Eyeing my tower of unread books, This Mortal Coil, with its dramatic book jacket and catchy synopsis/blurb, compelled me to read it. From the first chapter, I was reeled in to this dystopian/sci-fi tale.
Catarina, 17 is trying to stay alive in a cabin in the woods after a deadly virus has
forced much of the population to retreat to underground bunkers. She’s a genius
coder, a powerful skill to have, in a world where everyone
is reliant on genetic technology delivered via a gene plate in their forearm.
Her father,
Lachlan Agatta, the world’s most brilliant geneticist, has been taken against
his will by Cartaxus, the dubious organisation who control the world’s genetic
technology. Then Cole shows up with news her father is dead.
Cole is a gene-hacked Cartaxus soldier sent by her father with instructions for a vaccine to eradicate the virus. He must also protect Catarina with his life. What follows is a race to decrypt the code and release the vaccine to the world. Along the way, everything Cat thought she knew is challenged and tested and she must find the strength to face all obstacles and keep going.
Cole is a gene-hacked Cartaxus soldier sent by her father with instructions for a vaccine to eradicate the virus. He must also protect Catarina with his life. What follows is a race to decrypt the code and release the vaccine to the world. Along the way, everything Cat thought she knew is challenged and tested and she must find the strength to face all obstacles and keep going.
Suvada
hooks the reader in with a clever, fast-paced, action-packed story, whip-smart plot and beautifully
portrayed characters with depth. The relationships between the characters make this dystopian novel stand out from others. That and Catarina’s
determination and resilience which propels her forward placing her in
life-threatening situations she doesn’t back down from. Her simmering chemistry
with Cole, is handled with equal parts precision and restraint. Their secrets and
revelations embedded deep in their genetic make-up, when exposed, will make
your heart ache.
There’s so
many plot twists and surprises, I guarantee you will not be able to put this
book down. Australian-born (US-based) Suvada’s background in science and
genetic engineering, combined with a great story premise, delivers a thrilling
ride.
The writing
is beautiful. This is intelligent YA at its best. I loved everything about this
book and inhaled it in 24 hours.
A perfect read for fans of Hunger Games, the Illuminae series and Divergent.
A perfect read for fans of Hunger Games, the Illuminae series and Divergent.
The sequel
is out in October 2018!
Title: This Mortal Coil
Author: Emily Suvada
Publisher: Penguin, $17.99
Publication Date: 30 October 2017
Format: Paperback
ISBN:9780141379272
For ages:13+
Type: Young Adult Fiction
