Wither Review.

Book - Wither.
Author - Lauren DeStefano.
Rating - Five Stars.
Theme Song - "Pardon Me" - Incubus.
Last Chapter Theme Song - "Fix You" - Coldplay.

Synopsis - 

What if you knew exactly when you would die? Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb—males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out. When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape—to find her twin brother and go home.  But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limited time she has left.

I've heard never-ending praise over Wither. It's so thought provoking! I was surprised at how this book took shape. In the beginning, there's so much intensity and hatred for Linden Ashby and his father who took Rhine, Cecily and Jenna away from their homes. In their world, a world not too far in the future for us, young girls are sold to become wives in polygamous marriages just to keep the human race in tact. Scientists found the cure for all diseases and began strengthening the human race, but in a twist of fate it only lasted for one single generation. After that, something went very, very wrong and now everyone is a ticking time bomb. Women are only living to be 20 years old and men are only living to be 25 years old. No one has discovered why this occurred but with the race coming apart as it is, everything has changed.

Rhine Ellerly, a sixteen year old from Manhattan was kidnapped and forced into marriage with Linden Ashby. Rhine and her twin brother, Rowan lived on their own in the house they grew up in. Their parents were scientists who were killed in an explosion. Once Rhine is kidnapped and chosen as a wife she continued her quest at escaping, she continued her brooding hatred for her surroundings. Rhine isn't like Cecily or Jenna, she's not an orphan nor has she ever been. This isn't a way of life she's accepted the way they have. Everything changes when she meets Rose. Rose who she looks so much alike is Linden's current wife. Rose is withering away right in front of their eyes, but she's still as graceful as ever. The entire time she was dying, Rose never really let anyone see her sweat. In a way, I think Rhine admired her bravery, her opinions and her advice. It was something Rhine grew used too in a weird roundabout way. Rhine talked to Rose about a lot of things, Linden included. Rose was his wife, the first wife but their relationship wasn't forced. Rose and Linden grew up together and even had a child that was devastatingly stillborn. Now that Rose was dying, Linden needed another wife, wives to be exact and his father, Housemaster Vaughn took the liberty of seeing that through. Housemaster Vaughn carried the most secrets in this book, he was the biggest antagonist and you will see as time goes on he just gets worse and worse.

"Fate, I think, is a thief."

Once Rose passed on and Linden was done grieving, it was time for the new wives to take control. Rhine stood at the forefront of them, she was the middle one who hauntingly looked like Rose. Jenna, the oldest girl was gorgeous, quiet and spent most of her time in the library reading romance novels. Cecily, the youngest girl who was only 13 was the fiery, vibrant and all too eager to please wife. Rhine didn't know what to do with herself after Rose passed. She couldn't decide whether to play it cool and act convincing until the perfect time arose, or to continue to act if though being there pained her because it did. She fell upon the first choice, she knew she'd get nowhere without complying. Rhine fell into a routine of acting as if nothing was bothering her, only opening up to those she felt as if she could trust and then not completely. She found trust in one of the attendants, Gabriel who was an orphan and couldn't remember when the last time he saw the outside world was. Gabriel brought Rhine all her meals and whatever else she wanted, but in reality they'd spend their time talking and eating "June Beans," Rose's favorite candy that Gabriel would sneak for her. While her and Gabriel's relationship grew, she spent days with her sister wives enjoying the holograms and technology the mansion had to offer.

"She smiles at our husband as she moves, and he blushes, overcome by her beauty.
But I know what her smile really means...Her smile is her revenge." 

Time goes on and they soon learn that Cecily is pregnant. Linden couldn't be more happy, as well as Cecily but to Jenna and Rhine it becomes sickening. Cecily begins to take a role in motherhood at 13 without ever knowing what a childhood was like.

As things change around the house, Rhine also learns how clueless Linden is. It seems that Housemaster Vaughn has been pulling all the strings this entire time, but to what extent? Rhine was never completely sure. Rhine, Cecily and Jenna grew incredibly close and I really liked the dynamic of these three girls. All of their characters grew a lot and changed right before the readers eyes. I can't say much more because it will be far too revealing and I don't want to spoil this story for anyone. The ending was all that I hoped it would be.

The entire book is devastating and magical. It was suspenseful and witty. I can't wait to read more from Lauren DeStefano, her work is magnificent.


Also, I'm usually not a fan of book trailers but Wither has an amazing one: here.

The next installment in the "Chemical Garden" series is "Fever."

It's to be released February 2012
and the cover is to be revealed in July 2011.

I cannot wait for this, can it come like now? I'm SO serious.

Also check out Lauren's Twitter, here and her official website here.