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The Gardener
Mason has never known his father, but longs to. All he has of him is a DVD of a man whose face is never seen, reading a children's book. One day, on a whim, he plays the DVD for a group of comatose teens at the nursing home where his mother works. One of them, a beautiful girl, responds. Mason learns she is part of a horrible experiment intended to render teenagers into autotrophs―genetically engineered, self-sustaining life-forms who don't need food or water to survive. And before he knows it, Mason is on the run with the girl, and wanted, dead or alive, by the mysterious mastermind of this gruesome plan, who is simply called the Gardener.
Will Mason be forced to destroy the thing he's longed for most?
The Gardener is a 2011 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.
Will Mason be forced to destroy the thing he's longed for most?
The Gardener is a 2011 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.
233 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2010
102 people are currently reading
3636 people want to read
About the author
S.A. Bodeen
16 books747 followersAlso writes as Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen.
Stephanie is the award-winning author of the Elizabeti's Doll series of picture books, as well as several others. Her young adult novels include the award-winning The Compound and The Raft, and her next YA The Detour releases October 2015. The first two volumes of her middle grade series, Shipwreck Island and Lost, are available now.
Stephanie is the award-winning author of the Elizabeti's Doll series of picture books, as well as several others. Her young adult novels include the award-winning The Compound and The Raft, and her next YA The Detour releases October 2015. The first two volumes of her middle grade series, Shipwreck Island and Lost, are available now.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 545 reviews
July 14, 2013
2.25/5
be careful what you wish for ...
with the first few pages, mason shares with us a crucial chapter in his life. the day the neighbor's dog bit him, ultimately leaving him with a lifelong scar. the very same day he's being told some shocking news from his single mother:
having said that his mother plays a videotape, revealing a man from the neck down, who's reading from a children's book.
and thus begins the story. taking place 10 years later. mason, now 15 years old, is a promising student attempting to get a trodyn scholarship, he dreams of being able to work in a laboratory, where brains rule, not looks.
mason drives to his mom's work place in a nursing home, expecting old, care-dependent people, only to find his mother tends to a group of apparently brain-dead teens. after slipping the dvd (with his father reading from the book) into the player, one of them awakens. a girl. and she tells mason, she doesn't want the gardener to find her.
so he runs away. with her.
soon, people start following them & bit by bit the horrible truth unravels about who the girl is & what TroDyn has to do with it all.
not all researches are open to the public, but rather happening behind closed doors. bodeen uses this mysterious air, governments or companies create & explores the "what-ifs" in a gripping, chilling and eerily realistic way, you can't help but wonder what kind of research and experiments are being conducted without our knowing. and even IF we did know ... would we decide them being for the greater good? look the other way if someone were done an injustice?
(see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil) (© parc cruz)
for me the, romance part happened too fast. it was given too little substance and thus unbelievable. mason and the girl-without-name were fine enough on their own, individually and although they went through a lot of stuff together and even depended on each other to get closer to the truth, it didn’t convince me of their “romance” or whatever it is you want to call it. other than that it was easy to like our protagonist. the author's description of mason and the girl, definitely made me think of beauty & the beast ... he was kind, loyal and reliable. i liked the fact that mason mostly only spoke, if he actually had something to say, instead of trying to fill the quiet with meaningless words. the choices he made were believable as well. he seemed to be the only 3-dimensional character in this short book though, which is too bad.
the writing is smooth, the main character is both real and sympathetic and the futuristic plot elements were unsettling and fascinating. the only other thing i did not like (besides mason being the only fleshed out character, that is) was the ending or to be more specific: the epilogue. without wanting to give anything away ... i just felt the story could’ve done fine without it.
now, i don’t know about the intention of the author, but i’m guessing the characters weren’t that important anyway, it was more about the plot or rather the topics handled in the book, like immortality, death, beauty, sustainability, evolution, heritage, famine and yes, also civil courage.
the gardener will teach you a lesson that up-to-date topics needn't be boring, but can be entertaining and even educational on some levels, although the character development was mediocre at the most, it was nice enough to read.
be careful what you wish for ...
with the first few pages, mason shares with us a crucial chapter in his life. the day the neighbor's dog bit him, ultimately leaving him with a lifelong scar. the very same day he's being told some shocking news from his single mother:
"mason. i know i've always told you your father was ... gone. but it's not true. he just can't be your father right now." (arc, p3)
having said that his mother plays a videotape, revealing a man from the neck down, who's reading from a children's book.
and thus begins the story. taking place 10 years later. mason, now 15 years old, is a promising student attempting to get a trodyn scholarship, he dreams of being able to work in a laboratory, where brains rule, not looks.
"TroDyn industries was a huge scientific complex [...] mainly working on sustainability projects, the company supported the town." (arc, p9)
mason drives to his mom's work place in a nursing home, expecting old, care-dependent people, only to find his mother tends to a group of apparently brain-dead teens. after slipping the dvd (with his father reading from the book) into the player, one of them awakens. a girl. and she tells mason, she doesn't want the gardener to find her.
so he runs away. with her.
soon, people start following them & bit by bit the horrible truth unravels about who the girl is & what TroDyn has to do with it all.
not all researches are open to the public, but rather happening behind closed doors. bodeen uses this mysterious air, governments or companies create & explores the "what-ifs" in a gripping, chilling and eerily realistic way, you can't help but wonder what kind of research and experiments are being conducted without our knowing. and even IF we did know ... would we decide them being for the greater good? look the other way if someone were done an injustice?
