Wither

I have a feeling that I missed something because while I enjoyed the book I didn't absolutely adore it like many of my fellow readers seemed to have.

The book is refreshing in that it doesn't rely upon a love triangle to fuel its pace. It also doesn't create bad guys to create bad guys. DeStefano also tries to portray a health female friendship, even though cliche dictates they should HATE each other to pieces.

I want to mention how striking this cover is. It’s not usually the kind of cover I like, but it fits. It has symbolism. Wither is the first in the Chemical Garden trilogy, which is about normal for young adult novels these days. Especially young adult novels in the dystopian genre.

In the future humans are a ticking time bomb of show more death. Males live to 25 and females to 20, so society does what society is really good at–they figure out a way oppress females! Poor unfortunate souls get kidnapped, sold and forced into polygamous marriages to males so that the men can breed as many kids as possible. Well, the rich men get that treatment, at least.

Before I go further, I want to point out that though parts of this review may sound harsh, it’s not that I disliked or didn’t enjoy the novel. I just feel kind of overloaded on bleak, desperate dystopians where the government (or society, and sometimes they are the same) controls everything. Just off the top of my head I can name three other recently released or soon to be released books of a similar concept: Delirium by Lauren Oliver, Matched by Ally Condie, and Bumped by Megan McCafferty. That’s a whole lot of depression to be reading in a six month period.

Rhine, our main character, introduces us to the world and what’s happening. And she’s not a bad sort to have as a narrator. She doesn’t often dwell on the bleakness of her situation, she focuses on what it means to survive. She keeps hoping for a cure to the genetic problems plaguing mankind. In short she’s fair-minded and even-handed. Too often dystopians seem to have a focal character who is too far left or right.

DeStefano’s writing is lush and provocative; she offers an unbiased viewpoint in regards to what happens. Rhine as a narrator doesn’t judge or endorse the practice of kidnapping girls for the polygamous marriages. There is an obvious need, and her husband Linden isn’t a bad person–he’s not cruel or abusive, at least. And the trade-0ff isn’t half bad at first. All the food she can eat, pretty clothing and jewels, party after party…it’s a dream come true.

But…well, if Rhine had remained happy in life, we wouldn’t have much of a plot right? I will say I was happy to see that even though there is a “love” story outside of her marriage, it’s not the impetus of the novel. At least it didn’t feel as if it was to me. Rhine’s relationship with her sister-wives (oh, hey, yes, polygamy, I know I mentioned that) fuel her character more. Rhine wants to protect both Cecily (the younger one at 13) and Jenna (older at 19).

In the end the fact that DeStefano doesn’t dwell on a love triangle, or make Linden out to be a creep and villain, made this book worth more to me. I want to find out what happens next and follow the tension. This book doesn’t promise happy endings sunshine perfectness–I sincerely hope the series remains true to that. show less

Why did I wait so long to read this book?



Within the first four pages, my jaw was slack and eyes wide and mind stunned with how intense this book began. I mean, if reading those first few pages isn’t enough to grab you right out of the gate, I don’t know what more you’re looking for. Because that was INSANE. (In the very best way.)



Poor Rhine! Stolen away and forced to marry into a polygamous marriage with a complete stranger, leaving her twin brother to wonder what happened to her and imagine the worst. But while she’s essentially being held as a prisoner in the mansion, she does find friends in her sister wives as well as a certain attendant–Gabriel.



Now I do love Rhine and Gabriel’s interaction with each other–I do!



Is show more it bad that I love Linden?



I know that his wives are all taken by force and ripped away from the lives they had, but throughout the whole book I had the feeling that he had nothing to do with that. And I was right! He’s gentle and caring and with all the time Rhine has to spend with him, I can’t help but fall for him a little bit . . . He’s a product of the sheltered life he’s been raised in and I can’t curse him for that–he’s doing what he can with what he has and what he knows.



The problem is that Linden’s creepy old dad, Housemaster Vaughn, tells him only what he wants Linden to hear. Housemaster Vaughn is the sadistic, evil old gargoyle responsible for the deaths of the girls and experimenting on dead bodies in the hope of finding a cure to the virus that’s killing off all the younger generation. His intention is admirable, being that he wants to find a cure. However, his methods are twisted and creepy and wrong.



Is it bad that his depravity made me love the story more?



Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely hate the guy and he gives me the creeps like none other. But it enhances the story, and I’m the kind of person that thrives on a creepy and chilling plot.



