Normal is a word invented by boring people to make them feel better about being boring
I bought Replica at the beginning of last year but the thickness and the duality of the book prevented me from picking it up. But I finally did and even though it’s not bad, I will not read Ringer because I don’t care enough.
Book Review: Replica by Lauren Oliver
Rating:
Title & Author: Replica by Lauren Oliver
Genre: Dystopia, Adventure
Release date: October 4 2016
Series: Replica
Publisher: HarperCollins
Synopsis
Lyra
From a distance, the Haven Institute, tucked away on a private island off the coast of Florida, looks serene and even beautiful. But up close the locked doors, military guards, and biohazard suits tell a different story. In truth, it is a clandestine research facility where thousands of replicas, or human models, are born, raised, and observed.
But when a surprise attack is launched on Haven, two of its young experimental subjects—Lyra, or 24, and the boy known only as 72—manage to escape. As they make their way through a new and menacing environment, they meet a stranger named Gemma, who has embarked on a perilous quest of her own. And as Lyra tries to understand Haven’s purpose, she uncovers earth-shattering secrets that will change the lives of both girls.
Gemma
Gemma has been in and out of hospitals her whole life. A sickly child, she has grown into a lonely adolescent whose life is circumscribed by home, school, and her best friend, April.
But after she is nearly abducted by a stranger claiming to know her, Gemma starts to investigate her family’s past and discovers her father’s mysterious connection to the secretive Haven research facility. Hungry for answers, she travels to Florida, only to stumble upon two human models, or replicas, 24 and 72—and a completely new set of questions. As Gemma tries to unravel the mysteries of Haven, she learns terrible truths about herself and her family that will threaten to destroy everything she loves.
Two girls, two stories, one novel.
I give Replica by Lauren Oliver three out of five hearts because I didn’t care enough and it was an okay read. I liked the idea of the story but Lauren Oliver is just not an author I like reading.
The book is a flip book, one half of it is the story from Lyra’s perspective and the other half of Gemma’s. Goodreads says you can read one after another or alternate the chapters. I read first Lyra’s and then Gemma’s for no apparent reason. It seems to be a promising story and the world is pretty well developed. The two different stories don’t work against each other and I loved the fact that I could just have only one pov in each story. Both girls were very different from each other and that was visible, which is great. But it also kept me from bonding with them because the characters didn’t bond with me.
I also found that I kept wondering when the book was going to take me anywhere and it took forever for Lyra to meet Gemma and then they left! I do think Gemma’s reaction to Cassiopeia was a little too small for what it was. I think that if I would see someone who looks exactly like me I would scream and freak out instead of wonder.
The concept is really interesting, but I didn’t care for the characters and where they are going, so I won’t be reading Ringer, the second part in this duology.
Let me know what you thought of this book!
If you have any requests for which book I should talk about next, please let me know in the comments down below.
For now, let books enrich your life!