(see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil) (© parc cruz)
for me the, romance part happened too fast. it was given too little substance and thus unbelievable. mason and the girl-without-name were fine enough on their own, individually and although they went through a lot of stuff together and even depended on each other to get closer to the truth, it didn’t convince me of their “romance” or whatever it is you want to call it. other than that it was easy to like our protagonist. the author's description of mason and the girl, definitely made me think of beauty & the beast ... he was kind, loyal and reliable. i liked the fact that mason mostly only spoke, if he actually had something to say, instead of trying to fill the quiet with meaningless words. the choices he made were believable as well. he seemed to be the only 3-dimensional character in this short book though, which is too bad.
the writing is smooth, the main character is both real and sympathetic and the futuristic plot elements were unsettling and fascinating. the only other thing i did not like (besides mason being the only fleshed out character, that is) was the ending or to be more specific: the epilogue. without wanting to give anything away ... i just felt the story could’ve done fine without it.
now, i don’t know about the intention of the author, but i’m guessing the characters weren’t that important anyway, it was more about the plot or rather the topics handled in the book, like immortality, death, beauty, sustainability, evolution, heritage, famine and yes, also civil courage.
the gardener will teach you a lesson that up-to-date topics needn't be boring, but can be entertaining and even educational on some levels, although the character development was mediocre at the most, it was nice enough to read.
July 9, 2011
This book had a pretty interesting premise, but somehow needed more action and character development. It's not a bad book by any means, but perhaps could have used a little more complexity and intricacy in its plotting.
There are also lots of threads left dangling at the end, although one rather important one was tied off in a rather hasty way. It was an odd choice, and I'm not really sure what to make of it--although I have to say, I'm not all that motivated to find out.
There are also lots of threads left dangling at the end, although one rather important one was tied off in a rather hasty way. It was an odd choice, and I'm not really sure what to make of it--although I have to say, I'm not all that motivated to find out.
March 29, 2016
Overall, this book earned a resounding "meh" from me. I didn't have any urges to burn it or anything, nor did it fill me with an unquenchable rage. I just found myself...disappointed.
Brace yourself, this is long. If you just need something short and sweet, skip to the end for the tl;dr version. If you want to hear everything... buckle up, I guess. I'm going to put it behind a spoiler warning, not because it has spoilers (anything that does will be hidden behind its own personal spoiler warning) but because this will make it easier for anyone who just wants the short version.
Now, for the summary/tl;dr version for those who don't like to read or just need clarification.
Pros:
- Creative concept
- Raises some interesting questions without being preachy
- Good for younger readers
- Substantial enough to entertain, though perhaps not fully satisfy everyone
- Likeable, although somewhat one-dimensional, characters
- Some suspense and a couple genuine surprises
Cons:
- Lackluster writing that made it hard to empathize or get caught up in the story
- Really annoying scientific inaccuracies
- A lot of suspense that wasn't actually suspenseful
- The back of the book is somewhat misleading
- None of the characters are really developed or fleshed out
- Unsatisfying and abrupt ending
- Numerous moments of cheesy, overdone drama
- Contrived romantic sub-plot
And the final question: would I recommend this book? I keep waffling on this. On one hand, I think younger readers might enjoy it, or people who aren't super picky. On the other hand, there are so many things that bothered me that I couldn't really enjoy it, and have a hard time recommending it for that reason. On a third, more obnoxious, hand (because I have an extra arm coming out of my chest), it was good for some unintentional laughs. So I'm going to let you decide for yourself on this front. But I would advise checking it out from the library before you decide to own it yourself.
Brace yourself, this is long. If you just need something short and sweet, skip to the end for the tl;dr version. If you want to hear everything... buckle up, I guess. I'm going to put it behind a spoiler warning, not because it has spoilers (anything that does will be hidden behind its own personal spoiler warning) but because this will make it easier for anyone who just wants the short version.
Now, for the summary/tl;dr version for those who don't like to read or just need clarification.
Pros:
- Creative concept
- Raises some interesting questions without being preachy
- Good for younger readers
- Substantial enough to entertain, though perhaps not fully satisfy everyone
- Likeable, although somewhat one-dimensional, characters
- Some suspense and a couple genuine surprises
Cons:
- Lackluster writing that made it hard to empathize or get caught up in the story
- Really annoying scientific inaccuracies
- A lot of suspense that wasn't actually suspenseful
- The back of the book is somewhat misleading
- None of the characters are really developed or fleshed out
- Unsatisfying and abrupt ending
- Numerous moments of cheesy, overdone drama
- Contrived romantic sub-plot
And the final question: would I recommend this book? I keep waffling on this. On one hand, I think younger readers might enjoy it, or people who aren't super picky. On the other hand, there are so many things that bothered me that I couldn't really enjoy it, and have a hard time recommending it for that reason. On a third, more obnoxious, hand (because I have an extra arm coming out of my chest), it was good for some unintentional laughs. So I'm going to let you decide for yourself on this front. But I would advise checking it out from the library before you decide to own it yourself.
Read
August 10, 2010I figured I'd like this, but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I knew what it was about from the book summary but I didn't know why the bad people were "growing" children. When I found out why, it was amazing that the reasons behind the experiments were something I'd been discussing in my science class (Too bad I wasn't still in school when I got my copy of the book).
I appreciated that this book talked about a realistic problem, one that becomes a bigger problem as time goes on. Because the problem was real, it made the story more entertaining and scary. Not scary like haunting, but scary like -- wow, something similar to this could actually happen. Some scientist would probably be willing to experiment on people for the "greater good". The combination of the story and appealing characters made this a nice story. I did wish that I knew more about the character though. They sounded likable, but the story was so fast paced that it was hard to get to know them. Hopefully I'll get to know them better if there is another book, even though this was a good standalone .
I appreciated that this book talked about a realistic problem, one that becomes a bigger problem as time goes on. Because the problem was real, it made the story more entertaining and scary. Not scary like haunting, but scary like -- wow, something similar to this could actually happen. Some scientist would probably be willing to experiment on people for the "greater good". The combination of the story and appealing characters made this a nice story. I did wish that I knew more about the character though. They sounded likable, but the story was so fast paced that it was hard to get to know them. Hopefully I'll get to know them better if there is another book, even though this was a good standalone .
August 17, 2012
The videotape of my father was never meant to be seen by me, and were it not for a chow mix ripping off half my face, the man might have remained only a mysterious void. But it was that day when I was five, that day of growls and blood and pain and screams, when I first heard my father's voice.
