My thoughts? Well, the trilogy had a good story, and the writting had nice pace. However, the First book was missing something.... It felt like a decent "B-" fiction, This book had the same "B-" quality to it, until the point of Rein returning to the mannerhouse. What ruined the book for me was the presentation of the Dr. and his inhuman medical experiments. The book presents such a noble cause that the reader cant but vawer in his/her morals and wonder if the lives of few hundred girls is not a small price to pay to save humanity from eventual extintion, and to save the massess from premature death.... However one should remember, that there was once this Dr. Mengele in human history, with similar ideas, and the atrocities he comited in the name of science, was held in high regard, and unfortunately as far as his results, that pushed the gene science 30 years ahead, still are, since most of our genetic sciences rise from his inhuman reaserch. To give Dr Vanghun the moral background (even though the H/H are shocked by his experimets), is to make the same case for Dr. Mengele, and all the atrocities the Naczi comited in the name of genetic science advancements. My other problem with the book is that since most young adults do not find history that fascinating, they are unable to conect the two, and the author prehaps unknowingly, links the idea of human experimentation in the name of genetics with Scyfi fiction and not with the real world. I found the conclusion of this book horrific, and moraly corrupt. Unfit for the young minds anywhere.
----------- Spoiler Alert: starts here: ---------------
Book starts with the runaway Rain and Gabriel. They are captured by brothel madam, where rain meets a girl called Forgetmenot (after a flower) with a small daughter, which does not speak and so the Madam thinks her retatded, and thus torments her. When Rain is almost sold to the gray coat, the madam beat the little girl to death (or so she thinks), Forgetmenot, her protector, and their daughter atempt to escape the brothel, taking Rain and Gabriel with them. When the Vanghun doctor shows up to take Rein home Forgetmenot's protector tries to save them all by running away from the group. They get over the (momenteraly not functioing) electric fence, but Forgetmenot is stuned by electricity as the wire goes "live" and is recaptured by Madam. Forgetmenot silently urges Rain and Gabriel to take her daughter and run. when the thre arrive in Manhatann Rowan is gone and the house has been burned down. Rowan folows address she finds in the mute girls kids book. She finds Forgetmenot's Mother and Brother. They accept them all, if Rain agrees to help with the orfans. Large part of the book deals with Gabriels addiction to AngelBlood drug, and Reins sudden ilness, which progressess. It has all the symptoms of the virus, same as in the now dead Jenna. When Gabriel contemplates to retutn Rain to Vanghun, the Dr shows up and spirits Rain back to FL. (Or he will burn the orfanige.) Once Rein arrives in the mannor, the Dr explains that the candy she was so fond off was small doses of the virus to get her immunized, and she was the Dr. experiment. Had she lowered her doses slowly she would not have the widrawal symptomps, leading to death. The Dr. fixes her, and then starts all sorts of experiments on her. While lucid, she discovers that her sweet servant girl is now also being experimmented on, and so is number of other girl servants. Cecily shows up, and tells Rain about the tracking chip in leg. Rein stabs her leg to get it out, and slowly bleeds close to death. Cecily brings Linden, who saves Rain, takes her to the hospital, but does not belive her tales about his father being a monster.... almost.
----------- Spoiler Alert: starts here: ---------------
Book starts with the runaway Rain and Gabriel. They are captured by brothel madam, where rain meets a girl called Forgetmenot (after a flower) with a small daughter, which does not speak and so the Madam thinks her retatded, and thus torments her. When Rain is almost sold to the gray coat, the madam beat the little girl to death (or so she thinks), Forgetmenot, her protector, and their daughter atempt to escape the brothel, taking Rain and Gabriel with them. When the Vanghun doctor shows up to take Rein home Forgetmenot's protector tries to save them all by running away from the group. They get over the (momenteraly not functioing) electric fence, but Forgetmenot is stuned by electricity as the wire goes "live" and is recaptured by Madam. Forgetmenot silently urges Rain and Gabriel to take her daughter and run. when the thre arrive in Manhatann Rowan is gone and the house has been burned down. Rowan folows address she finds in the mute girls kids book. She finds Forgetmenot's Mother and Brother. They accept them all, if Rain agrees to help with the orfans. Large part of the book deals with Gabriels addiction to AngelBlood drug, and Reins sudden ilness, which progressess. It has all the symptoms of the virus, same as in the now dead Jenna. When Gabriel contemplates to retutn Rain to Vanghun, the Dr shows up and spirits Rain back to FL. (Or he will burn the orfanige.) Once Rein arrives in the mannor, the Dr explains that the candy she was so fond off was small doses of the virus to get her immunized, and she was the Dr. experiment. Had she lowered her doses slowly she would not have the widrawal symptomps, leading to death. The Dr. fixes her, and then starts all sorts of experiments on her. While lucid, she discovers that her sweet servant girl is now also being experimmented on, and so is number of other girl servants. Cecily shows up, and tells Rain about the tracking chip in leg. Rein stabs her leg to get it out, and slowly bleeds close to death. Cecily brings Linden, who saves Rain, takes her to the hospital, but does not belive her tales about his father being a monster.... almost.
