R E K. (bigstone) - , reviewed on 2/5/2012 + 1438 more book reviews

This read reminded me so much of 1984 that I would almost be willing to bet that the author took her ideas from that much earlier novel about a world where people are controlled. The difference is that this novel is aimed at an YA audience and it's about love. Love is believed to be a disease so when young people reach the age of 18 they undergo a procedure that limits or eliminates the emotions they feel. The entire book is devoted to creating this unreal yet horrible world where people become like zombies, living and working as if that is all there is to life. Lena, short for Magdalena, is a teenager who, like her friends, have adapted to this strange world. She looks forward to the procedure until she meets Alex. Alex is older and attends a local college. He has a scar that indicates he is "cured" or has had the procedure. However, the scar is on his skin surface only. It's a way to live in this world without the "cure." Of course, Lena and Alex fall in love and meet whenever they can just to see each other. They are discovered. Lena is captured, drugged and tied to her bed while the date of her procedure moved up. With the help of her little cousin she escapes and the tale rockets to an ending that again mirrors 1984. However, it does reflect two important concepts - freedom and love are important parts of life. A good, good read.

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