Growls and blood and pain and screams! You may think this makes me a mean person, but I read that bit and laughed. It's the "growls" that puts it over the top, I think.
Skip eleven or so years, and Mason is a huge, horribly scarred teenager living with his sad alcoholic mother, who comforts himself in times of stress by watching the videotape of his absent father reading a children's book. One day he finds that his mother used to work at the very, very mysterious local biotech company, TroDyn, which she always warned him away from. He barges into her hospital workplace to confront her. There he ends up playing the videotape for four mysteriously catatonic teenagers, which wakes up one of them. She is amnesiac and unnaturally strong, and convinces him to help her bust out of the hospital.
A sequence of rather unsurprising revelations about TroDyn's secret project occur. (Not only is it tipped off on page two with a lengthy discussion about the possibility of human photosynthesis, but the front cover blurb is THIS GREENHOUSE... GROWS HUMANS.) One guess as to who the terrifying "Gardener" turns out to be.
I generally like the genre of "teenagers with special powers flee the forces that created them," so it was execution rather than premise that disappointed me. Mason has no personality. Amnesiac girl has no personality. The surprises are very unsurprising. Amnesiac girl doesn't get to do much other than languish for lack of connection to her telepathically linked vegetative cohort. It's not a terrible book, but it's flat and unmemorable.
I was, however, amused by everyone's OMG THE HORROR and "why would anyone want to do that?!" reaction to the very concept of photosynthesizing humans. Growing people in a lab is admittedly creepy, but in terms of all the many, many possible powers you might generate that way, photosynthesis is one of the most obviously useful and least destructive ones.
By the author of The Compound, which I didn't read as the shocking twist seemed obvious from the premise alone:
From Publishers Weekly:
Starred Review. Bodeen, acclaimed as the writer of such picture books as Elizabeti's Doll, turns out a high-wire act of a first novel, a thriller that exerts an ever-tighter grip on readers. Eli, the 15-year-old son of a billionaire techno-preneur, has spent the last six years with his family in the massive underground shelter his father has built, knowing that nuclear war has destroyed the world he knows—and killed his grandmother and his twin brother, who couldn't reach the compound in time. With nine years to go before the air outside will be safe to breathe again, the food supply shows signs of running out, but Eli's father has a solution—provided they jettison all morals and ethics. Repulsed and already suspicious, Eli begins investigating his father's claims, and sets up a family death match against a man who grows increasingly irrational and sinister but no less powerful.
There's no nuclear war, everything's fine, it's all a creepy experiment. Right?
Growls and blood and pain and screams! You may think this makes me a mean person, but I read that bit and laughed. It's the "growls" that puts it over the top, I think.
Skip eleven or so years, and Mason is a huge, horribly scarred teenager living with his sad alcoholic mother, who comforts himself in times of stress by watching the videotape of his absent father reading a children's book. One day he finds that his mother used to work at the very, very mysterious local biotech company, TroDyn, which she always warned him away from. He barges into her hospital workplace to confront her. There he ends up playing the videotape for four mysteriously catatonic teenagers, which wakes up one of them. She is amnesiac and unnaturally strong, and convinces him to help her bust out of the hospital.
A sequence of rather unsurprising revelations about TroDyn's secret project occur. (Not only is it tipped off on page two with a lengthy discussion about the possibility of human photosynthesis, but the front cover blurb is THIS GREENHOUSE... GROWS HUMANS.) One guess as to who the terrifying "Gardener" turns out to be.
I generally like the genre of "teenagers with special powers flee the forces that created them," so it was execution rather than premise that disappointed me. Mason has no personality. Amnesiac girl has no personality. The surprises are very unsurprising. Amnesiac girl doesn't get to do much other than languish for lack of connection to her telepathically linked vegetative cohort. It's not a terrible book, but it's flat and unmemorable.
I was, however, amused by everyone's OMG THE HORROR and "why would anyone want to do that?!" reaction to the very concept of photosynthesizing humans. Growing people in a lab is admittedly creepy, but in terms of all the many, many possible powers you might generate that way, photosynthesis is one of the most obviously useful and least destructive ones.
By the author of The Compound, which I didn't read as the shocking twist seemed obvious from the premise alone:
From Publishers Weekly:
Starred Review. Bodeen, acclaimed as the writer of such picture books as Elizabeti's Doll, turns out a high-wire act of a first novel, a thriller that exerts an ever-tighter grip on readers. Eli, the 15-year-old son of a billionaire techno-preneur, has spent the last six years with his family in the massive underground shelter his father has built, knowing that nuclear war has destroyed the world he knows—and killed his grandmother and his twin brother, who couldn't reach the compound in time. With nine years to go before the air outside will be safe to breathe again, the food supply shows signs of running out, but Eli's father has a solution—provided they jettison all morals and ethics. Repulsed and already suspicious, Eli begins investigating his father's claims, and sets up a family death match against a man who grows increasingly irrational and sinister but no less powerful.
There's no nuclear war, everything's fine, it's all a creepy experiment. Right?
May 4, 2010
Depending on how this book is pitched, it could either be science fiction or horror. The whole genetic mutation slant can totally be science fiction but creating a master race of kids that don't need to eat is kind of Children of the Corn-ish. Very creepy.
The plot was a little slow to start but once the robotic girl got involved, things got interesting. While I felt the writing dragged in some parts, alluding way too long as to what was all really going on, it kept me wanting to read until the end, especially when Mason started to develop feelings for the girl whose name, for most of the time, he didn't even know.
