TITLE What's Left of Me (The Hybrid Chronicles #1)AUTHOR Kat Zhang
PUBLICATION September 18th 2012 by Harper
READ September 5 - 6, 2012
What's Left of Me tells the story of a fifteen-year-old girl fighting for her right to survive in a world where two souls are born into each body and one is doomed to disappear. Pitched as The Golden Compass meets Girl, Interrupted.From the first moment I saw the stunning cover for What's Left of Me my cover lust was peaked. It is so gorgeous, and the dual faces provide the perfect level of symbolism for what is to come within the novel. Kat Zhang presents us with a world in which all humans are born with two souls. People are raised with two names and are expected to settle at the age of 10. To settle, is to have the recessive soul go away and the dominant soul be the sole inhabitant of the body. Now, a story where everything goes according to plan would not be a very good story! So we have people who don't settle when they are supposed to and they go on living with both souls still intact, these people are referred to as hybrids.
Eva and Addie started out the same way as everyone else—two souls woven together in one body, taking turns controlling their movements as they learned how to walk, how to sing, how to dance. But as they grew, so did the worried whispers. Why aren’t they settling? Why isn’t one of them fading? The doctors ran tests, the neighbors shied away, and their parents begged for more time. Finally Addie was pronounced healthy and Eva was declared gone. Except, she wasn’t…
For the past three years, Eva has clung to the remnants of her life. Only Addie knows she’s still there, trapped inside their body. Then one day, they discover there may be a way for Eva to move again. The risks are unimaginable–hybrids are considered a threat to society, so if they are caught, Addie and Eva will be locked away with the others. And yet…for a chance to smile, to twirl, to speak, Eva will do anything.
This is where the novel was a little lacking for me, so I guess I will start there. Hybrids are feared in this world, there are advertisements on TV that warn of them and state that anyone who sees a hybrid should report them immediately "Just one call, for the safety of your children, your family, your country." I'll admit, I scratched my head a lot during this novel because hybrids come across as something to be feared, a threat to society. But there was never any evidence, or examples of how this is true. I don't recall reading anything about how they could hurt people and deserve to be abandoned by their families as if they never mattered. I think that because of this, some of the desperation I was supposed to feel as the story wore on was lost on me. I was just wondering... why?
That being said there were a lot of parts of this novel that fascinated me. The idea of that little voice inside your head being a person unto its own is mind blowing! I have so many questions about how all of this works. Do the hybrids have two separate jobs? Love lives? Friendships? There are so many directions that Zhang can take this series and I can say that I have a longing to leave America and find out exactly how the hybrids live. But alas, we don't get that in the first installment in this series. We get to follow Addie/Eva and her hybrid friends as they are taken to the Nornand Clinic to be "fixed". Addie/Eva was a character that really appealed to me, her inner dialogue of course gave a whole new meaning to inner dialogue! We are treated to them conversing with each other inside their head about what was going on. They don't go to Nornand alone they go with their friends Hally/Lissa and Devon/Ryan who are brother and sister. The desperation felt between these two siblings to keep them safe definitely added a layer to the story that I could connect with.
While I did leave this novel with way too many questions, I did really enjoy it. I can't say that I felt like the world was perfectly developed because a lot of the motivations for people's actions made no sense to me and I wanted to know a lot more about the "why" of it all. This being a series though there is definitely more time to get those answers out there, and I guess the author wanted to be sure that we came back for more.
I really enjoyed this one! I had some why questions as well but I think they will be developed further in the next book. It seems like the US was told that hybrids cause fighting and chaos where the two people in one body are volatile. But then we found out the rest of the world was actually better off and sending in medical supplies. So I'm curious why they are told to get rid of their other soul? But the two souls in one body was fascinating. I would think not have any control of your body would be horrible. I thought Ryan and Eva were cute but Devon was a bit mean. But maybe Devon and Addie can grow close. So much I hope to see in the next book.
ReplyDeleteI have to start by admitting, I never noticed the two faces on the cover until you pointed it out!
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure Whats Left of Me is a story I could get into. I'm very iffy w/Sci Fi unless its pretty spectacularly written and explained. The story sounds very cool, but I would definitely want more answers.
