clockworkserenity

Release Date: September 4, 2012
ARC Received from Publisher: Razorbill

Pia lives with a team of scientists in a compound in the middle of the rainforest. They have genetically created her to be immortal from a plant found in the rainforest. They tell her she is "perfect" and she is the future, but she is not as arrogant as you might expect. Pia, who just turned 17, begins to question her confinement, her surroundings and her life. She sneaks out and meets a native boy, Eio, and finds out there is much in question at her facility.

This debut YA novel has tons of creativity made all the more interesting by a location I haven’t seen much in YA, the Amazon rainforest. There are great descriptions that make it easy to immerse yourself into the landscape. The storyline is thorough, which is so important when tackling science and genetic engineering. Just when I started to question something, the author covered it so there were no loose ends. There are some animal testing scenes that are a bit intense, but it is in the nature of scientific study and one of the main things that the protagonist begins to question. I found all the characters well developed, the incorporation of native tradition and folklore imaginative, and the lesser known corporation responsible for the compound, Corpus, was a foreboding presence in the background. Romance, mystery, and intrigue all make for a fast-paced and dynamic read.

Follow my blog at www.clockwork-serenity.tumblr.com/