Origin

Title: Origin

Author: Jessica Khoury

Standalone

Number of Pages: 394 pgs

Date Read: November 13, 2012

Genre: Sci- Fi, Dystopian

Synopsis (Found on Goodreads.com):

Pia has grown up in a secret laboratory hidden deep in the Amazon rain forest. She was raised by a team of scientists who have created her to be the start of a new immortal race. But on the night of her seventeenth birthday, Pia discovers a hole in the electric fence that surrounds her sterile home--and sneaks outside the compound for the first time in her life.

Free in the jungle, Pia meets Eio, a boy from a nearby village. Together, they embark on a race against time to discover the truth about Pia's origin--a truth with deadly consequences that will change their lives forever.

Origin is a beautifully told, shocking new way to look at an age-old desire: to live forever, no matter the cost.

My Review: 

This book was awesome. I had trouble getting into it at first but I'm glad I stuck with it. 

The story line was interesting to me and that suprised me because I'm not usually into science fiction type books. Basically the story line is that Pia is a genetically altered immortal human. Nothing pierces her skin and she is immune to all diseases. She can feel pain but not like normal humans can. Everything about her is heightened and as they say throughout the book "Perfect". So this perfect girls needs to study and go through tests so that she can be initiated into the team who made her. Once she's proven herself she will be told all the secrets of how they made her and she will be expected to carry out these procedures to create more immortal humans. Oh yeah and the compound where they live and where the scientist do their work is in the middle of the freaking amazon jungle. Nothing from the outside world is allowed in so Pia doesn't even know what the U.S. is. Any-whoo, Pia finds a hole in the electric fence that guards her compound and goes through it, secretly. She meets a boy, Eio and from then on her whole life has changed. The rest of the book is her getting a hold of her feelings and deciding whether to go with Eio or stay in her compound for her destiny. 

Sounds boring....Oh but its not. 

I like Pia as a character (don't like her name tho). Its cool to see they way she thinks about everything which is like a scientist and with the scientific method. I find it mind blowing that Pia doesn't know ANYTHING about the world outside. Her ignorance about the world is funny especially when she does come into contact with something from the world. One of the scientists (Who she calls uncle or aunt), mentions ShaKespeare and her reaction is like "Whats a Shakespeare". Stuble humor like this is found in the book. 

I like the guy Eio too. He's nice and I like the bond Pia and him grow to have. It is kinda insta-love but done in a good way where it doesn't bother me and its not noticeable. One of Pia's "uncles", Uncle Antonio is one of my favorite characters. He's sympatheic and he cares about Pia very much. He even tries to convince her to run away from the compound b/c he knows what evils are done inside there that Pia hasn't been told of yet. 

I really like the way the author brought in a native Amazon people into the book. The Ai'oans (Eio is half Ai'oan and he lives with them in the jungle) are an interesting bunch. They're not ignorant about the world. While they do have knowledge they still incorporate traditions, like medicine men, into their lives. They welcome Pia with open arms.

I'm not gonna give away anymore about the book, but I feel that I stumbled upon a very interesting and likable book. I'll leave you with my favorite part of the book:

-and the door to the lab bursts from the hinges behind us. 
Everyone whirls and ducks as bullets pound into the ceiling
above our heads. Paolo keeps a grip on me, preventing 
me from darting away. 
"WHERE IS MY SON?" Uncle Antonio bellows, leveling the two 
AK-47s he's holding on the lot of us. "Get away from him, 
you bastards"- Origin by Jessica Khoury, page 342.

Like I said, fun :D

Rating:

A