Annotation:
In
the year 2032, sixteen-year-old Eve is preparing for graduation from School, a
place she has been living with other girls her age since a deadly plagued wiped
out most of the world’s population years earlier. When Eve finds out the truth
about her future holds post-graduation, however, she escapes and ventures into
the wild trying to survive in a world full of broken down buildings, vicious
packs of wild animals, and savage gangs of brutal men.
Personal
thoughts: Although I did enjoy this book, I couldn’t help but think for
most of it, “Wow, this reminds of me ‘insert name of other novel.’” There was
so much overlap for me with other young adult dystopian literature that I
couldn’t really get into the story. I do realize that it is common for many YA
novels to have similar concepts, themes, etc., and for that reason I think that
the Eve series can be easily enjoyed
by many readers who are really into the genre. It would make an ideal
read-alike for fans of Hunger Games or
Divergent especially. Even though I
was not the hugest fan, I do plan to pick up the sequel when it’s released in
July. I want to see what direction the series takes.
Plot
summary: The year is 2032, and most of the world’s population has been
wiped out by a deadly plague sixteen years earlier. To try and reestablish
order, the King of New America has formed Schools: places for young orphaned
girls to live and become educated, hoping one day to work in a trade in the
City of Sand. Sixteen-year-old Eve has been a student in such a school for ten
years since her mother succumbed to the plague. Intelligent and disciplined,
Eve is her class’ valedictorian, charged with the honor of leading her friends “across
the bridge” to their new residence where they will learn their trade. The night
before graduation, however, Eve learns the terrible truth about what happens to
the graduates once they cross the bridge: they are turned into broodmares,
impregnated over and over again to anonymously repopulate New America. Eve is
horrified and escapes the walls of the School to try and reach Califia, a place
that is said to be free and beyond the reach of the King. Pursued by government
troops and struggling to survive in the wild, Eve encounters Arden, another runaway
student from her School, and the pair, though former rivals, agree to travel to
Califia together. Having been taught from an early age to fear all men except
the King, Eve and Arden are terrified when they encounter Caleb, the first boy
of their own age they have ever seen, who saves them one night from a vicious
bear attack. As Eve gets to know Caleb, she finds herself experiencing something
they didn’t teach her about in School: love. Will Eve’s newfound feelings get
in the way of her making it safely to Califia?
Review: Dystopian literature seems to be
getting an increasingly sturdy foothold in young adult literature, and the
addition of Anna Carey’s new series Eve
further cements the genre as a literary powerhouse. The concepts in the novel
have some degree of overlap with most other dystopian stories available: a
plague has wiped out the globe leaving North America a barren wasteland. A
rigid society has formed to help keep order in an otherwise chaotic world. A
beautiful and intelligent girl finds herself meeting a handsome ruffian in the
wilderness who teaches her how to survive. Unfortunately for Eve, there is very little new material
in the plot. The one concept that is perhaps the most interesting and stands
out in the novel is the idea of the girls being taught that men are not to be
trusted. This was an intriguing thought, and one that was explored later in the
romance between Eve and Caleb. The novel also makes mention of many classic
works of literature that most teen readers will be able to understand and
appreciate. Overall, Eve is
entertaining, but there are many other series available that capture the
excitement of the dystopian genre more successfully. The second novel in the
series, Once, is set to be released
July 3, 2012.
Genre: Science-Fiction
Reading
level: Grade 7+
Similar
titles: The
Chemical Garden trilogy by Lauren DeStefano, Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel, The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch, Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky, Legend by Marie Lu, Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi, Dark
Inside by Jeyn Roberts, Under the
Never Sky by Veronica Rossi.
Themes: Dystopian, plague, post-apocalyptic,
oppression, love.
Awards/Reviews:
Positive review from Lauren Kate, author of Fallen.
Series
Information: First installment in Eve
series. Second novel, Once, set to be
released July 3, 2012.
Discussion
questions:
- Why do you think the students at Eve’s school were taught to fear men?
- If you were Eve, would you have left School after finding out the truth? Why or why not?
- Why do you think Eve and Arden didn’t get along? What changed their relationship?
- Do you think Leif is a protagonist or antagonist? Why?
- Why do you think the King wanted Eve so much?
- Were you happy with Eve’s choice at the end of the novel? Why or why not?
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