Is that wrong of me? Here I stand, slamming those horrible "OMG I lurve heeeeeeeeeeem" plots where the MC's female and has known the dude for like 30 seconds. Mason's situation, on the surface, isn't any different. The main plot takes place over the course of about 24 hours. 36 at most. Yet by the end he's so compelled to make sure this girl is okay and drawn to her that he can't bear to leave her behind. But to me they are profoundly connected. To the outside world, they're both freaks: Mason with his scarring and the girl with her being, you know, part plant. Yet they understand each other and both see beyond that. Not to mention I think anyone would want to make sure a human they connected with was okay after finding out they're being used as a science experiment. I would think that's inherent. But does this make me a hypocrite? It's okay because it's a guy but not if it's a girl? Maybe it's okay because the girl doesn't berate Mason and treat him like shit? Maybe because she's not a stalker but merely pseudo-plant life seeking sunlight? Maybe because Mason isn't so fantasmagorically in love with the girl that that's all he talks about? Someone help me here.
The whole "world gone crazy" aspect is pretty damn creepy. The science they talk about in the book, the inevitability of the earth running out of food, is true. Like The Hunger Games takes reality TV to a whole new level, The Gardener takes sustaining human life to a whole new level. The scary thing is, who's to say this concept, of creating a race of people totally self-sustaining, hasn't been thought up already? Who's to say it's not in the developmental stages yet? It's freaky the lengths people might go to in order to survive. I liked that creepy aspect and I think because of the fact that it's thisclose to being real, it's even creepier.
The writing itself, I don't think, was anything to write home about. It was compelling enough. It got me from one end of the book to another. I wish I felt what Mason was going through more than be told what he was going through. While I liked his story, I felt he was a little hard to connect with at times, like the story was just being reiterated to me.
I didn't see the twist at the end coming, not entirely anyway. I have my suspicions about what the deal was with Mason's dad but they were only half right. Sort of. Still, I liked it. Not the most original of endings but I can deal.
Overall, a decent read but I think one that only needs to be done once. It has a good creep factor and the story will probably skeeve you out a bit but it'll lose it's luster if you read it more than once.
The plot was a little slow to start but once the robotic girl got involved, things got interesting. While I felt the writing dragged in some parts, alluding way too long as to what was all really going on, it kept me wanting to read until the end, especially when Mason started to develop feelings for the girl whose name, for most of the time, he didn't even know.
Is that wrong of me? Here I stand, slamming those horrible "OMG I lurve heeeeeeeeeeem" plots where the MC's female and has known the dude for like 30 seconds. Mason's situation, on the surface, isn't any different. The main plot takes place over the course of about 24 hours. 36 at most. Yet by the end he's so compelled to make sure this girl is okay and drawn to her that he can't bear to leave her behind. But to me they are profoundly connected. To the outside world, they're both freaks: Mason with his scarring and the girl with her being, you know, part plant. Yet they understand each other and both see beyond that. Not to mention I think anyone would want to make sure a human they connected with was okay after finding out they're being used as a science experiment. I would think that's inherent. But does this make me a hypocrite? It's okay because it's a guy but not if it's a girl? Maybe it's okay because the girl doesn't berate Mason and treat him like shit? Maybe because she's not a stalker but merely pseudo-plant life seeking sunlight? Maybe because Mason isn't so fantasmagorically in love with the girl that that's all he talks about? Someone help me here.
The whole "world gone crazy" aspect is pretty damn creepy. The science they talk about in the book, the inevitability of the earth running out of food, is true. Like The Hunger Games takes reality TV to a whole new level, The Gardener takes sustaining human life to a whole new level. The scary thing is, who's to say this concept, of creating a race of people totally self-sustaining, hasn't been thought up already? Who's to say it's not in the developmental stages yet? It's freaky the lengths people might go to in order to survive. I liked that creepy aspect and I think because of the fact that it's thisclose to being real, it's even creepier.
The writing itself, I don't think, was anything to write home about. It was compelling enough. It got me from one end of the book to another. I wish I felt what Mason was going through more than be told what he was going through. While I liked his story, I felt he was a little hard to connect with at times, like the story was just being reiterated to me.
I didn't see the twist at the end coming, not entirely anyway. I have my suspicions about what the deal was with Mason's dad but they were only half right. Sort of. Still, I liked it. Not the most original of endings but I can deal.
Overall, a decent read but I think one that only needs to be done once. It has a good creep factor and the story will probably skeeve you out a bit but it'll lose it's luster if you read it more than once.
February 5, 2013
Two stars, but I could have easily just gone with one.
There are two main strengths in this book: the premise and the writing. The writing isn't really all that noticeable, except for the fact that it doesn't suck. Sometimes that's really all you can ask for.
The premise? Set in the present real world, Mason (I think) is a nerdy football player (right?) with a grotesque scar on his face, and feels isolated from most people. He's got his best friend Jack and his mom, and not much else. Except his brain and the scholarship it'll hopefully get him at TroDyn. TroDyn is basically the Kane Software of this story (there's a little Veronica Mars shout-out for you all). Mason's mom refuses to have anything to do with the company... for mysterious reasons...
Then an apparently brain-damaged girl wakes up magically from her coma, Mason feels love at first sight for her, and he tries to keep her safe from the evil forces in pursuit. Obviously these forces are TroDyn-related, but why are they following her? The answer is a little surprising, and probably the best part of the book.
I thought the reveal of who the girl is was well-done. It was led up to with little hints but I didn't guess it in advance. All good so far.
The problem here is that Mason seems more brain-damaged than the girl. He had to have the truth explained to him 10000 times. It felt like. And by the time he finally got it, I had moved on and was ready to read a story with characters who weren't complete idiots. And then I was annoyed at the switch in the story's focus, where suddenly we were supposed to empathize with the villains. Sometimes that works, but it wasn't earned in this case.
Last complaint: Nobody cares about the romance (underdeveloped and, again, unearned) so making the ending center all around that without giving closure on whether or not the EVIL has been stopped was kind of a weird decision.
That all being said, this was a very quick read, so if you are drawn to the story or sci-fi in general, it wouldn't be a bad idea to at least try it out for yourself. It felt flat and unmemorable for me, though.
There are two main strengths in this book: the premise and the writing. The writing isn't really all that noticeable, except for the fact that it doesn't suck. Sometimes that's really all you can ask for.
