Review : Fever by Lauren DeStefano

Posted by Kay on December 9, 2012 10:51 am in 3.5 stars reads | 4 comments

Fever by Lauren DeStefano
Pages : 341
Genre : YA, Speculative fiction
Series : The Chemical Garden, Book 2
My Rating : 3,5/5

What it’s about :

My Thoughts :

My reaction to Wither had been not too good, not too bad, so I wasn’t sure what to expect with Fever. After a quick read, I can say that one of two things happened : Fever was better than its predecessor, or I’m getting softer in my old age and enjoying these books in a less critical way.

I related way more to Rhine is this book, and I found the writing more compelling. The book wasn’t exactly what I would qualify as a page-turner, but it was intriguing enough that I read it quite fast. The pace was good, and though Rhine still was somewhat naive at times, she usually had a good thinking head on her shoulders. This depressing road trip is also an occasion for Rhine to think back on her decisions, and how they affect Gabriel. I appreciate when characters transform and can change for the best, and this was no exception.

I also think there is an interesting reflection to be made here on the idea of “freedom”. When Gabriel leaves everything behind for her, Rhines seems to think that Freedom is enough of a motivation for him to turn his life upside down. But at first, this new freedom is dangerous, life-threatening, with very little positive to look forward to. Is it worth it? I think the final answer would be yes, but as Rhine reevaluates her choices in the most difficult times, it’s not always this clear. It’s not black or white, and it was good that she could recognize that.

As for the story, it was nicely paced and full of twists. As soon as Rhine and Gabriel seem to settle in a situation, something happens that puts them on the run again, faster and faster. The book is dark, darker than Wither I’d say. There’s little left of the initial glamour of Rhine’s life in the palace. The romance, which was featured as some sort of love triangle in the first book, is almost absent here. There is so much more going on that, despite their strong feelings for each other, they have other things to consider than making out by the fire. They do have feelings for each other, but there is so much more going on that the scenes between them are hardly romantic. Having them explore the outside world makes it seem like there is very little to hope for, to look forward to. Such a depressing world!

I want to add a note on the cover. I didn’t really liked it at first. I felt like the girl was about to pass out from her drug problems, or something. After reading the book though, I can see how wonderfully accurate the cover is! Unlike a lot of YA books with random but pretty covers, it’s refreshing to have one where every single thing on it refers to something in the story!

In the end, I’m really glad I stuck with the series and gave Fever a read! Though the world-building might not be as polished as I wish it was, the story is engaging and the writing very pleasant. I’m looking forward to reading Sever and to find out how this all concludes – especially after such and ending in Fever!

Series Reading Order :

1. Wither
2. Fever
3. Sever

Similar Reading

The selection by Kiera Cass

The Selection and Whither (the book preceding Fever) felt similar to me for a few reasons : they both featured girls from dystopic worlds unwillingly thrown into glamorous situations, forced to wear pretty dresses while slowly developing feelings for their “captor”.

My initial reaction would be to say that Wither is the darker vision of the future, while The Selection was more fun, and also more romantic. This is even truer in Wither‘s sequel, where there is very little that is pleasant. I have no idea where Kiera Cass will take her series in the coming books; it will be interesting to see if she keeps some of the lightness that made The Selection such an easy read, or tries to give it a more pessimistic tone.