This Mortal Coil

The Hydra Virus in this story is hands down the grossest most hardcore method of mass extinction ever. It’s not a spoiler to tell you that people explode and then float around in a giant death cloud, is it? I hope not, cause now you know.

There are so many twists that once you start to figure it out then you are wrong, and you don’t even mind because it is a brilliant twist. It’s fast-paced and somewhat plausible. I read it in a couple of days. It is gory, and usually, that’s not my jam, but I was okay with this as it suited the story.

Perfect for the science-loving teen in your world that likes a bit of gore mixed in with their teen romance drama.

At first glance and even upon the first quarter of the novel, This Mortal Coil appears to be yet another dystopian story in which a shady government-type organization is trying to control the country, but one lone teenage female holds the power to prevent this from happening. It even appears that there is an obligatory love triangle to hit all of the checkmarks in generic young adult science fiction/fantasy stories. The continuation of the story proves that these assumptions are anything but true, thankfully, as the story takes off in a flurry of unexpected twists, science, action, drama, and ethical quandaries. It quickly becomes a novel not easy set aside for real life as Cat garners sympathy and a fierce protective mode, compelling show more you to keep reading at all costs.

One of the best things about This Mortal Coil, in my opinion anyway, is the fact that it celebrates science and learning, particularly the STEM subjects. The entire premise of the story revolves around the idea that in the future society merges technology and medical science to allow people to change everything from their appearance to their health via gene masking. Cat spends her days proving how useful these subjects are not only to combat shady organizations but also for basic survival. To be fair, the science and the coding sections do get complicated and can be intimidating; it is going to be easy for readers to skim these sections because they are not part of your typical novel. However, Ms. Suvada does an excellent job explaining the intricacies of code and of DNA, making these sections educational as well as entertaining. Also, skimming these scenes come with their own risk. Not only does skimming them or even skipping them outright reduce your understanding of the story, it perpetuates the myth that STEM subjects are for certain types of people – something Ms. Suvada is expressly trying to debunk with her action-adventure story. This is a story where being passionate about the sciences is something to celebrate rather than hide.

Cat is an excellent protagonist. Independent, intelligent, and knowledgeable, she does not hide who she is or what is important to her. At the same time, she does not hide her vulnerabilities either. After all, she is only seventeen years old, forced to live by herself for two years while the world is seemingly collapsing around her. She loves her father and believes in his mission. More importantly, she understands priorities, capable of sacrificing the one to save the millions. She exhibits a rare maturity for her age, something no doubt born from her experiences, but Ms. Suvada allows her to show her frailties too. She may be mature, but she also has moments of self-doubt and self-consciousness that are the hallmark of the teen years. There is very little angst, as this is not so much a coming-of-age story as it is a mystery/action/adventure that only Cat can solve. At the same time, the story evolves into so much more as Cat explores the meaning of identity and personal rights while dealing with changing the fundamental structure of what it means to be human.

This Mortal Coil is a very strong debut novel. While not perfect, Ms. Suvada’s story manages to avoid so many of the pitfalls that tend to trip up debut authors in this genre. Her science adds a nice layer of complexity and interest to her story. Cat is a nice blend of vulnerable and strong, making her an engaging heroine in whom readers take a vested interest. The supporting cast is equally complex and prove their worth to be part of the story and by Cat’s side. Ms. Suvada leaves enough questions unanswered to pique interest in the sequel while providing plenty of answers to assuage a reader’s curiosity. Best of all, there is no major cliffhanger. The story definitely continues and readers will want to know what comes next, but there is no abrupt end of scene at a pivotal moment in the action. The whole novel is an exercise in exhilarating reading and a welcome way to usher in the holiday season. show less

“There’s no such thing as right anymore - that ended when the plague hit. Sometimes we need to do awful things to stop worse things from happening. You’re still thinking in terms of right and wrong, but this is war, and the rules have changed.”

I don’t think I’ve ever had such mixed feelings about a book in my entire life. On one hand, I LOVED so much of it - the world building, the high stakes, the grey morality, the desperate tone - all things I really enjoyed. However, one twist left me feeling pretty weird, and created this uncomfortable feeling that lasted the rest of the book. Regardless, This Mortal Coil was an experience that I will not soon forget.

We follow gene-hacking genius, Catarina Agatta, as she searched for show more the key to rebuild a vaccine to the deadly Hydra virus and stay out of the clutches of Cartaxus - the shadow organization that captured her father two years ago. With the help of a childhood friend and a few reluctant partners in the form of Cartaxus soldiers, Cat discovers shocking secrets about her past and the world she thought she knew.

Things I Liked
I really love all the sciencey and genetics aspects in the story. Color me shocked because science really isn’t my thing, but it was all so interesting and believable. I really liked learning all about DNA and genetics. I thought the gene-hacking things was really cool, and I liked that each child who was a part of the Zarathurstra Initiative (Cole, Leoben, Jun Bei, Anna, and Ziana) has some special capability related to their DNA. It was all very compelling and kept me engaged.

There was this creepy and anxious overall tone that created tension and uneasiness throughout the whole story, and made it a perfect book to read during this time of the year. There are also SO MANY unexpected revelations. The threats and dangers all seem very real making a high stakes environment that makes you want to keep reading.

