Review: Replication by Jill Williamson

Publication Date: 12-27-2011

Publisher: Zonderkidz
Pages: 304

Format: e-book

Source: netgalley

Challenge: Ebook Challenge 2012

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Goodreads Summary:

A girl discovers her geneticist father is covering up multiple secrets---all of which are named Jason.Jason 3:3---known as Martyr---always believed his life had purpose. As one of the hundreds of clones living in a closed-off underground facility beneath an Alaskan farm, he has been told his genetics hold the key to saving humanity from an airborne pandemic aboveground, and his purpose will be filled on his upcoming eighteenth birthday. The problem is no such pandemic exists. Unaware of the truth, Martyr wishes for one glimpse of the sky before his expiration date arrives. His escape leads him to the home of one of the scientists, and to Abby Goyer. As she helps Martyr, she can't help but notice his uncanny resemblance to the high school quarterback. Abby soon uncovers the dark truth behind Jason Farms and her dad's work, and decides to show Martyr his true value and worth. As Martyr learns the truth behind his existence, he must decide if his God-given purpose is connected to the farm, or if it rests in a life with Abby.

There are so many aspects of this book that I enjoyed.  First, I loved the idea of a “mad scientist” who has been creating clones of himself.  I also liked the idea of one of those clones escaping and happening upon a young girl who is interested in helping him.  It brings about a bit of a love story within this crazy novel.

However, I don’t know about you, but if someone happened to be in my room who looked like someone I knew, but wasn’t that person, I wouldn’t be very friendly.  I wouldn’t hide that person away, but I would be screaming and asking for help.  That’s just my personality though.  Abby took the other route of deciding that this person was someone she needed to help.  Martyr was an individual she felt responsible for and felt her Dad had something to do with.

There were a lot of twists and turns in this novel.  My heart was beating pretty fast at times when I was worried about Martyr and Abby.  I thought I could predict how the book was going to end, but I was clearly mistaken.  The ending was a bit of a surprise to me.  This novel was well-written and something different from the normal dystopian young-adult novels that are out today.  There was a huge focus on science, as well as a huge focus on religion.  It was interesting to see the two combined and how well they would mesh, but I think it turned out perfectly.  This is definitely a new-release that didn’t disappoint.