Replica by Lauren Oliver
Hodder and Stoughton, 2016. ISBN 9781473614963
(Age: Young adult) Recommended for lovers of Sci-fi fantasy
adventure (with a dose of romance). Themes: Cloning, Science
Fiction, Power and Corruption, Friendship, Identity. On cover: Two
girls, Two stories, One Epic Novel. Lauren Oliver has created
a back-to-back Sci-Fi fantasy story told from the perspective of the
female protagonists and presented as 2 separate books, inverted in
the same cover. Rather than an integrated story with both
perspectives interspersed into the narrative, it is two distinct and
separate stories telling about the same events, but giving the
different slants and histories of those involved. Lyra lives as a
scientific test subject in a facility hidden from the world because
of the unscrupulous scientific investigations into cloning and
biological warfare. Her status in this environment is only a little
higher than a lab rat. Her personal attempts to make sense of her
world reveal her as more than a test animal. Gemma is her rescuer,
but her own history implicates her family in the inappropriately
named facility, 'Haven', which is far from a haven! Set in the
Florida swamplands, the environment itself adds to the mire of the
circumstances of the Replicas.
Although the stories could be read in any order, Lyra's story gives
the reader a contextual understanding of the scientific world at
Haven and the horror of living life as a disposable 'Replica'. Power
and a moral vacuum pervade the story with corruption reaching
fatally into many lives. Gemma's life is almost easy in comparison,
even though she deals with daily bullying and problems with the
all-too-perfect mean girl 'clones' that seem to be a part of every
high school experience and has suffered major health issues all her
life, and lives in an overly protective parental environment as a
consequence. However, her attempts to make sense of who she is,
links her to Lyra. Into this amazing Science Fiction adventure and
mystery is woven friendship and romantic interests, with first
kisses and awakening interests in the opposite gender, as well as
murder and corruption. Other teen issues involving peer
relationships, parent-child concerns, friendship and the American
'Spring Break' expectations also appear.
Those who enjoyed Lauren Oliver's other books, and also Scott
Westerfeld's Uglies series will enjoy this book.
Carolyn Hull