This world is so morally grey, and I was so here for it. In this world, survival is paramount and most people are willing to do anything to ensure they survive. There are lies and schemes and underhandedness that all blur the lines between right and wrong. I loved seeing Cat confronting this reality that she wanted to ignore.

With such high stakes and fast action plot, I was worried the characters would fall to the wayside. But I really became invested in the characters. My heart kept going out to characters and they drew emotion from me.

Things I Didn’t Like
The book did feel a little too long. I don’t necessarily feel like anything was filler-y, but some parts did drag a bit.

The romance started to feel a little forced the more we got into the story. I felt like there were some plot choices made, just to directly influence the romances, and is started to get a little heavy handed.

Now for the big twist that made for feel kinda weird. Massive spoilers behind the cut. At around the 90% mark we learn that Cat is actually Jun Bei. Jun Bei’s ability is to be able to mimic and change her DNA, and Dr. Lachlan Agatta made her into Cat, erasing all memories of her early life. This reveal made me feel pretty uncomfortable - it felt like we got rid of an Asian American character in Jun Bei, and turned her into a white character, Catarina. I know Lachlan talked about how the knockout kids that were part of the Zarathursa program were born from plague DNA, and we never really get to actually see Jun Bei, but it still made me feel weird. I understand the Cat is fundamentally, and genetically, a different person from Jun Bei. They have different DNA and a different mind, but Cat could hear Jun Bei’s voice in her head, she started to remember her life as Jun Bei, interacting with the other kids from the program. After this reveal, I had this lingering weird feeling that made me enjoy the last 10% of the book less than I expected, given that I really enjoyed everything leading up to it.

I still have kinda mixed feeling about this, and I don’t know if I’m overthinking things or what. I really loved so many aspects of the story, and it was an addicting read that kept the pages turning. Unfortunately, the ending was a let down for me and sort of clouded my overall view of the book. Overall, my thoughts are a mess and I don’t really know what I’m feeling.

Trigger Warning for gore and graphic medical procedures

I received a copy of the book from Simon Pulse via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. show less

Shoutout to my BFF for sending me an ARC of this.

I am SHOOK. People, get this on your TBR list. This Mortal Coil is the perfect blend of disturbing, post-apocalyptic, techie sci-fi (too many adjectives?) action with enough twists to shock even the most intuitive reader. I don't even know how to go about writing a concise synopsis for this novel because there's just too much to digest.

Catarina is a talented hacker and the daughter of a legendary geneticist in a world where everyone possesses the technology to manipulate their own DNA. It has been two years since a deadly virus began sweeping the planet and two years since Cat's father was forcibly taken by the shady organization Cartaxus to create a vaccine. Ever since, Cat has been show more living in an isolated cabin, avoiding the volatile Lurkers, and struggling to survive both the elements and the virus. However, the appearance of a soldier belonging to the very organization she has grown to hate and fear throws her into a tailspin. Cole carries not only the life-altering news that Cat's father is dead, but that she is the key to decoding the vaccine needed to save humanity from the evolving virus. Faced with a seemingly impossible task, Cat is forced to call into question not only the truth about her father and Cartaxus, but her entire existence.

This Mortal Coil throws around a lot of futuristic tech jargon about coding and gene sequencing that was unfamiliar, but which flows effortlessly in this story. I can't applaud Suvada enough for writing a post-apocalyptic story that felt not only fresh but incredibly smart and relevant. The characters are dynamic, the world building inventive, and the core story shockingly riveting. show less

I want to get my one issue out of the way before I talk about how much I love this book. The love triangle. I don't care too much for love triangles but it fueled some aspects of the book so I'm willing to overlook it.

The plot was fantastic. The idea of a virus that makes people explode? I am here for it. This was a unique concept that exceeded expectations. The execution of the many little plot devices throughout the story didn't feel messy like I thought it was going to.

I love the world building. The idea that people could be coded for most aspects of their life was different and that's what I'm looking for when I actually go looking for a science fiction book. I loved the science behind everything. This was truly fascinating. The show more terminology didn't feel over the top or slowed down the story. The explanation behind everything didn't feel over simplistic or dumbed down.

Cat is a total badass character and I love her. I didn't feel too much of a connection with her but it didn't stop me from cheering her on and wanting to know everything that I could about her.

I enjoyed Cole. I want more about him and more details about his upbringing. I would be here if Suvada would release a book solely about the program that they grew up in. I can't wait to see how Cole's story continues.

The twist was a good idea but it was given away pretty quickly. I don't mind that but I still wish it had been a little more secretive.

I think that this is one of my favorite post-apocalyptic novels and I'm usually very picky. show less

I found this book to a very fast pace read. I thought the world building and science was so interesting but I did sometimes get lost in the details. I thought that the world building because it was a mystery felt like massive info dump near the end and just wanted more time to process the ending. I did not feel super connected to the characters but I really loved reading the book. The pacing was overall quick pace but had slow moments towards the middle of the book. I def did not send the massive ending coming and found that to super cool. I am really am exited to read book 2 soon!

I found this book to a very fast pace read. I thought the world building and science was so interesting but I did sometimes get lost in the details. I thought that the world building because it was a mystery felt like massive info dump near the end and just wanted more time to process the ending. I did not feel super connected to the characters but I really loved reading the book. The pacing was overall quick pace but had slow moments towards the middle of the book. I def did not send the massive ending coming and found that to super cool. I am really am exited to read book 2 soon!