March 2012 New Gen Debut of the Month.

Refreshingly free of vampires and werewolves this is a stunning debut novel. Written for teenage readers, categorised YA (Young Adult) in the trade, but don't be put off as it is a great read for any dystopian fan and could be seen as The Handmaid's Tale for a new generation. Genetic engineering gone wrong has lead to a radically different population structure and teenage girls are forced to breed to keep the human race alive. The first in a trilogy and this edition contains a sneak preview of the sequel, Fever, and a brand new short story by Lauren DeStefano: The First Bride.

Synopsis

What if you knew you exactly when you would die? In our brave new future, DNA engineering has resulted in a terrible genetic flaw. Women die at the age of 20, men at 25. Young girls are being abducted and forced to breed in a desperate attempt to keep humanity ahead of the disease that threatens to eradicate it. 16-year-old Rhine Ellery is kidnapped and sold as a bride to Linden, a rich young man with a dying wife. Even though he is kind to her, Rhine is desperate to escape her gilded cage - and Linden's cruel father. With the help of Gabriel, a servant she is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to break free, in what little time she has left.

Reviews

A 'harrowing debut ... DeStefano has an observant and occasionally pitiless eye, chronicling the cruelties, mercies, and inconsistencies of her young characters... It will be intriguing to see how DeStefano develops [the larger world] as this promising trilogy progresses.' Publisher's Weekly starred review

'Lauren DeStefano crafts an all too believable future. I loved the world, the romance, the writing -- exactly the kind of book I've been craving to read.' -- Carrie Ryan, New York Times bestselling author of The Forest of Hands and Teeth

'Wither is an exceptional novel that begins with a bang and doesn't let you go - it's gut-wrenching, shocking, incredible, and completely and utterly absorbing all at once!. DeStefano is a fearless writer, and though it is firmly its own book, Wither will remind readers of Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale.' --TheCompulsiveReader.com

About the Author

Lauren Destefano earned her BA in English with a Concentration in Creative Writing from Albertus Magnus College in Connecticut in 2007. Wither is her first novel.   Author photo © Ali Smith More books by this author Author 'Like for Like' recommendation