Perfected
Release Date: 07/01/14
Entangled Teen
Summary from Goodreads:
Summary from Goodreads:
Perfection comes at a price.
As soon as the government passed legislation allowing humans to be genetically engineered and sold as pets, the rich and powerful rushed to own beautiful girls like Ella. Trained from birth to be graceful, demure, and above all, perfect, these “family companions” enter their masters’ homes prepared to live a life of idle luxury.
Ella is happy with her new role as playmate for a congressman’s bubbly young daughter, but she doesn’t expect Penn, the congressman’s handsome and rebellious son. He’s the only person who sees beyond the perfect exterior to the girl within. Falling for him goes against every rule she knows…and the freedom she finds with him is intoxicating.
But when Ella is kidnapped and thrust into the dark underworld lurking beneath her pampered life, she’s faced with an unthinkable choice. Because the only thing more dangerous than staying with Penn’s family is leaving…and if she’s unsuccessful, she’ll face a fate far worse than death.
For fans of Keira Cass’s Selection series and Lauren DeStefano’s Chemical Garden series, Perfected is a chilling look at what it means to be human, and a stunning celebration of the power of love to set us free, wrapped in a glamorous—and dangerous—bow.
My Review:
Disturbing. This isn't a horror story in the traditional sense. There aren't any monsters or serial killers. This is a dystopian novel in the typical way. There aren't any plagues or overthrown governments. That is why this story was disturbing. Disturbing but good.
Humans are being genetically engineered aka cloned to be pets. They (the human pets) are raised in kennels. They are trained on how to be the best pet possible. And if they are ever returned that are put down. Yes, these human pets are treated like dogs. Ella is from a kennel that is similar to a place where you would get pure breeds.
I like the idea of this story. Tackling whether or not a person made in a lab should be consider a human or something human-like. If Perfected, the answer is human-like. I like that the author made a quick but important reference to slavery. It's one of the first things that jumped into my head as I began to read. It is clear that we are supposed to look at Ella as a pet and not a slave. Since she doesn't actually do any labor a pet is how I saw her.
Ella, what can I say. She's not the sharpest tack in the toolbox. The thing that annoyed me about her is that she just didn't get outraged. She didn't have enough "this shit isn't right" moments for me. She did question what was going on but it wasn't that revolution spark in her. I think that maybe, hopefully, there will be a book two. I think maybe there will be. In book two, I'm pretty sure she'll be a bit stronger, more vocal, and more free-my-people-ish. o_O
Should you read it? Yes. Who should read it? Fan of dystopian who wants a twist from the norm (you know the norm dystopian since dystopian is a twist from the norm...). Who shouldn't read it? Overly sensitive people? I don't know I think it's pretty mainstream friendly.
My Review:
Disturbing. This isn't a horror story in the traditional sense. There aren't any monsters or serial killers. This is a dystopian novel in the typical way. There aren't any plagues or overthrown governments. That is why this story was disturbing. Disturbing but good.
Humans are being genetically engineered aka cloned to be pets. They (the human pets) are raised in kennels. They are trained on how to be the best pet possible. And if they are ever returned that are put down. Yes, these human pets are treated like dogs. Ella is from a kennel that is similar to a place where you would get pure breeds.
I like the idea of this story. Tackling whether or not a person made in a lab should be consider a human or something human-like. If Perfected, the answer is human-like. I like that the author made a quick but important reference to slavery. It's one of the first things that jumped into my head as I began to read. It is clear that we are supposed to look at Ella as a pet and not a slave. Since she doesn't actually do any labor a pet is how I saw her.
Ella, what can I say. She's not the sharpest tack in the toolbox. The thing that annoyed me about her is that she just didn't get outraged. She didn't have enough "this shit isn't right" moments for me. She did question what was going on but it wasn't that revolution spark in her. I think that maybe, hopefully, there will be a book two. I think maybe there will be. In book two, I'm pretty sure she'll be a bit stronger, more vocal, and more free-my-people-ish. o_O
Should you read it? Yes. Who should read it? Fan of dystopian who wants a twist from the norm (you know the norm dystopian since dystopian is a twist from the norm...). Who shouldn't read it? Overly sensitive people? I don't know I think it's pretty mainstream friendly.
Praise for Perfected:
“Compelling, imaginative, and unique. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough!”
— Mary Lindsey, author of Shattered Souls
— Mary Lindsey, author of Shattered Souls
Available from:
Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo Books * iTunes
Kate Jarvik Birch is a visual artist, author, playwright, daydreamer, and professional procrastinator. As a child, she wanted to grow up to be either a unicorn or mermaid. Luckily, being a writer turned out to be just as magical. Her essays and short stories have been published in literary journals including Indiana Review and Saint Ann’s Review. She lives in Salt Lake City, Utah with her husband and three kids. To learn more visit www.katejarvikbirch.com
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