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A review by shells
The Blemished by Sarah Dalton
3.0
I liked it.
Cheesy love square aside, it was interesting world building.
It's a future of GEMS and Blemished. The GEMS are genetically modified humans, some call them clones. The children are created. Every aspect of their looks, their intelligence, their genetics are chosen. The claim is that it is a way to leave disease and handicap behind. Blemished are natural born humans. They are seen as dirty and damaged by the GEMS. The Blemished only serve the purposes of labor and service to the GEMS. At 16, Blemished girls are given, "The Operation" to stop them from being able to conceive children. A Blem that becomes pregnant is taken and she and her baby are killed.
Every aspect of this society is controlled. The girls are allowed to attend school but they only learn the path of servitude. Boys are not educated and are instead, sent to work at various jobs.
Mina and her father have moved to district 14 after Mina becomes exposed in her former home, for an unusual talent. Here she makes friends with Angela, and Angela's adopted brother, Daniel. Mina learns Daniel has a hidden ability of his own.
Mina's father decides he wants her to begin to train to use her talent. So she spends her evenings training in the basement, away from the spying eyes of the television which broadcasts GEM programming 24/7.
Her father is grooming her for something. He claims, so she can take care of herself if something were to ever happen to him. But, nothing will ever happen to him. Right?
In a fit of hatred, (rightfully so), Daniel and Mina make a stupid decision that forces them on the run, with Angela by their side. They run to Sebastian, the GEM that took a liking to Mina, only to find themselves in more hot water as nothing is what it seems on Sebastian's farm. Daniel hates Sebastian and loves Mina. Angela loves Daniel and is resentful for his attention toward her best friend. Sebastian thinks he loves Mina and is just kind of flung into the situation. And Mina has feelings for Daniel, feelings for Sebastian, and doesn't want to hurt her friend Angela, though that seems like just what she'll end up doing.
And Angela fulfills the cliched role of the "one who trips when the bad guys are chasing her" constantly.
In a climactic finale, the four of them fight off the bad guys, with the help of the Clans that they are supposed to meet up with. Murder-Troll grabs Mina and a tense confrontation ensues when Mina is saved at the last second by another GEM who bullied Mina in the beginning.
All the while, throughout the escape and evade moments, Mina used her "ability" conveniently. It is a plot device that seems to have no meaning other than to help her and her friends escape. There is no discussion as to how a supposedly normal human being in supposedly normal England that's just set in the future, developed these abilities in the first place.
There are words missing in various places. And the supposed rules of this Gem/Blemished society are followed when it's convenient to the plot. These are why the book only garnered 3 stars from me.
But, the story is interesting enough. I find I care enough for these silly teenagers caught up in their love square that I plan to read the next book in the series. Overall, I'm curious to know how Mina will take down the society of the GEMS.
Cheesy love square aside, it was interesting world building.
It's a future of GEMS and Blemished. The GEMS are genetically modified humans, some call them clones. The children are created. Every aspect of their looks, their intelligence, their genetics are chosen. The claim is that it is a way to leave disease and handicap behind. Blemished are natural born humans. They are seen as dirty and damaged by the GEMS. The Blemished only serve the purposes of labor and service to the GEMS. At 16, Blemished girls are given, "The Operation" to stop them from being able to conceive children. A Blem that becomes pregnant is taken and she and her baby are killed.
Every aspect of this society is controlled. The girls are allowed to attend school but they only learn the path of servitude. Boys are not educated and are instead, sent to work at various jobs.
Mina and her father have moved to district 14 after Mina becomes exposed in her former home, for an unusual talent. Here she makes friends with Angela, and Angela's adopted brother, Daniel. Mina learns Daniel has a hidden ability of his own.
Mina's father decides he wants her to begin to train to use her talent. So she spends her evenings training in the basement, away from the spying eyes of the television which broadcasts GEM programming 24/7.
Her father is grooming her for something. He claims, so she can take care of herself if something were to ever happen to him. But, nothing will ever happen to him. Right?
In a fit of hatred, (rightfully so), Daniel and Mina make a stupid decision that forces them on the run, with Angela by their side. They run to Sebastian, the GEM that took a liking to Mina, only to find themselves in more hot water as nothing is what it seems on Sebastian's farm. Daniel hates Sebastian and loves Mina. Angela loves Daniel and is resentful for his attention toward her best friend. Sebastian thinks he loves Mina and is just kind of flung into the situation. And Mina has feelings for Daniel, feelings for Sebastian, and doesn't want to hurt her friend Angela, though that seems like just what she'll end up doing.
And Angela fulfills the cliched role of the "one who trips when the bad guys are chasing her" constantly.
In a climactic finale, the four of them fight off the bad guys, with the help of the Clans that they are supposed to meet up with. Murder-Troll grabs Mina and a tense confrontation ensues when Mina is saved at the last second by another GEM who bullied Mina in the beginning.
All the while, throughout the escape and evade moments, Mina used her "ability" conveniently. It is a plot device that seems to have no meaning other than to help her and her friends escape. There is no discussion as to how a supposedly normal human being in supposedly normal England that's just set in the future, developed these abilities in the first place.
There are words missing in various places. And the supposed rules of this Gem/Blemished society are followed when it's convenient to the plot. These are why the book only garnered 3 stars from me.
But, the story is interesting enough. I find I care enough for these silly teenagers caught up in their love square that I plan to read the next book in the series. Overall, I'm curious to know how Mina will take down the society of the GEMS.