The premise? Set in the present real world, Mason (I think) is a nerdy football player (right?) with a grotesque scar on his face, and feels isolated from most people. He's got his best friend Jack and his mom, and not much else. Except his brain and the scholarship it'll hopefully get him at TroDyn. TroDyn is basically the Kane Software of this story (there's a little Veronica Mars shout-out for you all). Mason's mom refuses to have anything to do with the company... for mysterious reasons...
Then an apparently brain-damaged girl wakes up magically from her coma, Mason feels love at first sight for her, and he tries to keep her safe from the evil forces in pursuit. Obviously these forces are TroDyn-related, but why are they following her? The answer is a little surprising, and probably the best part of the book.
I thought the reveal of who the girl is was well-done. It was led up to with little hints but I didn't guess it in advance. All good so far.
The problem here is that Mason seems more brain-damaged than the girl. He had to have the truth explained to him 10000 times. It felt like. And by the time he finally got it, I had moved on and was ready to read a story with characters who weren't complete idiots. And then I was annoyed at the switch in the story's focus, where suddenly we were supposed to empathize with the villains. Sometimes that works, but it wasn't earned in this case.
Last complaint: Nobody cares about the romance (underdeveloped and, again, unearned) so making the ending center all around that without giving closure on whether or not the EVIL has been stopped was kind of a weird decision.
That all being said, this was a very quick read, so if you are drawn to the story or sci-fi in general, it wouldn't be a bad idea to at least try it out for yourself. It felt flat and unmemorable for me, though.
February 5, 2014
The idea was novel. I could read an entire series about plant humanoids. The problem was the execution. The end felt more like a massive info-dump than a moment of true epiphany. The characters were poorly drawn out. Most of them were tools and they sounded like one. The romance part really couldn't get any worse. If you like the girl just cos she's cute and vulnerable and make you look good like a hero, then admit it! She had zero personality (which was justified), amnesia and was prone to sudden attacks of panic and helplessness, and you fell for her? That doesn't make sense. And clearly the boy wasn't really that smart. If he were he would've listened. Anyway, the more I think about this book the angrier I get.
November 20, 2019
This was an interesting read for sure! The cover was the first thing caught my eye and it was a story unlike any I’ve ever encountered, it really piqued my interests.
In this book we follow Mason, a teenager who is dealing with the loss of his father and has in his possession a mysterious tape. When he plays this tape for a comatose girl in the hospital environment where his mother works something miraculous happens, the girl responds. Sent into a dangerous adventure on the run from a terrifying force Mason's life will never be the same.
This story was overall a quick read with only sparse chapters that dragged in comparison. Not the best told story I've ever read but also a crazy adventure that I'm definitely glad I embarked on!
In this book we follow Mason, a teenager who is dealing with the loss of his father and has in his possession a mysterious tape. When he plays this tape for a comatose girl in the hospital environment where his mother works something miraculous happens, the girl responds. Sent into a dangerous adventure on the run from a terrifying force Mason's life will never be the same.
This story was overall a quick read with only sparse chapters that dragged in comparison. Not the best told story I've ever read but also a crazy adventure that I'm definitely glad I embarked on!
July 9, 2011
The concept was unlike everything I read in the past few years, WOW being the best way to describe it. Very predictable, though. I saw the twists and turns coming and I was little surprised by where it led. I guess that, past the scientific references, it falls under 'light reading' from my point of view. I liked Mason, overall, there were enough sides to him to keep things interesting. And the plot moved at a decent pace. But the concept ... I'll say it again. Wow!
April 17, 2010
Simply a irresistible & captivating read. S.A Bodeen does a great job at taking an important topic, and turning it into something uniquely new. I literally could not put this book down, and when I did I was left thinking about it afterwords.
The most fascinating thing about this book, is you really felt that you were on the run from something. Everything was fast, there was no time to catch your breath. And I loved that!! I really did!! The characters were all fantastic, and I didn't hate a single one of them. My favorites were Mason & the girl (I won't say her name, since that might be a bit of a spoiler). Mason was your typical, nice guy. He is similar to one of my friends. He is the tall, love-able type (even with is scary scar on his face). And he always wants to do the right thing. Which did get him confused at times, but made him the first male protagonist (that I've read) who isn't turned down by how popular/uncool he is or how strong/weak he is.
This book is a page-turner. The writing, dialogue, characters, realism and so fourth was perfect. I can't find anything that I hated about this book, or bugged me. Yes the identity of The Gardener is a bit obvious, but who was the real antagonist blew me off guard.
Overall, this is a great and easy read that you can definitely do in one sitting. The novel will make you think and wonder. And the ending, will most certainly leave you screaming for more.
November 4, 2010
I get really irritated when covers/taglines for books give away major plot points. Or, conversely, I get annoyed when the thing on the cover is presented as a major reveal at the climax of the book. I probably would have liked this a lot more if this book wasn't major failing in this way. Really cool cover/concept, but don't act like we haven't seen it.
Anyway, I liked this for the local aspects (set in WA/OR), I liked it because it's one of very few strictly Sci-Fi titles I've read in a long time. I didn't particularly connect with any of the characters, but I think the thing that really brought it down was the issue ranted on above - you can't put the climax on the cover. You just can't - no matter how cool it looks.
But, ya know, that's me. And if I didn't already have a different incredibly cool Bodeen title in my booktalking arsenal, I'd consider this. I read this in tandem with one of my teens, so that was very very fun. But I didn't love it, and was dying to get to the end by the last few chapters.
Anyway, I liked this for the local aspects (set in WA/OR), I liked it because it's one of very few strictly Sci-Fi titles I've read in a long time. I didn't particularly connect with any of the characters, but I think the thing that really brought it down was the issue ranted on above - you can't put the climax on the cover. You just can't - no matter how cool it looks.
But, ya know, that's me. And if I didn't already have a different incredibly cool Bodeen title in my booktalking arsenal, I'd consider this. I read this in tandem with one of my teens, so that was very very fun. But I didn't love it, and was dying to get to the end by the last few chapters.
