Partials

January 30, 2012
Long Island, N.Y., is the last outpost of humanity in adult author Wells’s (the John Cleaver series) YA debut. Wells prefers immediate impact to consistent world-building (for instance, the skin of corpses in a rat- and rot-infested apartment building has somehow been preserved), but it’s an intriguing world nonetheless. Weakened by war with an engineered life form, the Partials, humanity was knocked out by RM, a virus that the few survivors have been unable to cure or breed an immunity to. Every baby born since “the Break” has died, and a desperate government has mandated reproduction, hoping for a miracle. Kira, a 16-year-old medic, is tired of death and terrified of forced fertility. When her friend Maddy conceives, Kira concocts a plan to capture a Partial and use its biological material to find a cure. She’s not prepared for the shocking humanity of her target, Samm, or for what she learns about herself. Though long on historical description and political debates, readers who enjoy SF-oriented postapocalyptic stories will relish this one. Ages 14–up. Agent: Sara Crowe, Harvey Klinger Inc.

April 1, 2012

Gr 9 Up-A postapocalyptic thriller set in 2076 on Long Island, NY. Kira Walker, a 16-year-old medic in training, believes she can find a cure for the RM virus that's killing all the newborns. It's been 11 years since a war in which genetically enhanced humans called Partials turned on their creators and released the virus that killed most of the population. The Senate has enacted the Hope Act, making it mandatory for all 18-year-old females to become pregnant to maximize the chances of a child being born resistant to the virus. Now that her adopted sister Madison is pregnant, Kira is sure that the Partials hold the key. She and Madison's brother and husband, both trained soldiers, take matters into their own hands, cross into the enemy territory of Manhattan, engage in a series of battles with Partials, and capture one. The Senate punishes them but gives Kira five days to study Samm, the prisoner. While doing so, the facility is attacked and Kira nearly killed but Samm saves her life. Despite their mutual distrust, they form a connection and realize that they are pawns in a much bigger conspiracy by both sides. While this book shares similar plot themes with other recent postapocalyptic novels like Lauren DeStefano's Wither (S & S) and Megan McCafferty's Bumped (HarperCollins, both 2011), the emphasis here is on genetics, politics, and paramilitary action. The tendency for the young people to act older than their actual age can be attributed to having had to grow up faster. Readers will be swept along by the fast-paced action and surprising plot twists, and will eagerly await the sequel-Sharon Rawlins, New Jersey State Library, Trenton

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

ajg16 - Past- 11 years ago ago a weponized virus called RM wiped out tens of thousands and only a fraction of humanity is immune, survived North America are now huddled in Long Island... Now- If tens of thousands of people dying isn't bad enough no baby has been born immune to the virus in 11 years, humanity's time is running out... 16 year old Kira is a medic-in-training -who was only 5 when RM hit- is right in the middle of this kind of world, where laws are placed for mandatory pregnancy laws, that have pushed what's left of humanity close to war. Kira will not stand by and watch more babies die, will the help of her boyfriend Marcus and her friends set out on a dangerous trek to save humanity...even if no one is on there side. I loved this book so much I couldn't put it down, I'd recommend for 13 and up. Thanks for reading -Ajg15's Reviews