Release Date: March 22nd 2011
Author: Lauren DeStefano
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Source: Publisher for Review
Format: Paperback
Where to Buy: Amazon & The Book Depository
More Info: Goodreads
My review: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 she trusts, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limited time she has left.
Cover:
The cover is GORGEOUS. It's so pretty and I can stare at it for hours. The girl in the cover looks just like how I imagined Rhine. I like the dress, the circles in the cover and the bird in the cage which seems to symbolize the idea of being trapped and freedom. I think it's perfect for the book!
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| 5 Forget-Me-Not flowers for the cover! |
What if you knew exactly when you would die?
Wow, Wither absolutely surprised me. I was unable to stop reading and stayed up late to finish this book. It was such a heart-felt beautifully written story that completely enthralled and entranced me. Lauren DeStefano's writing captures me within every single page of the book. Her vivid descriptions of the things happening in this book makes me shiver. Her idea of Wither itself is brilliant. Can you imagine living a world where girls can only live up to 20 and boys can only live up to 25? Books like this makes me wonder how authors are so creative in coming up with ideas for their book. I was hooked from the very first page. Written from Rhine's POV, this book is gorgeous and enthralling. I remember reading the first chapter of this book when I saw it in the library last year but was never interested. Now I feel so stupid for not reading this book earlier. Wither is a sad yet gorgeous story. I love reading Rhine's story and the way she sees her life after being kidnapped to live in this unknown house and to marry a man she never knows in her life before. The ending pleased me and it made me start Fever directly because I can't wait to see how the story develops in the sequel.
Characters:
One thing I adore about Wither besides Lauren DeStefano's beautiful writing is her characters. They were so real, so different and so well-written. Lauren DeStefano perfectly captures Rhine's voice in this book and I can completely understand her pain of living in this mansion and the feeling of being trapped in the mansion. I also want eyes like Rhine's! Her left eye's colour is different compared to her right one! I can't imagine living Rhine's life and I feel sad that she is separated from her twin brother. I can also understand how she nearly falls into this luxurious world where she can wear gorgeous dresses, have attendants to serve her and attend parties whereas the life she has lived before she was kidnapped was a poor life.
I also enjoyed reading her sister wives : Jenna and Cecily. Cecily is an annoying girl who is still 13 (and she's pregnant, poor girl) and Jenna is a quiet girl who always notices things around her. I like how Rhine bonded with her sister wives. Linden is a very innocent character. He doesn't know the truth behind what his father is doing and simply obeys him. He is quite sweet and a loving character. He does intrigue me but I love what Rhine and Gabriel shared in this book. Their relationship is so romantic in a way that it's not full of kisses and touching but just talking and sharing their past. I can feel lost in Gabriel's gorgeous blue eyes. I absolutely hated Housemaster Vaughn, Linden's father and I cannot see how this man is the father of Linden. He is a perfect antagonist because he may seem kind at first but deep down is a true evil man!
Overall:
Lauren DeStefano delivers a brilliant concept and a beautifully written story through Wither. Beneath this book's beautiful cover is a gorgeous and enthralling story that will leave you breathless and wanting for more. Definitely a book I recommend buying for its pretty cover and amazing story! Wither completely blew me away.
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| 5 Forget-Me-Not flowers for Wither! |
Thank you Harper Collins Australia for the review copy!
Check out the GORGEOUS book trailer!