March 16, 2023
This was just as good as the first time I read it.
I've found this is one of the only books I can reread without getting so bored I want to pluck my own eyes out. I've read it 8 times, and I swear I will continue to keep rereading it over and over again.
I found this book as a 10 year old at my nearest public library and had the highest expectations, as I'd read another book by this author beforehand. My expectations were blown wayyyyy out of the ballpark. I'd always loved reading, but this fanned the spark into a flaming love.
The story follows a 15 year old boy who discovers his mother's hidden past while searching her bedside drawer. He's drawn into a winding mystery, including a greenhouse filled with humans. The story is short and fast-paced. It's filled with many details that make the story realistic, but not so many as to make you bored. Bodeens' writing style is perfectly encapturing, so simplistic yet still amazingly full of emotion.
This book continues to be one of my favorites, and I can't help but hope it becomes more popular in the future.
I've found this is one of the only books I can reread without getting so bored I want to pluck my own eyes out. I've read it 8 times, and I swear I will continue to keep rereading it over and over again.
I found this book as a 10 year old at my nearest public library and had the highest expectations, as I'd read another book by this author beforehand. My expectations were blown wayyyyy out of the ballpark. I'd always loved reading, but this fanned the spark into a flaming love.
The story follows a 15 year old boy who discovers his mother's hidden past while searching her bedside drawer. He's drawn into a winding mystery, including a greenhouse filled with humans. The story is short and fast-paced. It's filled with many details that make the story realistic, but not so many as to make you bored. Bodeens' writing style is perfectly encapturing, so simplistic yet still amazingly full of emotion.
This book continues to be one of my favorites, and I can't help but hope it becomes more popular in the future.
June 12, 2010
Chilling and entirely plausible, The Gardener tells the story of Mason, a high school sophomore who unwittingly uncovers an experiment in turning babies into autotrophs (organisms that can feed themselves). When Mason tries to rescue one of the test subjects - a beautiful girl his own age - he comes up against a powerful corporation as well as a tangle of secrets about his own past. There are some overly sentimental moments, and a couple of loose ends that tie up perhaps a little too neatly, but overall, the book was hugely enjoyable - well written, fast paced, and entertaining.
This book would pair well as a gift with Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi: they're both YA novels that explore the not-so-unthinkable possibilities that result from threats to our natural environment.
This book would pair well as a gift with Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi: they're both YA novels that explore the not-so-unthinkable possibilities that result from threats to our natural environment.
August 19, 2015
This is the first romance book that I actually loved. The writing is terrific and I didn't expect a book from a school library to be as wholesome and great like this one. This book is a mild-dystopian and projects what could happen if global warming goes to far. This gives me a new outlook on how humans are just animals when it comes down to it. I suggest this to anyone who likes a dystopian love novel or someone who is looking for a good book.
June 15, 2024
3.5 rounded up. I thought it was pretty fun. Yeah, it had it's flaws, but I enjoyed it. It's very different from what I normally read, it's a sci-fi thriller written for YA in a middle school tone. And people just don't really write books like this anymore.
January 9, 2011
A great story premise, just not very well executed, especially the ending.
August 28, 2022
3.7/5
Okay I REALLY enjoyed this book. I decided on a 3.7/5 because I think 3 stars by itself is too low of a rating, but it just wasn't quite 4 stars for me either.
This book was about a boy named Mason who lives in a small town where a very sketchy science lab employs a lot of people. His mom works at a nursing home, but when Mason goes to visit her he notices that she's caring for people who are teens instead of elderly people. Even stranger, when he plays a recording of his long lost father, one of the teen girls wakes up at the sound of his voice. Mason helps the girl escape the nursing home and tries to help her as best he can, and it turns out that she had been turned into an autotroph- a being that does not need any food, only sunlight.
Not only was the premise of this story very interesting to me, it also highlighted the problems that humanity is causing to our climate. The whole reason the sketchy lab was creating autotrophs was so that humanity could survive the future, where the climate crisis would get so bad that food could no longer grow. I loved the idea, and the story was fast paced and fun to read.
Okay I REALLY enjoyed this book. I decided on a 3.7/5 because I think 3 stars by itself is too low of a rating, but it just wasn't quite 4 stars for me either.
This book was about a boy named Mason who lives in a small town where a very sketchy science lab employs a lot of people. His mom works at a nursing home, but when Mason goes to visit her he notices that she's caring for people who are teens instead of elderly people. Even stranger, when he plays a recording of his long lost father, one of the teen girls wakes up at the sound of his voice. Mason helps the girl escape the nursing home and tries to help her as best he can, and it turns out that she had been turned into an autotroph- a being that does not need any food, only sunlight.
Not only was the premise of this story very interesting to me, it also highlighted the problems that humanity is causing to our climate. The whole reason the sketchy lab was creating autotrophs was so that humanity could survive the future, where the climate crisis would get so bad that food could no longer grow. I loved the idea, and the story was fast paced and fun to read.
July 5, 2013
I thought this was going to be a good book. I jumped up and down in excitement as I sped read through it in one day. This is probably why I have so much hate and disappointment in my heart after I finished it. See, most of the book was so good, but the ending slingshotted back so far into the land of suck that I wish I had never read it.
The story is about a guy named Mace who finds a plant girl named Laila. She begs him to help her escape from the horrible place she was in, and he dutifully obliges. They spend most of the book on the run, and he figures out that she's actually a plant girl.
The first, although little, thing that bothered me was the Dulcina Effect (Oh hello mysterious girl I've never met, do you need saving?) This was handled better than most books, with Mace--the hero--having a 'gotta help people' thing. And granted, this part of his character made him different and original. But his thought process when it came to actually saving the plant girl stumbled and sputtered. Nevertheless, it was still foreshadowed, in-character, and kinda logical.
