Book Review: Inhuman

The Plot: America has been ravaged by a war that has left the eastern half of the country riddled with mutation. Many of the people there exhibit varying degrees of animal traits. Even the plantlife has gone feral.

Crossing from west to east is supposed to be forbidden, but sometimes it’s necessary. Some enter the Savage Zone to provide humanitarian relief. Sixteen-year-old Lane’s father goes there to retrieve lost artifacts—he is a Fetch. It’s a dangerous life, but rewarding—until he’s caught.

Desperate to save her father, Lane agrees to complete his latest job. That means leaving behind her life of comfort and risking life and limb—and her very DNA—in the Savage Zone. But she’s not alone. In order to complete her objective, Lane strikes a deal with handsome, roguish Rafe. In exchange for his help as a guide, Lane is supposed to sneak him back west. But though Rafe doesn’t exhibit any signs of “manimal” mutation, he’s hardly civilized . . . and he may not be trustworthy.

Why I read it:  Netgalley review copy.  Publication date is September 24th.

The Characters:  Lane was a really strong, likable character.  I liked that she didn't wait around for anyone else to save her, she just did what needed to be done.  She is a great female character that young girls could look up to, similar to Katniss from The Hunger Games.  The secondary characters were good, too.  There is a bit of a love triangle, but it's really not central to the story at all, and I didn't mind it.  It was hardly even there.

The Setting:  This was a very imaginative world, and so different from our world today, but not completely implausible.  Well, maybe some of it seemed a little far-fetched, but the thought of some kind of viral outbreak sometime in the future doesn't seem too terribly crazy.


Who Should Read This:  I think fans of dystopia will really enjoy this. 

Final Thoughts:  I was surprised at how much I liked this book, because I wasn't expecting to.  I'm not really sure why, except that I read a few reviews when deciding whether to read it or not, and some were not flattering at all.  It was so new and different from other dystopia novels that I've read, though.  I really think this book has the potential to be big, and readers will fall in love with the story.  I'm looking forward to more in the series already, and this one isn't even out yet.

Cover Thoughts: The cover could be a lot more exciting than it is, but it doesn't give any of the story away, which I think is a good thing. 

Grade: 4 stars (really liked it)