2016 book 166

Lauren Oliver's Replica
Much is being made of the format of Oliver's latest--it's the story of two girls, told in parallel, but I guess in print you literally flip it over to get the second story (and can read it in either order), whereas the Kindle version has links so you can flip back and forth between the stories*, or read all of one and then all of the other, or whatever you want! It's pretty cool, especially once the stories come together. I did worry a little bit that because the WAY the story is told was being so hyped, the story itself wouldn't be that great, but I should have had more faith in Lauren Oliver! Both girls here are super compelling--one, a replica raised in a research facility full of human clones; the other, a girl who's had all sorts of medical issues and is not-fondly called "Frankenstein" by the mean girls in her class. Things are moderately predictable, but I didn't mind--the characters are really engaging. But because this is YA, there is a lot of emphasis on romance which I could personally have done with less of, and because of the format, I got confused at the somewhat abrupt ending and thought I had missed a chapter. Instead I am left hoping for a sequel! B+.


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*This did . . . not actually quite work. Like, I would read chapter 4 of Lyra, and then click to read chapter 4 of Gemma . . . where there was a link taking me back to chapter 4 of Lyra. So then I was trying to read TWO chapters of each at a time, but getting caught up in the story, and then having to remember where I left off in the other one . . . I love this idea but the technology is not quite there yet.