The Bursting Bookshelf

Title: Wither

Obviously, something went terribly wrong. Genetic mutations have festered, reducing human longevity to twenty-five, even less for most women. To prevent extinction, young girls are kidnapped, mated in polygamous marriages with men eager to procreate. Sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery, a recent victim of this breeding farm mentality, has vowed to break loose from its fetters; but finding allies and a safe way out is a challenge she can only hope she will survive.

Wither has been a book that I have been dying to get my hands on. Although I was not a fan of the cover, I had heard such great things about it that I decided to pick it up from my local bookstore upon their recommendation, and am I ever glad I did so! At the beginning of the book I was a little irked by some of the themes covered (to be spoiler free, I won't mention those) but as I continued to read, I found myself able to overcome that sensation by means of the quality of the book. The writing was great, though at times a bit repetitive. I also found Rhine to be a bit frustrating because of her constant changes of heart. On the other hand, I was also refreshed to find that the protagonist wasn't perfect. The plot moved fairly fast, with a few slow points here and there. I would recommend this book to mature teen readers who enjoy dystopian books. Overall, there were so many questions left unanswered and such a cliffhanger ending that I will be for sure be going to get Fever when it comes out, but until then, Wither gets a 4/5.