Falls the Shadow

June 30, 2014
Gaither’s SF thriller derives its emotional power from the relationship between 16-year-old Cate Benson and her maddening, defiant older sister. After Cate’s young sister, Violet, dies, she is replaced by a clone (also named Violet). Cate has spent the years following her sister’s death torn between resentment at her new sibling’s wild-child antics, protectiveness toward a family member demonized by anti-cloning protestors and sensationalist media, and the conviction that “Old-Violet” and “New-Violet” are two different people, despite her parents’ insistence that they are one and the same. “I still love her. And part of me hates her for that.” A clichéd plot to create an army of brainwashed clones drives the action; the antagonists remain one-note. Cate’s romance with an anti-cloning advocate’s son is similarly rote, but her love interest’s dynamic with his informally adopted brother deepens the themes of sibling love and unconventional (but no less real) familial relationships. As Cate and the brothers search for a missing and volatile Violet, they suffer real losses in chilling confrontations with eerily familiar adversaries. A solid debut whose gut-punch ending leaves room for a sequel. Ages 12–up. Agent: Sara Megibow, Nelson Literary.

July 15, 2014
Clones are being created for war; one girl battles back in this dystopian-thriller debut.It's been four years since Catelyn Benson's older sister, Violet, got sick, died and was replaced with a clone that was kept ready and waiting for just this type of situation. But cloning is not without its opponents, most notably the Clone Control Advocacy. They have Cate's family in their sights, due to the political prominence of Cate's dad, the mayor, and the apparent instability of New-Violet. When New-Violet becomes the primary suspect in a murder and Cate is questioned by the CCA, Cate discovers alarming secrets concerning both the CCA and Huxley, the company that creates and maintains clones. For starters, Huxley is preparing clones to wipe out their "origins," or original bodies. Not sure whom to trust-including her own sister or Jaxon, her cute classmate who also happens to be the son of the CCA's president-Cate tries to outrun and outfight every opponent. Although the story is formulaic, with a kick-ass heroine, nonstop action, a tentative romance and plenty of moral dilemmas, the teen's first-person narration remains solid, and the murder-mystery presents enough twists to keep readers engaged. The most intriguing aspect of the story, however, is Cate and Violet's unusual and evolving relationship. A complete ending nevertheless leaves room for a sequel.For die-hard fans of Divergent and The Hunger Games looking for the next read-alike. (Dystopian thriller. 13-18)

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August 1, 2014

Gr 8 Up-Cate Benson lost her big sister Violet at the age of 12. However, in a future world devastated by war and disease, some are fortunate enough to secure their children's legacy through cloning. So, shortly after her funeral, the new Violet comes home complete with Violet's memories. In fact, because of her heightened clone abilities, New Violet may be even better than the girl she replaced. She may also be a murderer. After four years, Cate is used to covering and making excuses for her replacement sister, but this time, Violet has vanished and the paparazzi and the anti-cloning faction are having a field day. Cate sets out to find her, accompanied by her crush Jaxon, and Seth, his best friend. Soon, they get too close to a secret that threatens the entire way of life that Cate has come to know. This nail-biting thriller explores the moral and philosophical ramifications of cloning, with a fair share of action, and the requisite romantic angle. The four teen characters are fairly well developed, though the primary male protagonists ring a bit too similar. Readers will look forward to seeing how their motivations for aiding Cate are developed and explored more fully in later books. While there is nothing outstanding about this dystopian novel, Gaither has laid a solid foundation with this intriguing concept and compelling characters.-Erik Knapp, Davis Library, Plano, TX

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2014
Grades 7-10 When Cate is 12, her sister Violet dies from an illness. Luckily, Violet's backup is ready, because Cate's family is one of the growing numbers of people cloning loved onesjust in casefollowing the Silent War. While her parents insist the two Violets are identical, Cate still isn't sure, even after four years. The clone might have old Violet's memories, but would old Violet have grown into this unpredictable troublemaker? When Samantha, the daughter of a prominent anticloner, is murdered, Violet disappears among accusations of responsibility, leaving Cate torn between sibling loyalty and worries that the protesters are right about the instability of clones. To be sure, she has to find Violet before anyone else. Gaither's debut dystopia is thoughtful and thrilling, and several genuinely chilling moments stand out in an otherwise conventional story about an evil corporation's Machiavellian plans. The cloning technology is appropriately eerie, and though Cate's romance with political enemy Jaxon is predictable, her complicated love for Violet is emotionally resonant. The ending ties events up satisfactorily while leaving room for a sequel.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)