There are some things, once they are done, that we can never question, because if we did, we wouldn't be able to go on. And we have to go on, every single day.” - Caragh O'Brien



Reading Reflection #3

Birthmarked By: Caragh M. O'Brien

The Synopsis from the book:

In the future, in a world baked dry by the harsh sun, there are those who live inside the wall and those, like sixteen-year-old midwife Gaia Stone, who live outside. Gaia has always believed that it is her duty, with her mother, to hand over a small quota of babies to the Enclave. But when Gaia's mother and father are arrested by the very people they so dutifully serve, Gaia is forced to question everything she has been taught to believe. Gaia's choice is now simple: enter the world of the Enclave to rescue her parents, or die trying.

So this is an example of why my method of choosing books is totally awesome. When I go to the library I scan the shelves and the turn table thingys and when I find a book that sounds alright, I pick it up. After that, I read the synopsis. That is precisely why when I went to the library last Tuesday, I checked out 15 books. I don't let covers, or anything distract me. I have discovered so many totally awesome books this way!

Anyhow. Onto the review!

So I totally forgot to stickie note this book because it was way to amazing to even consider pausing to write something down and stick it on there. I do however, remember some of my questions/comments/predictions, so I'll chat about them for a bit!

First off, the very beginning was somewhat confusing. Not as confusing as Allie Condie's Matched, but it still left me with a couple of questions.

" 'No!' The mother cried. 'You can't! It's April twenty-first! Nobody ever advances a baby this late in the month.' "

Now I would assume that your reaction to this would be similar to mine, which was basically at confusion over the whole "advancing a baby" thing. You soon learn that what that means is that the midwives must give their government the first three babies that they deliver each month. Strange, isn't it? I wondered why they had to do this. You'll however just have to read the book to find out!

Honestly, that is pretty much the only thing that I was really confused about. Caragh M. O'Brien did an amazing job at writing this book. The ending was a total cliff-hanger. It quite literally made me sigh when it ended. Of course, then there was an excerpt from "Prized"  which is the second in the trilogy (HURRAH! There it is a trilogy!) which of course, also ended in a cliff hanger. I leapt to my computer to request it from the library.

By the way, "Prized" came in for me,  I read it and now I am dying because I have to wait a while for the third (called Promised) doesn't come out until Fall 2012.

Keep an eye out for a review on Prized!