The second minor bug was how Jack--the best friend--just disappeared. His main purpose beforehand was discussing the current situation with Mace. But the author just dislocated his shoulder and sent him off to the hospital midway through the book. After that, Mace starts thinking about the current situation in his head, which makes me think that either sending him off to the hospital had no point, or he didn't really need to be in the book in the first place.
But those I could forgive. I was even ready to give the book 4 stars until the third, and most egregious awful rage-inducing HHHNNNGGGRRRRRR:
Eventually, the heroes realize Laila cannot survive without the brain-network of the other plant children. Having no other option, they reluctantly, and cautiously, go back to The Gardener.
Now, Laila the Plant Girl wanted to run away in the first place because the greenhouse was horrific. All her life she was forced to sit in The Greenhouse and do absolutely nothing except learn about science from a screen projector. And sometimes sit around in a coma. Oh and sit back while the scientists put a microchip in her brain with no anesthesia.
And Mace understood this. At least until his Father, The Gardener, and master of operations of all this inhumane experiments told him about LIBERALISM.
Not just Global Warming, Environmentalism, overpopulation, and gas prices, but ALL OF THEM. Several major Liberal issues are ALL somehow the reason he created these evil experiments.
AND MACE IS OK WITH THIS.
JUST. LIKE. THAT.
When he gets his epiphany, the problem becomes not 'protecting Laila from these evil monsters' but saving his father and the lab from the """REAL""" bad guy: the scientist who wanted to sell the plant children to the military.
BECAUSE MILITARY TECHNOLOGY IS SOOOO MUCH WORSE THAN HUMAN EXPERIMENTATION. THAT IS FINE AS LONG AS YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT HUMANITY AND DOING IT FOR THE GREEN--I MEAN-- """RIGHT""" REASONS.
I mean COME ON! You could portray them as Well-Intentioned Extremists, but not THE GOOD GUYS. GOOD GUYS DON'T PSYCHOLOGICALLY TORTURE CHILDREN. GOOD GUYS DON'T TAMPER WITH SAID CHILDREN'S DNA. GOOD GUYS DON'T BLACKMAIL. GOOD GUYS DON'T TAZE YOU SO THEY CAN DRAG YOU TO THEIR LEADER. NO.
But this isn't even the worst part. Laila doesn't hear the author's filibuster, so she's less than ok with going back.
Laila: "I want to stay with you."
Mace: "I'd like that."
Laila: "Then let's do it. I don't care if I only live a little while. I want to spend my time with you."
Aw, how touching. And what does Mace say?
Mace: "I can't. I want to, but I can't."
Laila: "No. No. Please. Mason please.
Mace: "It's ok, the scientists are trying to get you off plant-life support. It'll probably happen maybe. Have fun for the next couple years."
My recollection gets a bit sarcastic at the end there, but you get the picture: Silly plant girl. You're not mature enough to make your own decisions. You get to be psychologically scarred for a couple more years.
I mean NOTHING CHANGED. The greenhouse is still horrifying. Laila still hates it so much she would rather live a couple more days with Mace and DIE, than go back. Nothing has changed. No new information. All the reasons the author gave us for hating the bad guys are still valid. But BECAUSE THE SCIENTISTS ARE REALLY THINKING OF THE ENVIRONMENT/HUMANITY/GAS PRICES, IT'S OK!
Of course Laila does eventually get off plant-life support and go see Mace for the happy ending (which even seems to imply she thinks he's not evil for joining the bad guys.) But there's deeper, more disturbing things.
Like how the author apparently thinks all these crimes against humanity and plants are A-OK as long as you're fighting for a liberal cause. Global Warming is a new theory, and we shouldn't automatically assume that all the projections related to it are 100% correct and start experimenting with our children.
In summation, the first 4/5ths of the book show you just how evil this corporation is, and then at the very end reveals that no, it isn't because it's doing it for LIBERALISM.
NO.
P.S. In the book Mace says "hurrdurr gas prices aren't going down anytime soon." If you account for inflation,gas prices have been fluctuating quite a bit. They were especially low in 2010, when this crime against mankind was published.
The story is about a guy named Mace who finds a plant girl named Laila. She begs him to help her escape from the horrible place she was in, and he dutifully obliges. They spend most of the book on the run, and he figures out that she's actually a plant girl.
The first, although little, thing that bothered me was the Dulcina Effect (Oh hello mysterious girl I've never met, do you need saving?) This was handled better than most books, with Mace--the hero--having a 'gotta help people' thing. And granted, this part of his character made him different and original. But his thought process when it came to actually saving the plant girl stumbled and sputtered. Nevertheless, it was still foreshadowed, in-character, and kinda logical.
The second minor bug was how Jack--the best friend--just disappeared. His main purpose beforehand was discussing the current situation with Mace. But the author just dislocated his shoulder and sent him off to the hospital midway through the book. After that, Mace starts thinking about the current situation in his head, which makes me think that either sending him off to the hospital had no point, or he didn't really need to be in the book in the first place.
But those I could forgive. I was even ready to give the book 4 stars until the third, and most egregious awful rage-inducing HHHNNNGGGRRRRRR:
Eventually, the heroes realize Laila cannot survive without the brain-network of the other plant children. Having no other option, they reluctantly, and cautiously, go back to The Gardener.
Now, Laila the Plant Girl wanted to run away in the first place because the greenhouse was horrific. All her life she was forced to sit in The Greenhouse and do absolutely nothing except learn about science from a screen projector. And sometimes sit around in a coma. Oh and sit back while the scientists put a microchip in her brain with no anesthesia.
And Mace understood this. At least until his Father, The Gardener, and master of operations of all this inhumane experiments told him about LIBERALISM.
Not just Global Warming, Environmentalism, overpopulation, and gas prices, but ALL OF THEM. Several major Liberal issues are ALL somehow the reason he created these evil experiments.
AND MACE IS OK WITH THIS.
JUST. LIKE. THAT.
When he gets his epiphany, the problem becomes not 'protecting Laila from these evil monsters' but saving his father and the lab from the """REAL""" bad guy: the scientist who wanted to sell the plant children to the military.
