Review: A Unique and Fascinating YA Dystopian Novel!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 11, 2014
4.5 Stars'Mirror X' is an unique and fascinating first book in a new young adult dystopian trilogy. The story follows main character Cassie as she wakes up in a strange hospital and is told that she was cryogenically preserved - and it's now over 1,000 years later. Cassie tries to digest all this seemingly impossible information and is determined to find her place in this new world. However, things are incredibly different in the 31st century and Cassie's finding it hard to live under all the constraints the government has placed on the population. She finds solace in the hospital where she's being treated - a genetics hospital - and with the lead geneticist Dr. Bennett. Cassie begins to question things when she meets several people who seem oddly familiar to her - especially a guy named Travel. What exactly is happening at the genetics hospital and what do they want from Cassie?This is one of my favorite dystopians to date. While most other books in the genre start out in the new world with a brief mention of things that happened beforehand to bring them to this state, the way this book starts out makes the whole situation seem plausible - which I found to be both creepy and wonderful. The author uses a world that we can relate to and then spins a tale of how the main character was injured and then brought back to life in this new world. The way Cassie behaves and speaks - and what she remembers from her old life - is told in a way that I could easily relate to. I could shut my eyes and basically switch places with Cassie. The development of the new world from the old was detailed and written in a way that made it feel realistic. I really liked that the author used this writing style for the book - I was able to immerse myself completely into the story, which I usually can never do with other dystopias.Cassie was a realistic main character who showed her determination, strength, and intelligence to figure out what was actually happening around her. I liked Cassie from the very beginning of the book and I loved watching her character grow throughout the book. The story is told from Cassie's point of view, in first person, and was conversational in style. This technique also made it easy for me to lose myself in the book and to be able to feel as if I were there. The other characters were well written, but without as much detail as Cassie. The plot wasn't completely original, but the author made it unique by the intricate details and the intriguing mystery behind the hospital. I loved the writing style with the vivid imagery and detailed descriptions of everything from the characters to the setting. The book was fast paced and had me eagerly reading as fast as I could to find out what was going to happen. I'm incredibly glad that this is the first book in a series and I can't wait for the next book to find out what will happen next. I very highly recommend this book to fans of YA science fiction and dystopias, as well as those readers looking for something different and thought-provoking.Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.