Review - Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Wither by Lauren DeStefano


Amazon Link
Goodreads Link


Page Count: 358
Overall Rating: 5 Stars

Obviously, something went terribly wrong. Genetic mutations have festered, reducing human longevity to twenty-five, even less for most women. To prevent extinction, young girls are kidnapped, mated in polygamous marriages with men eager to procreate. Sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery, a recent victim of this breeding farm mentality, has vowed to break loose from its fetters; but finding allies and a safe way out is a challenge she can only hope she will survive. A dystopian fantasy series starter with wings. Editor's recommendation.

 *Review may contain some spoilers*


This one has been on my TBR pile for a while now. It was almost the same thing as Divergent, where I was vaguely scared of reading it for fear of peoples' reactions to me not liking it. Luckily, I didn't have to worry about that.


Something about this one was poignantly beautiful while being dark and, somehow, almost frightening. The ideas of being snatched from the streets, taken from my home, lured into traps all scare me enough, but being forced into a marriage certainly doesn't help that, either. I briefly thought of how I can't get flu shots (neither can my dad.) because they make me sick. Obviously, that won't kill me, but it's what I thought about.


Linden. Poor, sad Linden. I honestly can't say I've ever hated him in the book. I'll admit that certain things did creep me out, quite a bit. But, at the beginning of the book, I was almost positive that I'd like Linden more than Gabriel. I almost wanted Rhine to pick him in the end, however unpredictable that was. I liked Linden. And I still feel sorry for him.


Oh, Gabriel. What can I say about him? More than anything, he was sweet and nice. DeStefano's characters always have such deep layers that it's hard to describe them, I think. It feels strange to describe someone who honestly feels like a real person.


And Vaughn. Vaughn makes my skin crawl. He's that old man you pass on the street with the wandering eyes, the one you always walk a little faster to pass. He's the man who's not afraid to kill someone to ruin someone else's life. I despise him. I absolutely positively despise him.


Lauren DeStefano's writing is so gorgeous. I simply adore it. I've taken to tabbing paragraphs that I love in books as of late, but I didn't do that with this one. I'd run out of tabs. And I'm not saying this out of flattery.


I won a Fever jacket recently. I entered to win it on whim, because I love the cover. And now, I'm proud to own it. I liked it when I got it and I was happy. But I do feel lucky to have one now that I know how amazing Wither actually is.


I think this is the first book in a while that I've actually made sure that I read, at the very least, three chapters every night. I haven't done that in a while now. I miss wanting to do that.


Wither did something kind of amazing, as well. It didn't end on a huge flipping cliffhanger. It left ends open, things to expand upon in the next book, but it didn't leave me wanting to smash something because I had to wait a year for the next one, either. Don't get me wrong. I want Fever. I want it right now, so I can read it. But, at the same time, I have such respect for Lauren for being able to end her book that way. It was really, really refreshing to be able to sleep after staying up into the wee hours of the night to finish it.


In the morning, I was trying to grab a book, that way I'd have something to do in boring situations at school. But I found myself not wanting to pick something else up, because I doubted that I would be able to come off the reading-a-great-book high that I was on. I go through this sometimes, when I read such an awesome book that I don't want to read anything else for a bit, period.


And, quite honestly, I keep trying to think of something that I didn't like, but I'm drawing a blank. Usually there's at least one thing, but I can't think of a single one. I know I sound like a fangirl, just raving and singing the praises of this book, but it really was just what I wanted to read at the time.


Obviously, Wither earns five stars.

Amazing Quote:

Eventually I realize that I am holding on to him just as tightly as he holds on to me. And here we are: two small dying things, as the world ends around us like falling autumn leaves.

Songs I listened to while reading: