Renegade

Renegade

by J.A. Souders

Sometime in the future, after wars have decimated the land, Mother leads her people to an underwater paradise called Elysium.

Here, the world is perfect.  The air is perfect.  The city is perfect.  And Evelyn's life is just about perfect.

She wakes, gardens, plays the violin, and learns how to govern.  She is the Daughter of the People.  She is the perfect genetic specimen, designed to take over for Mother when the time comes.

She knows her place and she knows that the Surface is dangerous and filled with evil Surface Dwellers who will destroy her world if given a chance.

Then everything changes.

Evelyn's perfect world begins to unravel after she meets a Surface Dweller, who doesn't seem that bad, and she finds out secrets about herself and Mother that make her question everything she's ever known.

Final thoughts: I read through this at lightning speed.  While not the best thing ever written, it's still a compelling dystopic tale that keeps the reader glued.  Genetic perfection has been discussed before in other novels, but this world, where those considered to be genetically inferior are shot by coded turrets, is definitely scary.  Big Brother doesn't need to watch your every move when there are guns to take out anyone who challenges the rules or isn't the genetic ideal.  The brainwashing element was introduced very well and made for a more compelling story.

Rating: 4/5