And way to leave me hanging, DeStefano! Good thing I was already prepared and bought all of The Chemical Garden books before I’d even read this one;) I knew this was a book I’d respond to and love. AND, on a semi-related note, if you’re on Twitter and not following @LaurenDeStefano, you’re doing it wrong;)

RATING: 4.5 show less

I expected to enjoy Wither. What I did not expect, was to get completely lost in the dystopian world created by Lauren DeStefano. This fictional future USA is a dreary place, but it is still eerily familiar. The first chapter grips readers immediately by thrusting them into the middle of the action. I love the use of first-person, present tense narration that adds a sense of immediacy and urgency to the novel. It is as if we are discovering this crazy world along with Rhine, seeing everything through her eyes. And I do mean EVERYTHING. This novel is full of descriptions, from intricately designed gardens to gorgeous dresses—there is no lacking of detail in the prose. Normally, I find this distracting (I had to skip through the pages show more of dress descriptions in the Luxe series) but for some reason it works in this novel. I could smell the bath salts, taste the lobster bisque and chocolate éclairs, feel the harsh hurricane winds, and hear Cecily’s music and Jenna’s coquettish conversations.The best thing about this debut novel is the lush language. I’m one of those people who has to write in the books she’s reading (even when I’m reading on my Kindle) and there were so many passages that I underlined just because of the beautiful way the words were put together. Some of my favorites:“It’s the silence I imagine in the rest of the world, the silence of an endless ocean and uninhabitable islands, a silence that can be seen from space.”“Fall has always been my favorite season. The time when everything bursts with it’s last beauty, as if nature has been saving up all year for the grand finale."It is, of course, the characters who drive the story. Rhine, the spunky main character has wisdom well beyond her sixteen years, due to the way she has grown up and the situation in which she now finds herself. Jenna, her sister wife is both feral and pitiable; a damaged girl who has experienced way too much, too soon and who, as a result, is a fierce protector of her sister wives. Cecily, who should be repugnant, evokes empathy and readers will at once want to slap her and hug her. Likewise, Linden is not entirely dislikable, though he is sniveling and naïve. Gabriel is a victim of circumstance who is torn between a desire to protect Rhine and to see her happy. Vaughn, on the other hand, is every bit the arch-villain—I hope very much that he will meet a painful demise in the series. Rowan, Rhine’s twin brother is hinted at in flashbacks and in the stories Rhine tells her sister wives, he is a character I look forward to learning more about as the story continues. That’s another thing—this is the first installment of a series; however, it is also every bit its own story. I just can’t say enough how much I loved this book. What a phenomenal debut for Lauren DeStefano! show less

I think I was one of the people who weren’t a little apprehensive to read Wither. Not only am I drawn to dystopian storylines, but a dystopian series involving polygamy? I was like “Ooh yay, it’s like Big Love but in book form and with a twist!” Boy, was I surprised to find that it was even better than I thought!

In this hauntingly beautiful debut novel, DeStefano has created a deeply disturbing, futuristic world where modern science has found a way to cure all diseases, but not without a price. Females now only live to the young age of twenty, while males live to twenty-five. Therefore, young women are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages in order to procreate.

The protagonist is sixteen year old Rhine. She’s smart, show more strong and courageous, and very easily relatable. Right from the beginning, she’s thrust into a horrifying situation, but determined as she is, she’s always planning a way to escape her captors. Along with her, are two girls who soon become her sister wives, Jenna and Cecily. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about her unlikely friendship with both girls and grew to love them, though Cecily’s bratty behavior had a tendency to annoy me.

On to the men! Some may find the girls’ husband, Linden, creepy, but that was not the case for me. Though his relationship with the youngest sister wife, Cecily, disgusted me, I felt bad for Linden. He may seem like the bad guy, but really, he knows nothing of how his brides were acquired and wouldn’t dare to question his father’s motives. He’s vulnerable, naïve and affectionate and I desperately wanted Rhine to come to love him. Now, I didn’t fall for Gabriel, Rhine’s love interest. I enjoyed their friendship, but I couldn’t see any spark in their romantic relationship. In case it wasn’t already implied, I am firmly Team Linden so I am hoping Rhine’s romance with Gabriel is short-lived.

At first, you are fooled by the luxurious life the girls now live. But soon, the dreadful occurrences ensue and you are utterly freaked out and scared for what will happen to these characters you are now deeply attached to.

My only qualm is how neither of the girls told Linden that they were kidnapped. I feel he would’ve had sympathy for them, since he himself is practically prisoner to his father. But besides that one little detail, this story was perfection to a T.

This novel will simply make your mind and heart race with all of its strong emotions. Wither far surpassed my expectations and kept me engaged until the very end. With a satisfying conclusion, I’m curious to see where DeStefano will take the story in the next installment, Fever. If polygamous relationships aren’t your cup of tea, I’d still suggest you give this beautiful novel a try anyway. You might surprise yourself with a new favorite. show less

In a world where women grow sick and perish by the age of twenty, they are bought and kidnapped, forced into polygamous marriages as breeding stock in hopes that natural births will prolong the lifespans of the next generations. I honestly didn’t know what to make of this book. It was shocking, disturbing, and aroused feelings of genuine anger in me. Women’s rights have come a long way in the past hundred years, but in this book, they’ve become nonexistent. Don’t get me wrong. It was a captivating read. Beautifully crafted, and engaging. The things that these poor girls were forced to go through were truly horrifying.