I'm glad you enjoyed WLoM, despite the questions. Great review!
Hmm, I'm about to start this one. I'll have to see how I feel about the 'why's that are left. I've read some books lately that either left questions at the end or left them until well into the book.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this review :)
This sounds like a great introduction to a fascinating series! I like that the hybrids are somewhat being feared. I guess when the majority of the population doesn't have much clue about the hybrids, it's easier to mark them as dangerous so that they can be shipped somewhere for research. I can't wait to read the book when it's released. Thanks, Jenni!
ReplyDeleteI hate when there isn't enough info as to why things are how they are. It sounds interesting, but I think I would be frustrated with the lack of answers. I think I will wait until at least the second book in the series is out before I pick this up. Great review babe!!
ReplyDeleteI've been reading a lot of positive reviews about this one, but my friend said basically the same things you did. I'm going to start this one somewhat soon so I'm not even sure what I'm going to think anymore! Great review!
ReplyDeleteAnna
Literary Exploration
Lovely Cover, but definitly wont do justice if the writting/plot can't live up to it. It seems that more effort is put into the cover then the actual novel.
ReplyDeleteI haven't been reading a bunch of great reviews about this one either. Guess I won't be reading it lol.
Great review, Jenni! This looks like a fascinating read, though I hate it when there are so many things left open by the end of a book. Still, I may have to try it out!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!
Amazing review, Jenni! I definitely see how the lack of a proper world-building and why we weren't provided with a real answer as to why Hybrids are so dangerous effected your enjoyment in the novel, but I'm glad you found it to be enjoyable overall! While I did find the lack of proper world-building and lack of answers annoying, it wasn't as prominent of a problem for me considering how much I had enjoyed the rest of the novel.
ReplyDeleteI have yet to read this book because it seemed so...weird?? to me? Idk but the whole two people just haha again I don't know. But hearing that it left a lot of questions has me even more warry but at the same time you said it was really fascinating sooooo I guess I'll read it if I catch it on sale or at my local library.
ReplyDeleteGreat review! :) Have a great day!!
~Jaiden @ Girls on YA Books
This book sounds like it has a very cool premise. But I can see how you would be confused, it sounds like this fear of hybrids doesn't make a ton of sense. But I'd still like to read this one.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the honest review Jenni :). I absolutely love the cover for this book too.
ReplyDeleteIt's weird that the reader is not given any reason why the hybrids are dangerous. I think that would have bothered me too if I had read this book ...
It sounds good but not great so I don't think I'll read this one. Thanks for a great review :)
I heard a lot about this book. Many mixed reviews. The thing that is keeping me from reading this book is that the plot is very much like The Host by Stephenie Meyer. The same thing about a person talking to you inside your head.
ReplyDeleteBut despite that, this book has caused a lot of conflict in the blogging world, so I gotta get my hands on it.
Loved your review, informative and clean.
You constant reader and twitter-stalker :P,
Soma
http://insomnia-of-books.blogspot.com/
Sounds like a very fascinating book. Hopefully all the questions left behind will be answered in the next one. Thank you for such a great review. I will be looking for this at my library this week...
ReplyDeleteAwesome review Jenni! I think for me what you liked was what turned me off. Initially I thought their inner monologues were really boring and they spent so much time developing the characters that it just came off so boring and dry to me >.< But I definitely can see what you liked :)
ReplyDeleteAgreed. I really loved the concept of the hybrids - I thought it was fascinating and well done. But I really would have liked more background information, as well. But hey, this whole withholding information thing worked on me - I will be wanting to read the sequel to find out more!
ReplyDeleteThat's a really good point that we never learn why Hybrids are considered dangerous exactly. I wonder if it's because with two minds people are more likely to think things through and less likely to accept the government's actions? *shrug*
ReplyDeleteOh, and, I now really hope that the later books take us to another country!
DeleteThe Associated Press reported that: "The White House responded to the development by urging Iran's complete and immediate cooperation using the IAEA payday uk the good news is just because you're approved on an amount you never have to spend that much.
ReplyDelete