Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Review: Birthmarked by Caraugh O'Brien

Birthmarked (Birthmarked, #1)
Birthmarked by Caraugh O'Brien

After climate change, on the north shore of Unlake Superior, a dystopian world is divided between those who live inside the wall, and those, like sixteen-year-old midwife Gaia Stone, who live outside. It’s Gaia’s job to “advance” a quota of infants from poverty into the walled Enclave, until the night one agonized mother objects, and Gaia’s parents are arrested.
Badly scarred since childhood, Gaia is a strong, resourceful loner who begins to question her society. As Gaia’s efforts to save her parents take her within the wall, she herself is arrested and imprisoned.
Fraught with difficult moral choices and rich with intricate layers of codes, Birthmarked explores a colorful, cruel, eerily familiar world where one girl can make all the difference, and a real hero makes her own moral code.


Published in US: March 2010
Source: Friend :) Thanks Pep!
1st in series, next "Prized" is out Nov 2011


My Review:

   Birthmarked is packed with action, and I didn't want to stop. Even though the world is kinda scary because I could see society evolving into what the Enclave has created in Gaia's world, I didn't want to leave their adventure when I reached the last page.
   It starts with a bang, and gets me intrigued right from the start. Why would she deliver this baby and then take it away? Why is she so torn over it? Then when her parents have been arrested and a strange but handsome guard is there to question *her* I am pretty entranced with her story and wanted to find out what was next.
   Gaia's bravery and determination are admirable, and I never expect what happens next, or who will surprise me and step up to be an ally.
   There is just a hint of love story in Birthmarked, but it left me satisfied, but at the same time wanting more, if that makes any sense.
   I can't wait for the sequel, and to see what takes me by surprise next.

1 comment:

  1. I've been wondering about this one. The concept sounded excellent but I wanted to see it reviewed first. Thank you! I'll be picking it up!

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