future, Anna attempts to reclaim her summer in Seoul, where she knows only her father and grandmother. Beatrice, Alexia’s cousin, juggles her clingy girlfriend and falling for a California surfer even as she represses her grief. Meanwhile, Anna’s brother, Steven, plans for an amazing summer party, although Lolly, his girlfriend, is away at theater camp. Steven’s best friend, Dustin, and Kimmie, Lolly’s younger sister, are equally nervous about their first sexual experience together. This sequel to Anna K (2020) contains fewer mentions of luxury brands, and the characters exhibit an increased awareness of the impacts of wealth and socio-economic status. The novel also touches on issues of addiction, sexism, cultural differences, fame, relationships, love, and mental health; in particular, the portrayals of living with grief and redefining the self after a loved one dies shine. Despite some awkward time skips, the humor, pop-culture references, and characters’ distinct voices strengthen the story. Fans of the first novel will enjoy this follow-up, which is also accessible to readers new to Anna and her world. Some major characters are White; Dustin is Black and Jewish, and there is diversity in the supporting cast.
Entertaining. (cast of characters) (Fiction. 15-18)Pub Date: April 27, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-250-23646-3
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: March 24, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2021
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