Review: Wither

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Summary (from 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.

My Thoughts: What an intriguing plot, and what a wonderfully written narrative. I absolutely loved Wither, and found myself reading it every second I had a chance. The world Rhine lives in is a shell of the world we know today. The only continent left after World War 3 (as I believe it was called) is North America. (There was no mention of South America. Asia, Europe, and Africa were specifically mentioned, but I don’t think South America or Australia were. I do wonder, though, if South America was also eradicated.) The huge mansion – er, rather estate – Rhine is brought to is just beyond my imagination. But, I could picture the wives’ floor, the kitchen, the orange grove, etc. – key places in the story.

The story is fabulous. I could feel and understand Rhine’s conflicting feelings as she grows accustomed to living in Linden’s family home. Part of me wanted to see her fully embrace the role of First Wife, and see her accept her new home and her new family. But, I also wanted to see her free, see her reunited with her twin, and see her break free of her prison.

One of the hardest things for me to accept was the ages of the girls. Rhine is in the middle. I can’t remember the age of the older one – wanna say about 18 – but the younger one was 13 when she was married – and impregnated. I know it is possible. I know it happens, but the thought of a 13-year-old girl in that situation … and knowing her child would be 7 when she dies … wow. It’s hard to wrap my mind around such a world.

Again, I really enjoyed this book. I’m glad it’s the first in a series, because I look forward to delving more into this world. Will the virus be cured? Is there any hope for humanity? Will Rhine find a way back to her brother? What about Linden’s father? These are the questions – and many more – that I’m left with. I sure hope the wait for Book 2 isn’t too far out!

My Rating: 4.5 stars

Source: Received through Around The World Tours for review.

Read It: Wither is scheduled for release on March 22, 2011. You can pre-order it HERE. (This is an Amazon link, and purchase through this link will result in my receiving a small commission. Your support is appreciated!)

Challenges: Counts for 100 Books in a Year Reading Challenge 2011.

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FTC Disclosure: All items reviewed were either obtained by me for my own enjoyment or sent (from the author, publisher, publicist, via tour sites, etc.) in exchange for an honest review. I receive no monetary compensation for my posts. All opinions expressed are my own.

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