Where did I get it? A charity shop a few months ago. It was only a couple of quid and had been read. I liked second hand books, though - I like to imagine who read them before me!
What's it about? Kathy is 31 and a carer for people like her, donors. Raised in an exclusive boarding school in the English countryside, Kathy and her fellow students always knew they were born to have their organs harvested and then "complete" ie die. Their teachers, also known as guardians, sometimes let the truth slip, and lots of rumours abound about what the future holds for these children.
The story is set with Kathy reminiscing about the past which does remove the reader from the action a little but the stuff which is set in the school is really suffocating and cloistered. The end felt a little bit rushed to me, and I didn't get all the resolution that I would have liked. But I did like it, and I liked asking myself a hundred questions about what I thought was going on. I think teens will engage with it and have lots of questions too
What age range is it for? Sixteen plus
Are any main characters LGBTQ+? No
Are any main characters people of colour? Not that it's mentioned
Are any main characters disabled either mentally or physically? Kind of? The whole thing is a little bit about disability
Is there any sex stuff? Yes, it isn't graphic but it is quite blunt
Are drugs mentioned or used? No
Is there any talk of death? Yes, although it's not very open
Are there swear words? No
Would I recommend the book? Yes absolutely! It's really interesting and intriguing
Why did I choose to read it at this point in life? I'd kept it next to the bed with about 15 other books and kept thinking I really liked the premise so needed to pick it up
What other books is it like? A bit like Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and a lot like Unwind by Neal Shusterman
How many stars? Eight out of ten
How many stars? Eight out of ten