Eve of Man

April 1, 2019
Fifty years have passed since the birth of a girl on Earth--until Eve, that is. Sequestered in the Dome atop the all-pervasive Tower, Eve represents humanity's last hope to slow humankind's descent into irrelevance. Now 16 years old, she must choose a mate to procreate with under the watchful, stern eye of lead Mother, Vivian Silva. When meetings with the first two potential mates have disastrous results, the Revival program spirals into a state of utmost urgency. Complicating matters is 18-year-old Bram, a hologram pilot in the Extinction Prevention Organization. In defiance of threats from his abusive father, the brilliant Dr. Isaac Wells, Bram forms a bond with Eve, which disrupts the EPO's plans. Slowly, Eve questions the reality shaped around her and begins to rebel. Meanwhile, Bram uncovers the Tower's secrets and falls into the climate-ravaged world below, joining a rebel group of Freevers who wish to reclaim Eve as a symbol. Part meditation on reproductive rights, part dystopian thriller, the novel casts a wide web of intrigue, deception, and hope. Chapters alternate between Eve's and Bram's perspectives, fruitfully intertwining into a heady page-turner. Though Eve and Bram don't rise above character archetypes, and the authors adopt a fairly rigid framework for gender roles and sexuality nearly devoid of queerness, there's plenty here for fans of tales of humanity gone wrong. A white default is assumed. An enthralling start to a trilogy. (Dystopian fiction. 14-18)

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April 22, 2019
This YA collaboration by married duo Giovanna Fletcher (Some Kind of Wonderful) and Tom Fletcher (The Christmasaurus) explores what would happen if girls stopped being born for 50 years. Miracle baby Eve, 16, the only female born in over five decades, is expected to save humankind by procreating when she comes of age. Raised in a technological castle in the sky, Eve’s only companions are the “Mothers,” some of the Earth’s remaining women, and Holly, a hologramlike companion piloted by three young men, among them Bram. Eve has been promised to one of three carefully selected male suitors, but she is more interested in Bram-as-Holly. A chance meeting between them fosters attraction, and Bram—son to one of the most brilliant minds at the Extinction Prevention Organization (EPO)—breaks protocol when he falls in love with Eve. As Bram and Eve begin to question their roles, and that of the EPO, the lies they have been told fall apart. This fast-paced novel requires some suspension of disbelief (surely a society so technologically advanced would employ science, not an arranged partnership, to continue the species), but readers fond of a dystopian romance will enjoy Eve and Bram’s journey in this series starter. Ages 14–up. Agents: Stephanie Thwaites, Curtis Brown UK, and Hannah Ferguson, Hardman & Swainson.

July 12, 2019

Gr 9 Up-This story begins with humanity on the brink of its own demise. All pregnancies lead to the birth of male infants until the miracle birth of Eve. Orphaned, Eve grows up protected, never meeting a person of the opposite sex. Each day is made perfect for her, and she wants for nothing, but she feels isolated since even her best friend, Holly, is not real. At 16, Eve must now embrace her role as the savior of humanity. Three suitors have been chosen; however, she meets and falls for Bram, and for the first time her perfect world feels like a cage. Eve wants the freedom to live how and with whom she wants, but is one girl's love worth more than the future of humanity? This is a coming-of-age story with a futuristic twist. The Fletchers successfully illustrate character growth as Eve transforms from a sheltered girl to a mature young woman who has some very tough decisions before her. The narrative strives to set a fast-paced and timely story. The star-crossed lovers trope is classic, and the issue of women's reproductive rights is poignant. VERDICT An action-packed read for teens who enjoy romance and futuristic fiction.-Linsey Milillo, Lane Public Library, Fairfield, OH

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2019
Grades 8-11 Eve, so called because she is the first girl born in the world in 50 years, lives a seemingly perfect existence in the Tower, where she is revered as the savior of mankind. Eve's best friend is Holly, a hologram, and her favorite Holly (there are 3) is inadvertently exposed as Bram, son of the highest-ranking scientist at the Tower. They are falling in love, and Bram is determined to expose the lies that keep Eve imprisoned. This British import is a refreshing take on apocalypse stories, situated in a future London existing on the submerged ruins of the original city, with characters deftly but simply sketched. The major premise, that no female children have been born for generations, expresses a deeper environmental message: that Mother Nature has decided mankind (literally man-kind) has gone far enough. Eve and Bram share the telling of the story, a balanced mix of action and introspection, putting readers at the points of discovery right along with these 16-year-olds. An epic ending scene sets the stage for more to come.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)