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picklefall1's review
4.0
Excellent Blend of Microbiology and Ecology
There is so much to love about this book! Let's start with the science. Not at all bolted on as an afterthought, it is integrated seamlessly throughout the story. If you're a science geek like me, you'll revel in the talk of bacteriophages, the effect of pH of water on chemical testing, insulae, spindle neurons, intermedin, peptides, and epigenetic modifications. If you're unfamiliar with all these terms, no worries. You won't get lost. They're all understood well enough in context. And the author doesn't just sling technical jargon around for appearances, either. The scientists in the story show real understanding of the microbiology concepts and apply them to solve problems and drive the plot forward. I especially enjoyed how the scientists thought through problems. A lot of research went into this book, and it paid off. Here are some quotes to show what I mean:
-"Maybe it’s attaching to their hormones," Lara said. "Wouldn’t that allow it to pass the barrier?" Cagney straightened in his seat. "Or maybe it’s producing a toxin that mimics a hormone. That would do it."
-"This one got a shot of combined estradiol, estriol, and testosterone in a 40/40/20 mix."
-"The phage has integrated its genetic material into the normal flora of the patients’ bodies in what is called a lysogenic cycle. Instead of being immediately copied and expressed, which would kill the host bacteria, NJace DNA recombines with the bacterial chromosome. It becomes part of the chromosome as a prophage."
And there's wonderful prose beyond the scientific details. Here are some of my favorites:
-"There are so many things to check, I'm swinging a wedge in a sand trap the size of the Sahara while blindfolded."
-"For a second, the whole English language fled Nadine’s tongue."
As far as story goes, the conflict never lets up. Especially the sort where the characters you root for end up getting treated unjustly and where their best efforts are punished in sad and surprising ways. There's no shortage of people making interesting decisions in this book.
I also love that a major character is a video game developer!
My favorite character is Nadine, and I always looked forward to her myriad food references:
-"She cursed under her breath. For the love of deep-dish pizza."
-"I love you more than chocolate."
-"What fresh-baked weirdness is that?"
Prepare yourself for excellent writing and storytelling. You're in good hands here. I swear it on Nadine's Alton Brown recipes.
(I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review)
There is so much to love about this book! Let's start with the science. Not at all bolted on as an afterthought, it is integrated seamlessly throughout the story. If you're a science geek like me, you'll revel in the talk of bacteriophages, the effect of pH of water on chemical testing, insulae, spindle neurons, intermedin, peptides, and epigenetic modifications. If you're unfamiliar with all these terms, no worries. You won't get lost. They're all understood well enough in context. And the author doesn't just sling technical jargon around for appearances, either. The scientists in the story show real understanding of the microbiology concepts and apply them to solve problems and drive the plot forward. I especially enjoyed how the scientists thought through problems. A lot of research went into this book, and it paid off. Here are some quotes to show what I mean:
-"Maybe it’s attaching to their hormones," Lara said. "Wouldn’t that allow it to pass the barrier?" Cagney straightened in his seat. "Or maybe it’s producing a toxin that mimics a hormone. That would do it."
-"This one got a shot of combined estradiol, estriol, and testosterone in a 40/40/20 mix."
-"The phage has integrated its genetic material into the normal flora of the patients’ bodies in what is called a lysogenic cycle. Instead of being immediately copied and expressed, which would kill the host bacteria, NJace DNA recombines with the bacterial chromosome. It becomes part of the chromosome as a prophage."
And there's wonderful prose beyond the scientific details. Here are some of my favorites:
-"There are so many things to check, I'm swinging a wedge in a sand trap the size of the Sahara while blindfolded."
-"For a second, the whole English language fled Nadine’s tongue."
As far as story goes, the conflict never lets up. Especially the sort where the characters you root for end up getting treated unjustly and where their best efforts are punished in sad and surprising ways. There's no shortage of people making interesting decisions in this book.
I also love that a major character is a video game developer!
My favorite character is Nadine, and I always looked forward to her myriad food references:
-"She cursed under her breath. For the love of deep-dish pizza."
-"I love you more than chocolate."
-"What fresh-baked weirdness is that?"
Prepare yourself for excellent writing and storytelling. You're in good hands here. I swear it on Nadine's Alton Brown recipes.
(I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review)
kesselm's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This climate-related science fiction is a must-read. The book has a great story arc, and I felt that I got to know the characters. It was interesting to see how people’s actions affected one another and some characters had to make heartbreaking decisions. It was a rollercoaster ride and Drema did a great job looking at the “What if?” for a crisis the world is currently facing.
The audiobook is a must-listen! Stacey did a wonderful job narrating. Her voice is easy to listen to and she talks at a speed that allows the listener to enjoy the story. She even uses different voices for different characters. It reminds me of when I read stories to my child. It was a comforting and enjoyable experience.
The audiobook is a must-listen! Stacey did a wonderful job narrating. Her voice is easy to listen to and she talks at a speed that allows the listener to enjoy the story. She even uses different voices for different characters. It reminds me of when I read stories to my child. It was a comforting and enjoyable experience.
katkinney's review
5.0
I devoured ENTHEOPHAGE in two days. This is a really well written work of sci fi climate fiction featuring three main protagonists. Dr. Isabel Fallon is a doctor mining coral reefs in the South Pacific because she has learned that the coral can be used to create a cure for Milani Syndrome (something similar to Huntington’s that affects children—and is affecting her 5-year-old child.) Kyndra is a young girl in Austin, Texas who is one of the first children to fall ill from a strange new epidemic. As the disease spreads across the globe and only children fall ill, scientists and doctors are desperate to discover what is causing the illness. And finally Nadine is a CDC researcher who thinks she may have put the pieces together, and the answer is more shocking than anyone will be able to accept. I loved the writing in this book. It was well paced, there was a mix of science with the medical end of things being very well done and sci fi with children with new emerging psychic powers. I loved the heightened sense of urgency and panic, both from the doctors and parents treating the epidemic, and also I could, even as I watched Isabel doing the wrong thing, sympathize with her actions, because what mother wouldn’t do what she was doing. She says at one point, she had to make a choice between her son’s life or a fish, and of course she chose her son. I thought that was extremely well written. This was an excellent novel. I can’t wait to see what Drema Deoraich writes next! 5/5 stars.
cloudbust's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
harperlcarnes's review
5.0
I was immediately taken in with this story’s characters and Deòraich’s ability to paint a scene with her words. The descriptions of the setting made me feel I was actually out on a boat in the ocean, or in a hospital room standing at Kyn’s bedside.
This book is told from multiple points of view and shifts seamlessly between them without being jarring to the reader. I admit that when I read some books with multiple POVs I tend to have my favorite characters and feel like I’m slogging through certain chapters to get back to the people I care about, but with Entheóphage I was invested in what each character had to say, and the part they played as the story developed.
This story’s message about the toll we’re taking on the environment, and our need to make change is an important one. Anyone who has an interest in cli-fi and eco-fiction should read this story.
As an ARC reader I quite enjoyed Entheóphage, and look forward to more tales from the author.
This book is told from multiple points of view and shifts seamlessly between them without being jarring to the reader. I admit that when I read some books with multiple POVs I tend to have my favorite characters and feel like I’m slogging through certain chapters to get back to the people I care about, but with Entheóphage I was invested in what each character had to say, and the part they played as the story developed.
This story’s message about the toll we’re taking on the environment, and our need to make change is an important one. Anyone who has an interest in cli-fi and eco-fiction should read this story.
As an ARC reader I quite enjoyed Entheóphage, and look forward to more tales from the author.
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