This sequel under whelmed me terribly. The story of Rhine and Gabriel as free individuals in a society that I was hungry to discover through their eyes was not there at all. Sure, there were dangers and new villains but they didn't develop into full characters. Their captivity under Madame Zoleski's reign -how trite is that name? - was full of stereotypes and dullness.
The glimpse of life outside the mansion was lost among the shallow perils and somewhat predictable dangers that overshadowed what could have been a gripping sequel. Instead, lots of new characters that failed to bring the story forward were distracting for no purpose but to fill the pages with nonsense.
Ryne's new freedom and prospect of love and a new future was wasted, even Rowan -or at least the mention of his absence- her twin brother wasn't enough. This story should have given more to the cause. Why drag on and on about the nightmares, and the dream sequences, why not take Rhine's and Gabriel feelings to the next level? And Gabriel, his character should have been developed; instead, he was faded, abandoned without a follow up.
Let me not even gripe about the way the book concluded, with Rhyne still back where she started as if the pages quota had been reached and somebody yelled "pen down, stop where ever you are!"
I don't know if I'll read the 3rd. book Sever. If Sever Bk. 3 is going to end up like Fever, I have better books waiting for me.
The glimpse of life outside the mansion was lost among the shallow perils and somewhat predictable dangers that overshadowed what could have been a gripping sequel. Instead, lots of new characters that failed to bring the story forward were distracting for no purpose but to fill the pages with nonsense.
Ryne's new freedom and prospect of love and a new future was wasted, even Rowan -or at least the mention of his absence- her twin brother wasn't enough. This story should have given more to the cause. Why drag on and on about the nightmares, and the dream sequences, why not take Rhine's and Gabriel feelings to the next level? And Gabriel, his character should have been developed; instead, he was faded, abandoned without a follow up.
Let me not even gripe about the way the book concluded, with Rhyne still back where she started as if the pages quota had been reached and somebody yelled "pen down, stop where ever you are!"
I don't know if I'll read the 3rd. book Sever. If Sever Bk. 3 is going to end up like Fever, I have better books waiting for me.
It wasn't as good as the first... but it was a very awesome end, leaving me wanting to read the 3rd book fast..
love this series! so many twists and turns! kept me on the edge of my seat! totally believable plot...past references...present day happenings...definitely possible future events...can't wait to read final book in series!
Rhine and Gabriel escape the mansion where she was forced to become one of three girls coerced to marry a man. It is her intent to find her twin brother wherever he may be. Yet leaving the mansion only drops her into a prostitution ring where she is again a prisoner. Finding her brother, Rowan, is as far away as ever.
When at last Rhine escapes, she is weak and ill. The man in the mansion's father, a cruel and controlling man, captures her again. Ill and restrained on a table where he experiments on her with drugs and malice, she discovers that there is a tracker in her leg. The son discovers what his father is doing and Rhine is removed to a hospital where the tracking device is removed and her health improves. All this was possible because of the help others gave her and she is free once again to seek her brother.
Of course, there are many details omitted here for who would want to read a novel know what all would transpire. Other individuals become important to Rhine whose heart dwells on what will happen to those she learns to care about while she pursues her search for Rowan. I like this series and donated a complete set to a pbs friend who teaches young people. I believe that well written books for the YA audience are to be shared.
When at last Rhine escapes, she is weak and ill. The man in the mansion's father, a cruel and controlling man, captures her again. Ill and restrained on a table where he experiments on her with drugs and malice, she discovers that there is a tracker in her leg. The son discovers what his father is doing and Rhine is removed to a hospital where the tracking device is removed and her health improves. All this was possible because of the help others gave her and she is free once again to seek her brother.
Of course, there are many details omitted here for who would want to read a novel know what all would transpire. Other individuals become important to Rhine whose heart dwells on what will happen to those she learns to care about while she pursues her search for Rowan. I like this series and donated a complete set to a pbs friend who teaches young people. I believe that well written books for the YA audience are to be shared.
This is the second book in the Chemical Garden Trilogy by DeStefano. I enjoyed this installment in the series, although not quite as much as Wither. DeStefano writes beautifully and delivers a compelling story that will definitely grab the readers attention.
Rhine and Gabriel have escaped from Rhine's husband's house only to be trapped by a twisted ringmistress of pleasures. Rhine is determined to get back to Manhattan to find her brother, but the place she is trapped in now is even worse than the house than she had to watch her sister-wives die in. Even if Rhine and Gabriel can escape the Madame they have to evade Rhine's husband's twisted father Vaughn and actually find Rhine's twin brother Rowen.
