Fever (The Chemical Garden, #2) by Lauren DeStefano

• Title: Fever (The Chemical Garden, #2)
• Classification: Young Adult (Ages 14 and up)
• Genre: Dystopia
• Format: Hardcover, 352 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers (February 21, 2012)
• ISBN-10: 144240907X
• ISBN-13: 978-1442409071

Author's Website: http://laurendestefano.com/
Notes: If you haven't read Wither, the first in The Chemical Garden trilogy, check out my review HERE

     'This time Yesterday I was a House Governor's bride. I had sister wives. At the end of my life, my body would have ended up with the wives who'd died before me, on a rolling cart in my father-in-law's basement, for him to do only he knows what....
     My brother, Rowan, is somewhere out here. And there's nothing stopping me from getting home to him.
     I thought the freedom would excite me, and it does, but there's terror, too. A steady march of what-ifs making their way through all my deliciously attainable hopes.
     What if he's not there?
     What if something goes wrong?
     What if Vaughn finds you?
     What if....'
    
Rhine is a young, beautiful, smart, and sweet girl who was thrown into an impossible situation. She was kidnapped and forced to become one of three wives to Linden, a House Governor. Her fate could have been much worse--all the girls who were kidnapped but weren't chosen were killed. The sister of one of her fellow "sister" wives was not so lucky. She was killed

The world Rhine lives in is much different from ours. Most of the world was destroyed by a Third World War. Then an experiment to enhance the human species went terribly awry. The end result was that the offspring of that first generation inherited a vastly shorter lifespan. The problem wasn't immediately discovered, and by the time it was identified, a large deal of time had passed and the damage had been done. Those of the second generation and beyond only live to 20 if they're female and to 25 if they're male. The victims of some unknown virus. Scientists did their best to try to identify and fix the problem, but they've all come up short and most have given up hope. Those of the first generation are now becoming elderly and soon they will be facing the limits of their own mortality. Those who are newly born will have no one to take care of them.

Now Rhine and Gabriel have finally broken free from their prison only to land into another, even less desirable one--Madame's carnival of amour which offers patrons the illusion of love and keeps its workers in a drug induced state of compliance. If they wish to survive they'll have to escape and hope Vaughn doesn't find them.

While all may appear lost, hope and a warning come from a mysterious fortune teller...

     I draw the top card from the third pile and lay it face up beside the Emperor.
     The World.
     "This card never comes up." Annabelle says. "Except, I remember, back when I was a girl doing readings in my hometown. Before we knew about the virus. It has not come up since then. "
     "What does it mean?"
     "It's a good card," She says. "It means everything will fall into place. Your world will come together."... "Things will get worse before they get better."

__________________

I just adored this book. What is it that I like about Dystopian novels? Well, I think it's all the controversy they stir up. In this book you've got women with virtually no rights, not even the right to refuse marriage. You've got a society that is less than desirable. Plus, you've got characters who are trying to survive against all odds. Dystopians cans show the worst of society and the best. Additionally, all the characters, good or bad, can usually be easily identified by the readers.

In this book, we get a better look at what has happened to the world. We learn more of the horrors of those who have managed to survive. We get a brief view of the government that exists. Plus, we get to learn more about Gabriel, the attendant Rhine escaped with.

Why is the book named Fever? Well, Rhine gets sick and comes down with a fever. Nobody knows for certain, but there is a good possibility that Vaughn has done something to compromise her and cause her to become sick.

Plenty of action, suspense, and drama included in this one. I gave it a 5 out of 5 roses. Still enjoying the series and can't wait to read the next.

Order of Series: