Uninvited reminded me of "The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken in many ways. What will you do, if a book makes you want to stop and keep going at the same time?? Read "Uninvited", you will find out..
Original Title: Uninvited
Series: Uninvited #1
Author: Sophie Jordan
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: January 28th, 2014
Source: Review copy from the publisher, thanks!
Genre: Dystopia, Young adult
The Scarlet Letter meets Minority Report in bestselling author Sophie Jordan's chilling new novel about a teenage girl who is ostracized when her genetic test proves she's destined to become a murderer.
When Davy Hamilton's tests come back positive for Homicidal Tendency Syndrome (HTS)-aka the kill gene-she loses everything. Her boyfriend ditches her, her parents are scared of her, and she can forget about her bright future at Juilliard. Davy doesn't feel any different, but genes don't lie. One day she will kill someone.
Only Sean, a fellow HTS carrier, can relate to her new life. Davy wants to trust him; maybe he's not as dangerous as he seems. Or maybe Davy is just as deadly.
The first in a two-book series, Uninvited tackles intriguing questions about free will, identity, and human nature. Steeped in New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan's trademark mix of gripping action and breathless romance, this suspenseful tale is perfect for fans of James Patterson, Michelle Hodkin, and Lisa McMann.
REVIEW
Davy Hamilton, a girl with everything in her life, whose life is laid out before her in a neat rich manner, is a carrier of HTS - kill gene - meaning she is identified as a future killer. Everything shatters in Davy's life after that. Even her boyfriend and her BFF turn against her. She is expelled out of her school and the government sends her to a different school with other identified carriers in her area. Sean and Gil, two other carriers in Davy's class, seem okay, but Sean is already imprinted with "H" to state that he has shown evidence of violence. But, Gil seems to trust Sean and he seems less killer-like than other kids. When she just thought she could somehow finish the school and leave the place, even this life is snatched away from her...
It's hard to read this book, without feeling your heart squeeze every few minutes. Davy is trying so hard to convince herself that they had made a mistake in identifying her as a carrier.
I'm different. The exception. It's arrogant thinking, but all I can cling to.
Every time, I think, that she can't see worse than this, Sophie Jordan gives pushes Davy deeper. It's aching to know the girl, who had it all, is just trying to living by hope. She tries to be confident, tries to find some light in her dark world, where she has no rights for anything.
Whatever happens, I don't have anyone. I have to learn to live with that.
The only sane person she meets in the school, at first, is Gil, who advises her to be friends with better guys, so that they can protect her. The guy is so sweet, even I thought the doctors had made a mistake identifying him as a killer.
Hard to imagine he's a carrier. Maybe he's like me. Maybe they made a mistake.
What is most astonishing is the reactions of the society, most of all, their own friends and family. I seriously don't know how I would be, if I am in a society like that. The society, where there is high rate of crime and the government, taking measures to control it, by identifying kill genes - it all seems good..you don't care..you live in your small world minding your own business, thinking that you are safe from all these identified killers... unless the detected person with the kill gene is you or one of your family member. The author has hit it hard, where it pains.
She makes me sound like livestock. Not a person. Not human.
I felt embarassed to even think that in the most desperate situations, I forget to care about the world outside my bubble. I may not be cruel enough to be like Davy's BFF, but I would have been scared of the carriers too..too scared to even be with them. That is, as I said, unless if it's me or my little brother or another one of my closest family - then I would know what other innocent carriers are feeling. While I am kicking myself with all these thoughts, there is the other side - the truly scary killer kind.
RYAN YATES: I told her she should have gone out with me. That she should have liked me. And I cut her throat.
DR. WAINWRIGHT: How did you feel then, Ryan?
RYAN YATES: ...Better...
This made me think, maybe it's better if these guys are never let loose in the public. I was in a total dilemma.
They're carriers. There doesn't have to be a reason for them to inflict pain on others.
But, you know what won? The ethical part.. I want to give people a chance. Maybe if they are properly educated with some values, they would be good. Hmm? No, what age are you in? People don't listen to you and your values, if you tell them. But, I still don't want innocent people living their life in fear every minute, not knowing how much they have time to be with their family and thrown out to some quarantine.
I walk quickly, as if I'm escaping...as if they might change their minds and pull me back and thrown me into a vehicle and drag me out of here to the detention camp I saw on TV.
It's not like they had a chance that they have this gene. This is not their choice. I hate the pain of Davy as she tries to survive with a pack of wolves, waiting to tear her apart even when she shows a little amount of weakness.
The characters, the plot and the world are so amazing, that I can't wait to read the next book and get this over with..in a good way..in a more relieved way.
I am not going to spoil the romance for you. It's very less, but I love Sean and you will too. And so is the so little friendship part. The kids are trying to survive, that they don't have time for anything else..
Recommended for dystopia lovers! If you are looking for a light read, don't even think about picking this book up. But, all I can say is, this is going to keep you thinking all the time until the end. The climax is kind of immediate. I didn't expect it to be over so soon, but Sophie Jordan is writing another book. So, I am waiting.. All we have is hope.
4.5 STARS!