DeStefano just hands down writes beautifully. She is absolutely adept at making locations and scenes come vividly alive; she makes the characters come alive and then makes you despair as she sucks the life out of them...only for the characters to regroup and come out of their trial...well not intact, but alive. I think it is the metaphor's Rhine uses that make this book so alive; Rhine sees beauty in the simplest things even when she is surrounded by squalor.
Seriously Rhine goes through so much in this book, I felt bad for the poor girl. She is defintiely the driving force in this book. She is the one who makes decisions and survives, yet still manages to make caring for others (no matter how horrible the people she deals with) one of her main goals. Rhine is one of those characters that totally kicks butt, without ever resorting to violence.
Gabriel was an interesting character in his own right. It was intriguing to watch how someone who never left the Mansion reacts to the world that Rhine grew up in. I tried to keep this in mind as I read about Gabriel, because he acts extremely sheltered throughout the story. That's not to say he doesn't grow as a character, but especially very early in the story I was frustrated with how complaint Gabriel was and his lack of fight. Vaughn is everything an absolutely horrible evil man should be, he is the perfect villain, and creeps me out just as bad as he did in the first book.
We meet a ton of wonderful new characters. Lilac is trapped at the Carnival with Rhine and Lilac has a wonderful deformed daughter named Maddy. Maddy really adds a ton to the story; she is smart as a whip and just a spectacular child.
The plot was very well done and this book is mostly about the journey the characters take. It was fascinating to finally see more of this destroyed world and to watch as Gabriel is exposed to it. As with many of these dystopian books, there is more going on politically than first meets the eye and the reader is exposed to more political unrest than we saw in the first book. I just can't wait to see where this series ends up.
Overall an excellent addition to this series. I love the characters, the world, and the plot. We get to meet wonderful new characters, the plot is broadened, and the world is heartbreaking. The thing that really elevates this book over many other YA dystopian books is the beautiful writing; it just brings the story alive for me. I can't wait to read the next book when it releases next year. Highly recommended to fans of YA dystopia books. I also recommend Divergent by Veronica Roth and The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Rhine and Gabriel have escaped from Rhine's husband's house only to be trapped by a twisted ringmistress of pleasures. Rhine is determined to get back to Manhattan to find her brother, but the place she is trapped in now is even worse than the house than she had to watch her sister-wives die in. Even if Rhine and Gabriel can escape the Madame they have to evade Rhine's husband's twisted father Vaughn and actually find Rhine's twin brother Rowen.
DeStefano just hands down writes beautifully. She is absolutely adept at making locations and scenes come vividly alive; she makes the characters come alive and then makes you despair as she sucks the life out of them...only for the characters to regroup and come out of their trial...well not intact, but alive. I think it is the metaphor's Rhine uses that make this book so alive; Rhine sees beauty in the simplest things even when she is surrounded by squalor.
Seriously Rhine goes through so much in this book, I felt bad for the poor girl. She is defintiely the driving force in this book. She is the one who makes decisions and survives, yet still manages to make caring for others (no matter how horrible the people she deals with) one of her main goals. Rhine is one of those characters that totally kicks butt, without ever resorting to violence.
Gabriel was an interesting character in his own right. It was intriguing to watch how someone who never left the Mansion reacts to the world that Rhine grew up in. I tried to keep this in mind as I read about Gabriel, because he acts extremely sheltered throughout the story. That's not to say he doesn't grow as a character, but especially very early in the story I was frustrated with how complaint Gabriel was and his lack of fight. Vaughn is everything an absolutely horrible evil man should be, he is the perfect villain, and creeps me out just as bad as he did in the first book.
We meet a ton of wonderful new characters. Lilac is trapped at the Carnival with Rhine and Lilac has a wonderful deformed daughter named Maddy. Maddy really adds a ton to the story; she is smart as a whip and just a spectacular child.
The plot was very well done and this book is mostly about the journey the characters take. It was fascinating to finally see more of this destroyed world and to watch as Gabriel is exposed to it. As with many of these dystopian books, there is more going on politically than first meets the eye and the reader is exposed to more political unrest than we saw in the first book. I just can't wait to see where this series ends up.
Overall an excellent addition to this series. I love the characters, the world, and the plot. We get to meet wonderful new characters, the plot is broadened, and the world is heartbreaking. The thing that really elevates this book over many other YA dystopian books is the beautiful writing; it just brings the story alive for me. I can't wait to read the next book when it releases next year. Highly recommended to fans of YA dystopia books. I also recommend Divergent by Veronica Roth and The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The end of Wither had Rhine and Gabriel escaping off into the Atlantic, assuming that the hardest part of their journey was behind them. Very early into Fever, we learn thats not entirely true. The world Rhine tried so hard to get back into is actually a lot more harsh than it seemed while she was in the mansion, although if thats simply her remembering things with rose colored glasses, or just a lack of knowledge, remains to be seen...
To read the rest of my review, please visit my blog.
To read the rest of my review, please visit my blog.
