Review: Sever by Lauren DeStefano

Title: Sever

Author: Lauren DeStefano

Publisher: Harper Voyager  

Release Date: 14th February 2013

Format: Paperback (320 pages)

Series: The Chemical Garden Trilogy 

Synopsis from Goodreads:

With the clock ticking until the virus takes its toll, Rhine is desperate for answers. After enduring Vaughn’s worst, Rhine finds an unlikely ally in his brother, an eccentric inventor named Reed. She takes refuge in his dilapidated house, though the people she left behind refuse to stay in the past. While Gabriel haunts Rhine’s memories, Cecily is determined to be at Rhine’s side, even if Linden’s feelings are still caught between them.

Meanwhile, Rowan’s growing involvement in an underground resistance compels Rhine to reach him before he does something that cannot be undone. But what she discovers along the way has alarming implications for her future—and about the past her parents never had the chance to explain.

In this breathtaking conclusion to Lauren DeStefano’s Chemical Garden trilogy, everything Rhine knows to be true will be irrevocably shattered.

If you thought FEVER was bad, prepare to meet it's maker. SEVER by far has to be the worst conclusion to any book series I have ever read. There aren't enough offensive words in the english vocabulary to describe just how much I loathe Rhine. She is definitely one of the worst female protagonist's in YA and let's be honest the women of YA aren't that cracking. WITHER, at least the first half was an interesting book with a strong premise but it ultimately fell flat. I read FEVER purely out of curiosity as to where DeStefano would take the story and all I read was a load of nonsense, that was purposeful for SEVER but was still dull to read. SEVER is not worth your time or money, only read if you're willing to waste precious hours of your life. 

I didn't truly despise the series as whole otherwise I wouldn't have read on and I'm not slating it (well, maybe a little.) Lauren DeStefano is a talented writer with interesting prose that at times can be engaging and beautiful it's her actual story and ideas that let this series down. If she had taken the series in a different direction it could have been phenomenal but unfortunately we're left with this ... mess. Overall I really regret reading this series and wouldn't recommend it.  

1 Star