Marigold

by Heather Mitchell Manheim

As the decimated population of New United State rebuilds itself after a deadly pandemic, Davis has to decide what is real and what is fake after she is suddenly kidnapped. She has been kept away from her work, and more importantly, the Marigold injection that is vital for survival. She is torn in different directions when she finds herself in a secret bunker and is asked to complete a task that seems impossible. As she grapples with knowing who she can trust, she must choose the path that is not only right for her but also for the country that is repairing itself. She does not know if she should believe what her kidnappers have told her about the corruption prevalent in the new government, or if the government she has always trusted deserves her faith. Davis has always had her every need tended to by the government, so questioning them never entered her mind before she arrived at the bunker. As her days in captivity wane on, she becomes enmeshed in the lives of the Quinn, Namaguchi, Ringo, and, in particular, the handsome Brookshire — whom she last saw in school several years ago — and things become even more complicated for her. In this well-crafted dystopian page-turner, Davis must balance her life and what she learns on a pile of twists and turns to discover what friendship, family, trust, love, and hope are all about.

Genres: Dystopia

260 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 7, 2021

About the author

Heather Mitchell Manheim grew up in Long Beach, California, but has traveled the world finding inspiration for her stories. After giving up a career in entertainment, she became a school bus driver, and in between her shifts, she writes. She currently lives in Ventura, California with her husband and cat. Marigold is her first novel.

Reviews

[Pegboard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marigold is Heather Mitchell Manheim's first novel and it makes an impressive beginning to her vision, writing skills, and ambition. Davis is the poster-child of the firstborn child to receive the Marigold inoculation and survive. Shortly afterward her mother dies and she is reared in a private faculty. At twenty-nine, Davis still is not married, which is unusual since the United State is a polygamous country. Just when David is supposed to receive her yearly Marigold vaccine, she is kidnapped and taken to a bunker full of rebels. She first struggles with detoxifying from years of injections, next she wrestles with the tales told to her. How can she believe her trust in the government, which has saved her, is based on a lie? Does she even want to be part of the solution?

I found Marigold fascinating as Heather Mitchell Manheim creates a world devastated by disease, only to be rebuilt on pride, the thirst for power, and lust. The common person has everything given to them by the government, only to lose their identity and voice. The story is primarily told by Davis, but others interject their thoughts and desires, giving this inclusive insight into the story. The characters are intense, well-developed, and easy to relate to. Overall, the author skillfully keeps you guessing as to how Davis will handle the situations she finds herself in as two different groups fight for her support. I love the creative way the author weaves special friends within the story. This is the kind of book you want to race to the end, yet find yourself savoring the journey.

Written by Peggy Jo Wipf for Readers' Favorite.

[Gayle Slagle · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I enjoyed parts of Marigold by Heather Mitchell Manheim, as a whole the book fell somewhat short for me. After a deadly pandemic, the United States is trying to rebuild itself under the leadership of a dictatorial President who relies on mind control to govern. Claiming credit for the cure of the disease that has practically destroyed the country, he periodically injects the population with the Marigold Injection which keeps the citizens under his control. The main character, Davis, is kidnapped by a group which has plans to overthrow the President. Davis is faced with the dilemma of believing her kidnappers or believing what she has always been taught to believe. I feel that the characters could have been developed more fully; I did not feel as though I knew the characters well enough to totally understand them or sympathize with them. I also thought the plot was somewhat convoluted in parts and I would have liked for it to contain a more in-depth analysis and more information on the structure of the current government. I feel this was a good debut novel by Manheim, and while I feel there is need for improvement, I see great promise in this author.

[Amanda Pecotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off I would like to thank the author for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
I was very interested in this book from the very first sentence and found myself having to take breaks to process all that happened and wanting to know what was going to happen next. The characters were easily relatable and I loved how the personalities of each of the characters really showed. I also loved that everything was described in detail.
I would highly recommend reading this book

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Manheim’s first novel is full of heart and has an engaging story line. At times reminiscent of The Hunger Games and other times reminding me of The Handmaid’s Tale, I was always curious to know more about the new, post-pandemic United State. Though I know firsthand that this plot was not influenced by the recent COVID pandemic, and was in fact developed beforehand, it is certainly relevant to today’s current events. There were some twists I didn’t see coming and some very satisfying endings. I look forward to checking out this author’s future works.

[Domonique Otero · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read! I used to look forward to my evenings relaxing and indulging in her book, Marigold. I could really envision the story which is normally very difficult for me. I’m embarrassed to admit, I struggle with having the patience to get through reading books but I’m a BIG FAN of her work. Such a talented author. Can’t wait for her next book. PS- It’s crazy that she wrote this far before COVID.

[AC · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a superbly written novel about a strange futuristic world. Heather has done a great job of creating characters and conflicts that are both relatable and unexpected. The narrative consistently carves twists and turns that will make it hard to put the book down. Also a very contempletive look at past, current and future political issues that endlessly plague our society. A great read!

[Todd Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

[minor spoilers alert] The setup of this book is in many ways like the story of other dystopian futures - a calamity has taken place and there is a utopian society riding atop a disenfranchised population. But, unlike most post-apocalyptic stories, this one really invests in the main protagonist at a deep level as she navigates her struggles. The author has really focused on her personal story thread which serves to make the plot twists quite surprising. There's no view behind the curtains of the antagonist, their motives or even who they are nor their relationship to the main character. I found the surprises to be genuine and very rewarding. I think anyone who enjoyed THX 1138 would likely enjoy this book. Two thumbs up!

[Alicia Marsland · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good, some less so

For years, oddly enough, writers have been presenting us with stories of epidemics attacking mankind. It's a great dramatic backdrop and gave rise to much speculative fiction.Now, we have lived through a pandemic, so we know what happened. Or do we? Heather Mannheim's story 'Marigold' posits a manmade pandemiic, not leaked from a lab but caused by one man's lust.

Which raises the question: was ours?

The writing is simple and direct. I could have done without the gratuitous lesbianism which seems dropped in to be 'with the times' or maybe it's to beat the author's personal drum, but it adds nothing to the plot. Just sayin'