goodreads summary: When a virus makes everyone over the age of eighteen infertile, would-be parents pay teen girls to conceive and give birth to their children, making teens the most prized members of society. Girls sport fake baby bumps and the school cafeteria stocks folic-acid-infused food.
Sixteen-year-old identical twins Melody and Harmony were separated at birth and have never met until the day Harmony shows up on Melody’s doorstep. Up to now, the twins have followed completely opposite paths. Melody has scored an enviable conception contract with a couple called the Jaydens. While they are searching for the perfect partner for Melody to bump with, she is fighting her attraction to her best friend, Zen, who is way too short for the job.
Harmony has spent her whole life in Goodside, a religious community, preparing to be a wife and mother. She believes her calling is to convince Melody that pregging for profit is a sin. But Harmony has secrets of her own that she is running from.
When Melody is finally matched with the world-famous, genetically flawless Jondoe, both girls’ lives are changed forever. A case of mistaken identity takes them on a journey neither could have ever imagined, one that makes Melody and Harmony realize they have so much more than just DNA in common.
From New York Times bestselling author Megan McCafferty comes a strikingly original look at friendship, love, and sisterhood—in a future that is eerily believable.
My Review: I think the concept is great. To me, it’s a mix between The Girl who owned a City and Children of Men. I preferred reading Melody’s point of view, as Harmony’s was over-the-top preachy and I’ll be happy never hearing her say ‘Oh my Grace’ ever again. Everything about Harmony really irritated me, from her mannerisms to clothing to her thoughts that maybe, just maybe, she could convince Jondoe that procreating for money is morally wrong, and that she could come back and live with her in Goodside.
The writing was painful to get through, and having terms like “neggy,” “fertilicious,” “MiNet,” and “breedy” that didn’t make sense added to my annoyance. McCafferty made Melody and Harmony, as well as every other teenager in Otherside, completely obsessed with sex, pregnancy, and either being am/pro (amateur or professional).
My favorite character is Zen, and he is the one who makes me like this book. I understand that the book is a satirical dystopian YA novel, and she does convey the world very well, but because of the new words and the clever displacement of information, it was a bit challenging to get through. I’m really sold on the concept but even though I’m curious about what’ll happen in the sequel (THUMPED, 4/24/12) I’m not sure if I’ll read it or not.
Rating: 3.5/5.
No comments:
Post a Comment