We’re introduced to beautiful blonde, heterochromiatic-eyed Rhine and her twin brother, Rowan who were both show more orphaned and living in their deceased parents house. Both working, and trying to make enough to get by. One day, Rhine answers an advertisement in the newspaper and is snatched up by a Gatherer and thrown into a van filled with other young girls close in age. The unfortunate ones who are not chosen are simply killed and thus begins the tale of sister-wives Rhine, Jenna and thirteen year old Cecily who are to be married off to Linden. Cecily, childlike in body and nature is simply happy enough to have a home to call her own. Jenna has resigned herself to death, and doesn’t really give a rat’s ass whether or not she lives or dies, as her sisters were in the van with her and were unceremoniously slaughtered after not making the cut. Rhine isn’t waiting around to be saved, and plans for escape. She takes action to save herself, without being too single minded or brash, rather she thoughtfully builds several escape plans in an attempt to save her own liberty.She spends a large portion of the book cozying up to Linden, earning his trust and planning for escape with the attendant, Gabriel who she has become closer with since she was first placed in Headmaster Vaughn and Governor Linden’s care.

I only have two issues with this book. And honestly, they aren’t even really that big of a deal. It’s just.. why?
1. Why did she wait for a storm to try to escape? Why didn’t she just bust a window, and peace out?
2. The puking. What is it with these girls and blowing chunks? It seems like every other day someone’s gonna fish their heads outta toilet.

Those things aside, this book left me speechless. And I can’t wait to see what happens to Rhine in the next installment. show less

Wow.

That about sums it up doesn't it? This book was amazing... yet utterly horrifying. I swear, I held my breath for the entire 358 pages (ha! And I didn't pass out... that should so be some sort of record right?) Fine! I felt like I held my breath the entire time!

Lauren DeStefano created a dystopian nightmare, in the form of a beautifully written novel. Can you imagine being stolen, forced to marry and then BREED? *shudder*

Rhine continuously broke my heart with the stories of her youth, then having her horrifyingly short 'adult' life stolen from her... and not only by her sadistic father-in-law, but by a horrendous genetic disease that causes you to die at 20!

I couldn't help but feel sorry for Linden... in all his ignorance, but I'm show more Team Gabriel ALL THE WAY.

I cannot wait for the second installment of The Chemical Garden Trilogy... Where do Rhine & Gabriel go? Does Rhine find her brother? What kind of state will he be in IF she finds him? Will her and Gabriel get to be together?

I have this really foreboding feeling that something bad is going to happen to Gabriel... show less

I am in love with this book. It grabbed hold of me. It held fast to my heart and my imagination.

The characterization is awesome. Awesome. All of the characters have such depth. Even Rowan, Rhine's brother who is absent in the story except through memories, has such depth. I can just picture him out there, desperate to find out what happened to Rhine and to get her back, searching for her just as relentlessly as she is trying to escape and get back to him. I adore Rhine. She is such a doggedly steadfast and determined character. She sets her sights on something and she is relentless in the pursuit of it. The relationship between the sister wives surprised me by being one of my favorite parts of the story. It captivated me. They're show more supportive and conspiratorial and conniving and damaged and they love each other as family. I cannot adequately express how much importance I find in positive female relationships in YA lit. And the characters all have flaws. They reside in gray areas, which makes them feel so realistically human. I savored every little tidbit of character development because each new thing I discovered about a character was like a punch in the gut. My heart would break. My anger would flare up. I'd feel a sudden sympathy that didn't exist previously. The villain is vile and creepy with a legitimate motivation, and he is surrounded by enough mystery to let the imagination run wild with what sorts of evil he is capable of which just makes him that much more terrifying. LOVE the characters.

The plot is interesting and creepy and frightening and hopeless and everything else that the description suggests. Rhine is driven by her determined need to escape and live out her final years in freedom rather than captivity. The pacing is great. I never felt like I hit a slow point, probably because the character development kept me so hooked. The ending leaves the reader satisfied and there is some resolution there, while still leaving the plot with important issues that need to be addressed and resolved in future books. So this is not just half of a story that is going to leave you feeling cheated out of any sort of closure. Don't get me wrong, though - I'm still impatiently waiting for the second book and hoping it's as amazing as the first! I am very much looking forward to more of Lauren DeStefano's work. show less