ARC Review: Eve and Adam by Katherine Applegate and Michael Grant

 

Authors: Katherine Applegate and Michael Grant

Pages: 304

Genre: Young Adult

Publisher: Hardie Grant Egmont Australia

Amazon: Eve and Adam

Release Date: 2^nd October 2012

Synopsis. (Goodreads)

Sixteen-year-old Evening Spiker lives an affluent life in San Francisco with her mother, EmmaRose, a successful geneticist and owner of Spiker Biotech. Sure, Evening misses her father who died mysteriously, but she’s never really questioned it. Much like how she’s never stopped to think how off it is that she’s never been sick. That is, until she’s struck by a car and is exposed to extensive injuries. Injuries that seem to be healing faster than physically possible.

While recuperating in Spiker Biotech’s lush facilities, she meets Solo Plissken, a very attractive, if off-putting boy her age who spent his life at Spiker Biotech. Like Evening, he’s never questioned anything... until now. Solo drops hints to Evening that something isn’t right, and Emma-Rose may be behind it. Evening puts this out of her mind and begins her summer internship project: To simulate the creation of the perfect boy. With the help of Solo, Evening uncovers secrets so big they could change the world completely.

Review: 4 ½ out of 5 stars

Eve and Adam by Katherine Applegate and Michael Grant was kindly provided to me by Hardie Grant Egmont Australia.

After an accident which left Evening Spiker with serious injuries, she is transferred from the hospital to her successful geneticist mothers’ high-tech laboratory where she will recover at the hands of a highly trained medical team.

Eve was a smart character who was logical, realistic and believable in her emotions; whilst recuperating and to relieve her boredom she has been given the task by her mother to simulate the creation of the perfect human using enhanced technology, I enjoyed the imagery we are given and Eve’s thought process when it came to designing the ideal boy.

Eve knew something wasn’t quite right about her extremely fast healing but there to provide her with the answers was Solo Plissken who stayed by her side from the moment she first landed in hospital, he was such an intriguing character with a quick wit and a smart mind – I really wanted to know more about his life within the walls of the Biotech facility, his past, his rebellious streak and his determination to bring Eve’s mother down. I felt there was so much more to him as a person that we didn’t find out.

Each of the secondary characters were fleshed out well; I especially liked Aislin, Eve’s best friend who although was going through a difficult time with her drug dealing boyfriend bought some humor to the story – I did at times find her ongoing dramas were an unnecessary addition to the storyline but she was supportive to Eve and enjoyable none the less.

I devoured this book in a few short hours, I was mesmerized by the wonderful story-telling of these talented authors; the plot flowed smoothly and the idea of the perfect human being created or enhanced I found to be fascinating, the secrets being uncovered along the way provided a great back-drop to the perfect mystery.

The narrative is told from Eve, Solo and (highlight white text to show spoiler)  eventually Adam’s POV when he is bought to life which I always appreciate, the switch between each chapter was flawless. We are propelled right into these characters stories right from the onset.

I enjoyed the scientific aspects of Eve and Adam, many questions are asked in this book about what really represents perfection to us which I found quite entertaining and the writing kept me engrossed from the very first page.

My only gripe is too much is revealed in the synopsis so there is no real element of surprise but other than this, I really enjoyed Eve and Adam.

Thank-you to Hardie Grant Egmont Australia for providing me with a copy of Eve and Adam.