Search This Blog
June Reviews Link-Up
July Reviews Link-Up
August Reviews Link-Up
September Reviews Link-Up
October Reviews Link-Up
November Reviews Link-Up
December Reviews Link-Up
2024 Literary Escapes Challenge
- Alabama (1)
- Alaska
- Arizona (1)
- Arkansas
- California (3)
- Colorado (1)
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia (1)
- Hawaii
- Idaho (2)
- Illinois (1)
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky (1)
- Louisiana (1)
- Maine (1)
- Maryland
- Massachusetts (2)
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York (2)
- North Carolina (3)
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma (1)
- Oregon (2)
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (2)
- Utah
- Vermont (2)
- Virginia (1)
- Washington (2)
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
- Washington, D.C.*
International:
- Australia (1)
- Canada (1)
- England (7)
- France (1)
- Indonesia (1)
- Ireland (2)
- Italy (1)
- Scotland (2)
- The Netherlands (1)
2024 Build Your Library Reading Challenge
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Origin: Languid Loveliness, Subtle Darkness
1:00 AM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Hidden in a secret research facility in the middle of the Amazon rainforest is a girl like no other. Pia may look like your average 17-year-old, but she's not. She's smarter, stronger, more indestructible than any person on Earth. Unlike other humans, Pia is immortal. Long after her creators die, long after everyone she knows passes on, she will live.
Even though Pia's surrounded by a team of scientists, two of whom are—technically, anyway—her parents, she can't help feeling lonely. She's never seen another teenager, let alone talked to one or hung out with one. And she wants to. Desperately. The scientists would scold her for entertaining such human emotions, but she can't help it. She's been promised that someday soon she will be able to help create a boy, her perfect companion. Together, they will create a new generation of immortals. The trouble is, she's not sure she can wait that long.
When an illicit trek into the jungle brings Pia face-to-face with a native boy, 17-year-old Eio Farwalker, she's stunned. Even more shocking is that she wants to see him again. And again. And again. Contact with the outside world is strictly prohibited—Pia can't even imagine what will happen if she's caught. As she struggles to deny the allure of Eio and the freedom he enjoys, she takes a hard look at her world. For the first time, she wonders and questions and doubts the laws of her own existence. Knowing she can't live in both worlds, Pia must make a terrifying choice—and live with the consequences, deadly though they may be.
Although the premise behind Origin by Jessica Khoury (available September 4, 2012) may not be all that original, it still makes for an exciting novel. Don't expect an action-packed thriller, though, because the author takes her time building suspense. This isn't a bad thing. Not at all. In fact, her prose has a languid loveliness to it that makes the story's subtle darkness even more affecting. Although the plot gets predictable, I enjoyed this one—even if it was more for the storytelling than for the actual story.
(Readalikes: Although Origin isn't dystopian, it reminds me of books like Matched by Ally Condie and Delirium by Lauren Oliver; also a little of Partials by Dan Wells.)
Grade: B
If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG for mild language (no F-bombs), violence and sexual innuendo
1 comment:
Comments make me feel special, so go crazy! Just keep it clean and civil. Feel free to speak your mind (I always do), but be aware that I will delete any offensive comments.
P.S.: Don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away. I have to approve each one before it posts to prevent spam. It's annoying, but it works!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments
(Atom)
Reading
Listening
Followin' with Bloglovin'
-
-
Time Travel Thursday4 hours ago
-
Paris to the Moon by Adam Gopnik6 hours ago
-
-
-
Loyally Luke Review + giveaway12 hours ago
-
#ThrowbackThursday. Stephen Fry in America14 hours ago
-
-
-
The Wild Lavender Bookshop by Jodi Thomas18 hours ago
-
Daily Prompt 15 May Wednesday21 hours ago
-
-
World of Books ~ Review1 day ago
-
-
-
Spoon To Be Dead By Dana Mentink1 day ago
-
Displaced Persons - Joan Leegant2 days ago
-
Reading Recap April 20242 days ago
-
-
-
-
-
Bridge to Bat City3 days ago
-
-
Blood Rubies by Mailan Doquang6 days ago
-
-
-
-
47. The One and Only Family1 week ago
-
A bit of catching up1 week ago
-
-
May TBR2 weeks ago
-
-
-
-
March Monthly Wrap-up1 month ago
-
-
-
-
-
What Happened to Summer?7 months ago
-
6/25/23 Extra Ezra10 months ago
-
-
-
-
-
Are you looking for Pretty Books?1 year ago
-
-
-
-
-
Grab my Button!
Blog Archive
- ► 2021 (159)
- ► 2020 (205)
- ► 2019 (197)
- ► 2018 (223)
- ► 2017 (157)
- ► 2016 (157)
- ► 2015 (188)
- ► 2014 (133)
- ► 2013 (183)
- ▼ 2012 (193)
- ► 2011 (232)
- ► 2010 (257)
- ► 2009 (211)
- ► 2008 (192)
Nice review! I like books that can pull off a "slow build." They tend to have better worldbuilding. The cover on this book rocks!
ReplyDelete