Claire Sykes reviews Wither by Lauren DeStefano

One of the best parts about my job is working with young people in our community. Claire Sykes, a 10th grader at St. Andrew’s, works in Oz with me during her Christmas and summer breaks and is a great reader. She has read Wither by Lauren Destefano and has been raving about it every since. Here is her take on this young adult book:

I’ve read lots of dystopian novels, but none like this. In most of these kinds of books, the source of conflict comes from an authoritarian government that constantly involves itself with all aspects of the citizens’ lives. However, in the novel Wither, a controlling government is the least of everyone’s worries: instead, they have another problem to worry about.

At first, everything appeared to be wonderful-scientists had perfected genetics and they created a new generation of humans immune to any illness or disease. But despite the success of this First Generation, their offspring have become infected with a lethal virus that kills males at age 25 and females at age 20. In an effort to create more children in a rapidly dying world, girls are often kidnapped and sold into polygamous marriage. This is the situation 16 year old Rhine finds herself in. She is whisked away from her home and her twin brother in New York City to the home of her new husband in Florida. However, she hates everything about this unfamiliar life and is determined to escape from her confinement. So, with the help of a servant named Gabriel, Rhine plots to run away and find her way back home again.