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From Goodreads: By age sixteen, Rhine Ellery has four years left to live. She can thank modern science for this genetic time bomb. A botched effort to create a perfect race has left all males with a lifespan of 25 years, and females with a lifespan of 20 years. Geneticists are seeking a miracle antidote to restore the human race, desperate orphans crowd the population, crime and poverty have skyrocketed, and young girls are being kidnapped and sold as polygamous brides to bear more children. When Rhine is kidnapped and sold as a bride, she vows to do all she can to escape. Her husband, Linden, is hopelessly in love with her, and Rhine can’t bring herself to hate him as much as she’d like to. He opens her to a magical world of wealth and illusion she never thought existed, and it almost makes it possible to ignore the clock ticking away her short life. But Rhine quickly learns that not everything in her new husband’s strange world is what it seems. Her father-in-law, an eccentric doctor bent on finding the antidote, is hoarding corpses in the basement. Her fellow sister wives are to be trusted one day and feared the next, and Rhine is desperate to communicate to her twin brother that she is safe and alive. Will Rhine be able to escape--before her time runs out?
Together with one of Linden's servants, Gabriel, Rhine attempts to escape just before her seventeenth birthday. But in a world that continues to spiral into anarchy, is there any hope for freedom?
Rating: 4.5/5
Plot: 5/5
Characters: 4/5
Ending: 5/5
It took me a while to read this book and I wish I would've read it earlier! But the upside of reading books late, is the sequels are already out and there's no wait! I rated this book highly because the plot was so new and interesting. I couldn't imagine living, knowing I'd only live until the age of 2o, boys 25, when my ancestors were able to live longer. Society is so focused on protecting themselves, that only the rich first generations are able to look for answers. I will admit, though, that I didn't completely understand why women had to be captured and sold; I'm sure there were plenty of women from families of rich, first generations who were willing to marry. The extremes were plausible but I feel like I wanted more background, more information.
Rhine (I love that name) was a strong character, but also emotional, and so I really loved her. I found myself liking Linden too, even feeling bad for him. I, as a reader, started out like Rhine: I didn't like anybody for taking her away from her brother but as I read more and Rhine learned more about her "family", I grew to care for them all. Gabriel and Deirdre especially.
I didn't have many qualms with this book, actually (read them in the spoilers). My rating isn't perfect due to the fact that, as I said, I wish there was more background but I hope because it's the first in a series, more information is to come. I'm reading Fever now!
One other reason my rating isn't perfect is because I felt like something was off between Linden and Cecily and their son. I know Cecily was weak and wanted to please her father-in-law but I didn't like that she let him take her son whenever he pleased.
What bothered me the most, and it was a big thing, was there were many time where Rhine could have been honest with Linden and told him what his father was really up to. If it didn't work, she could have still escaped, but I realize she wanted as much attention off of her as possible. If Jenna and Rhine and Cecily had all joined forces they would have been able to show his father's rage without telling him directly. Or the cooks could have poisoned him! So many options...
Together with one of Linden's servants, Gabriel, Rhine attempts to escape just before her seventeenth birthday. But in a world that continues to spiral into anarchy, is there any hope for freedom?
Rating: 4.5/5
Plot: 5/5
Characters: 4/5
Ending: 5/5
It took me a while to read this book and I wish I would've read it earlier! But the upside of reading books late, is the sequels are already out and there's no wait! I rated this book highly because the plot was so new and interesting. I couldn't imagine living, knowing I'd only live until the age of 2o, boys 25, when my ancestors were able to live longer. Society is so focused on protecting themselves, that only the rich first generations are able to look for answers. I will admit, though, that I didn't completely understand why women had to be captured and sold; I'm sure there were plenty of women from families of rich, first generations who were willing to marry. The extremes were plausible but I feel like I wanted more background, more information.
Rhine (I love that name) was a strong character, but also emotional, and so I really loved her. I found myself liking Linden too, even feeling bad for him. I, as a reader, started out like Rhine: I didn't like anybody for taking her away from her brother but as I read more and Rhine learned more about her "family", I grew to care for them all. Gabriel and Deirdre especially.
I didn't have many qualms with this book, actually (read them in the spoilers). My rating isn't perfect due to the fact that, as I said, I wish there was more background but I hope because it's the first in a series, more information is to come. I'm reading Fever now!
**SPOILER**
One other reason my rating isn't perfect is because I felt like something was off between Linden and Cecily and their son. I know Cecily was weak and wanted to please her father-in-law but I didn't like that she let him take her son whenever he pleased.
What bothered me the most, and it was a big thing, was there were many time where Rhine could have been honest with Linden and told him what his father was really up to. If it didn't work, she could have still escaped, but I realize she wanted as much attention off of her as possible. If Jenna and Rhine and Cecily had all joined forces they would have been able to show his father's rage without telling him directly. Or the cooks could have poisoned him! So many options...
I've been wanting to read this for a while, glad you enjoyed it!!
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Emily from Blue-Eyed Bibliophile