CW: animal experimentation and its consequences

I really enjoyed this book. There were some weaker elements (almost insta-love, a secret reveal that was built up a lot but not really surprising), but the writing was so good that those elements didn't detract from the reading experience. It was compelling, I was invested in the fate of the main characters, and I didn't want to put the book down. I liked Pia's characterization and the attention to detail paid to someone who grew up in an isolated, entirely scientific environment (taking figures of speech literally, not knowing common place names, etc). It added legitimacy and flavor. The descriptions of the environment, especially the jungle, made me feel like I was there. I will definitely be looking for more by Khoury. ( )

I was not expecting this book to be as good as it was. Holy crap. That was a great ride! ( )

Origin by Jessica Khoury is a YA story set in a secret enclave deep in the Amazonian jungle where a group of scientists have perfected their exploration of immorality. Hidden away from the world, their specimen has reached the age of seventeen. She has inexhaustible stamina, a body imperious to sickness or injury and super fast reflexes, but Pia is more than a science project, she is a living, breathing girl who longs to break free of the restrictions that surround her. When a storm causes a break in the fence surrounding the compound, Pia ventures out on her own. She meets a boy, Eio, and with his help and the help of a new female scientist, Pia learns more about the secrets and tragedies that led to her existence.

Origin is a well paced story that makes inventive use of the philosophy and science of immortality. It is a YA book which meant that the characters were not as well developed as I would have liked and the relationship between Pia and Eio was a little too full of teen angst for me which made it rather unbelievable. Obviously this is a book written for a young teenage audience and probably would most likelybe enjoyed by them. Origin is the first of a trilogy and since I have the other two on my shelves, I will probably continue on at some point. ( )

I had a really bad case of the Just-One-More-Chapter syndrome last night.
Plot: 5/5
This book had SUCH A UNIQUE plot. You have to give this book the first 100 pages. Not a lot happens. There’s a lot of world-building, and a lot of really good plot points are introduced, but not a lot of action happened.
But after that first 100 pages, stuff starts going down. A lot of mysteries get unraveled. Honestly, when I say action I don’t mean like fights action. I mean, like, a lot of internal conflict. A lot of figuring things out.
But it’s really good.
This book is an amazing blend of science and mythology, something I’ve never really seen done before, but it was done here so well.
I HIGHLY recommend this book.

Characters: 4.5/5
Pia: I really love the way that she thinks, and the way she thinks about herself. Given her history, especially. The only thing I didn’t like about her was the way she seemed to blurt things out as she figured them out. Fortunately, she only blurted to characters who we were fairly certain were good, but still… she needs a filter in her brain.
Eio: At one point, Pia said something along the lines of: He’s different from anyone I’ve ever known. He’s the same age as me, and that’s different, but that’s not what makes him different. To which I responded very skeptically, “are you SURE that’s not it?”
Harriet Fields: My god, I ADORE this woman. I’m gonna she’s my favorite character in this book. Even with the thing that happened at the end.
Uncle Antonio: I wish we’d seen more of him. I mean, we learned a lot about him in the beginning, and then in the last half he was pretty important, but in the middle, we pretty much only had Harriet, Eio, Paolo, and Mother.
Mother: I still don’t get it. Why was she hugging Pia in the beginning and then to the end? I need some bridging of this character. I mean, I know why she did what she did at the end. But then why was she hugging Pia in the beginning? That’s what’s tripping me up. You can’t have her be one way when you’ve already presented evidence to the contrary.
Uncle Paolo: Well, here is a fairly despicable man. And you all know that I do love a good villain.
The romance: 5/5
Well, I did love all the interactions between Pia and Eio. All there Dialogue was just so good and funny but serious and I… wow. Also, it’s worthy to note that there WAS NO LOVE TRIANGLE. That was sich a fresh breath of air, you know?

Overall grade: 14.5/15
Overall, this book was unique on so many levels. There were some slow bits and some bumps in the road and a couple problems with characters development, but it was an amazing book that I will recommend. It’s a little out there, and definitely not for everybody, but I enjoyed it a lot and it has earned it’s spot on my favorites list, and one day, I hope to own it on my shelf.
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ARC Received from Publisher: Razorbill

Pia lives with a team of scientists in a compound in the middle of the rainforest. They have genetically created her to be immortal from a plant found in the rainforest. They tell her she is "perfect" and she is the future, but she is not as arrogant as you might expect. Pia, who just turned 17, begins to question her confinement, her surroundings and her life. She sneaks out and meets a native boy, Eio, and finds out there is much in question at her facility.

This debut YA novel has tons of creativity made all the more interesting by a location I haven’t seen much in YA, the Amazon rainforest. There are great descriptions that make it easy to immerse yourself into the landscape. The storyline is thorough, which is so important when tackling science and genetic engineering. Just when I started to question something, the author covered it so there were no loose ends. There are some animal testing scenes that are a bit intense, but it is in the nature of scientific study and one of the main things that the protagonist begins to question. I found all the characters well developed, the incorporation of native tradition and folklore imaginative, and the lesser known corporation responsible for the experiments in the compound, Corpus, was a foreboding presence in the background. Romance, mystery, and intrigue all make for a fast-paced and dynamic read.

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