Thursday, July 18, 2013

Book Review: What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang

What's Left of Me (The Hybrid Chronicles #1)
Author:  Kat Zhang
Publisher: HarperCollins, 343 pages
Publication Date:  September 18, 2012

From Goodreads:
I should not exist. But I do.

Eva and Addie started out the same way as everyone else—two souls woven together in one body, taking turns controlling their movements as they learned how to walk, how to sing, how to dance. But as they grew, so did the worried whispers. Why aren’t they settling? Why isn’t one of them fading? The doctors ran tests, the neighbors shied away, and their parents begged for more time. Finally Addie was pronounced healthy and Eva was declared gone. Except, she wasn’t . . .

For the past three years, Eva has clung to the remnants of her life. Only Addie knows she’s still there, trapped inside their body. Then one day, they discover there may be a way for Eva to move again. The risks are unimaginable-hybrids are considered a threat to society, so if they are caught, Addie and Eva will be locked away with the others. And yet . . . for a chance to smile, to twirl, to speak, Eva will do anything.

Review:
I really enjoyed this book.  It's an interesting world that Kat Zhang has created.  I liked both Eva and Addie, and I really felt for them.  It's really an impossible situation.  How weird would that be to share a body with someone?  And to have conversations in your head?  Never to be alone?  They do love each other and it comes through in the book.  Addie feels guilty since she has been in charge of their body for the last three years, but Eva never makes her feel that way.  In a way, Eva felt like the stronger of the two, so it was interesting that she became the recessive soul.  

When it comes to the other hybrids, although Eva could always tell when it was one versus the other (and it seemed like all of them could) I didn't get a true sense of the differences between them.  It seemed to be a look in the eye, an expression, the way they smiled, etc.  I mean, it made sense that there wouldn't be huge outward differences given that they had to pretend to be the same person, but it would have been nice to have a little more when it came to those characters. But I really liked the idea that they could tell the difference between them.  There is a bit of a romance in this book, but not much, which makes sense because...awkward!

The book reminded me a bit of The Host, with the premise of two souls/one body idea, but other than that, it was quite different.  



Posted by:  Pam

2 comments:

  1. Neither myself or Em could really get into this one but we're so glad you enjoyed it!

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    1. I did like it, and I'm curious where the next book is going to go. ~Pam

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