Brave New Girl

March 1, 2017
After a chance encounter with a boy, a girl discovers secrets about herself and her society.In Lakeview, a new genome's manufactured every year for each division--the trade labor division adds 5,000 identical girls yearly. Gardener Dahlia 16's life changes when she's trapped in an elevator with regulation hottie Trigger 17 of special forces, and they end up chatting--in violation of their society's strict rules. Soon, they're falling for each other, despite the fact that her feeling attraction to him is proof of a defect--and a detected defect means the recall not just of Dahlia, but of all 4,999 of her shared genomes; and recall means extermination. This setup part of the book is rather extended, and little pieces of the worldbuilding don't add up, which means, as any reader of recent teen dystopias will guess, that a secret, sinister twist awaits! Despite the lack of originality, the prose moves quickly, a good thing, considering how long it takes to move out of the exposition. The uneven pacing continues up to the abrupt cliffhanger ending that offers no resolution. Although race has different meaning in a world where genomes are designed and selected for variety, and other races are presented in the background, Dahlia's genome is white, and Trigger's skin is described as "a few shades deeper." Adds nothing new to a crowded genre. (Dystopian romance. 12 & up)

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March 1, 2017

Gr 6 Up-Vincent weaves elements of various dystopian classics with thrilling, jaw-dropping moments and just enough romance to produce an immensely satisfying albeit derivative novel. Lakeview's inhabitants belong to clone cohorts, each one engineered for a specific purpose. Dahlia, 16, belongs to the Dahlia cohort, thousands of girls genetically engineered to be hearty and smart and to work for the good of the Lakeview community. Any thoughts or desires contrary to the principles Management deems important are flaws. Flawed clones are exterminated. Imagine Dahlia's terror when she experiences the stirrings of romance (a flaw, romance being an "obsolete biological imperative") after being trapped in an elevator with Trigger, 17, a soldier. Trigger's training has prepared him for subterfuge and risk-taking, which he encourages in Dahlia. Her orderly life soon crumbles, and while not unpredictable, what unfolds is thoroughly entertaining. The pair's secret dalliances endanger their lives and lead the heroine to a horrifying realization: she is not flawed; Dahlia was designed perfectly for another life in another city-which leads to an even darker discovery. Shallow character development presents the biggest weakness, yet plot-driven readers will be pleased. Genetic engineering is a hot-button issue, and this work could lead to some interesting discussions. VERDICT This perfectly paced, suspenseful, and familiar yet fresh novel will appeal to many readers, who will eagerly await its sequel.-Laura Falli, McNeil High School, Austin, TX

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2017
Grades 7-11 Dahlia, 16, is training to be a gardener in the future city of Lakeview, where she is in the Workforce Bureau. Ideas about individuality and mutual attraction are considered inefficient, and Dahlia never questions this until she gets stuck in an elevator with 17-year-old Trigger, who has no problem fraternizing with members outside of his own bureau and brings her the gift of a carrot from outside. They cannot help their attraction, even though Dahlia is convinced it means she has a flawed genetic code, and when they are caught, their behavior has deadly consequences for her 4,999 fellow clones. The pair find themselves running for their lives while Dahlia searches for answers. This novel, inspired by Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, convincingly conveys Dahlia's process of understanding her world. The first-person narrative both distances and draws readers in, proving most effective when it underscores the totalitarian nature of Dahlia's society. At times readers are given little opportunity to interpret things for themselves, but the story provides an interesting study in humanity and personal agency.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)