Wither
The Chemical Garden Trilogy #1
by Lauren DeStefano
Dystopian
Science Fiction
* * * Stars (Pretty good)
In a future where humans have orchestrated their own downfall through genetic engineering, lifespans have been drastically shortened – men die at 25 and women at 20 years of age. Sixteen-year-old Rhine is kidnapped by the Gatherers along with a number of other girls (teenagers) to become the brides of wealthy and privileged Linden Ashby. Her sister wives, Cecily (13) and Jenna (19) are content with their lot, but Rhine is determined to return to her twin brother in Manhattan, and she’ll do whatever it takes to escape. An intriguing premise that doesn’t linger overlong on the science that created this future, instead focusing on the disturbing consequences and Rhine’s emancipation. Some similar themes as Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale.
Reviewed by YA Librarian