BECAUSE MILITARY TECHNOLOGY IS SOOOO MUCH WORSE THAN HUMAN EXPERIMENTATION. THAT IS FINE AS LONG AS YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT HUMANITY AND DOING IT FOR THE GREEN--I MEAN-- """RIGHT""" REASONS.
I mean COME ON! You could portray them as Well-Intentioned Extremists, but not THE GOOD GUYS. GOOD GUYS DON'T PSYCHOLOGICALLY TORTURE CHILDREN. GOOD GUYS DON'T TAMPER WITH SAID CHILDREN'S DNA. GOOD GUYS DON'T BLACKMAIL. GOOD GUYS DON'T TAZE YOU SO THEY CAN DRAG YOU TO THEIR LEADER. NO.
But this isn't even the worst part. Laila doesn't hear the author's filibuster, so she's less than ok with going back.
Laila: "I want to stay with you."
Mace: "I'd like that."
Laila: "Then let's do it. I don't care if I only live a little while. I want to spend my time with you."
Aw, how touching. And what does Mace say?
Mace: "I can't. I want to, but I can't."
Laila: "No. No. Please. Mason please.
Mace: "It's ok, the scientists are trying to get you off plant-life support. It'll probably happen maybe. Have fun for the next couple years."
My recollection gets a bit sarcastic at the end there, but you get the picture: Silly plant girl. You're not mature enough to make your own decisions. You get to be psychologically scarred for a couple more years.
I mean NOTHING CHANGED. The greenhouse is still horrifying. Laila still hates it so much she would rather live a couple more days with Mace and DIE, than go back. Nothing has changed. No new information. All the reasons the author gave us for hating the bad guys are still valid. But BECAUSE THE SCIENTISTS ARE REALLY THINKING OF THE ENVIRONMENT/HUMANITY/GAS PRICES, IT'S OK!
Of course Laila does eventually get off plant-life support and go see Mace for the happy ending (which even seems to imply she thinks he's not evil for joining the bad guys.) But there's deeper, more disturbing things.
Like how the author apparently thinks all these crimes against humanity and plants are A-OK as long as you're fighting for a liberal cause. Global Warming is a new theory, and we shouldn't automatically assume that all the projections related to it are 100% correct and start experimenting with our children.
In summation, the first 4/5ths of the book show you just how evil this corporation is, and then at the very end reveals that no, it isn't because it's doing it for LIBERALISM.
NO.
P.S. In the book Mace says "hurrdurr gas prices aren't going down anytime soon." If you account for inflation,gas prices have been fluctuating quite a bit. They were especially low in 2010, when this crime against mankind was published.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 6, 2025
Boy wants job that pays for tuition. Boy suspicious of mom. Info leads to a plant girl and human experiment overload. Mom worked for evil overlord tech company. Dad is also evil. Boy likes plant girl. mystery ending.
yeahhh this was bad but at least it was a quick read.
yeahhh this was bad but at least it was a quick read.
March 3, 2017
Personal Response : At first I thought this book would not be that interesting, but as I started to read it I was quickly shown that I was wrong. The beginning of this book seemed to start out rather strangely as it was too normal for the title of the book. Mason, Jack, and Laila seemed like wonderful characters, although Laila was a little mysterious. Mason in his scarred entirety seemed like he was a great and trustworthy guy.
Plot : The beginning of this book started out replaying how Mason acquired his scar and the first time he “saw” his father. From there it went to his school during one of his classes. Mason was recommended to go to a science fair by his teacher after class. Mason tried to keep this a secret from his mother, who had a hatred for Tro-dyne, the company sponsoring the fair. Mason then had to pick his mother up from the bar when she was drunk. His mother then found out about the application when she arrived home. She then remembered that she had to work that night. Mason drove her to work. He started to get suspicious and decided to search her filing cabinet. He found out she had a Tro-dyne access badge in an envelope. He went to her work to confront and question her. There he saw a group of unresponsive teenagers. One of the teenagers, a girl, woke up when he played the old dvd of his father reading a book. He then, at the girl's request and after much protesting on his part, took her from the building. From there Mason, Jack, and the girl went across the state to escape from the people who were trying to find her.
Characterization : Mason, at the beginning of the book, seemed like a typical naive teenager with a massive scar. With the progression of the story, Mason turned less naive and he definitely started talking more. Laila, after her first meeting with Mason, was a very lost person. With Laila’s progression, she became less lost the more she experienced. At the end of the book, she was just like a normal girl. Jack, as a whole, did not develop as a character beyond the point of being Mason’s friend.
Impacts of Setting : The setting of this book changed rather rapidly, but in general they stayed in the state of Washington. The time was not really mentioned. They did not say what year it was or even what season it was. At the very least it could be told that this book took place in modern times. The rapidly changing setting in this story really lent to the mood of running away from an organization. The rapidly changing scenery, but the relatively unchanging time, also really helped that impact.
Thematic Connection : A theme I got from The Gardener is “do the right thing.” I reached this theme by the numerous times that Mason picked the harder choice. Mason, despite choosing the harder choice numerous times, also chose the right choice in terms of a moral compass.
Recommendation : I would recommend this book to anyone male or female at about high school age. I gave this recommendation due to the fact that this book was fairly short and not hard to understand.
Plot : The beginning of this book started out replaying how Mason acquired his scar and the first time he “saw” his father. From there it went to his school during one of his classes. Mason was recommended to go to a science fair by his teacher after class. Mason tried to keep this a secret from his mother, who had a hatred for Tro-dyne, the company sponsoring the fair. Mason then had to pick his mother up from the bar when she was drunk. His mother then found out about the application when she arrived home. She then remembered that she had to work that night. Mason drove her to work. He started to get suspicious and decided to search her filing cabinet. He found out she had a Tro-dyne access badge in an envelope. He went to her work to confront and question her. There he saw a group of unresponsive teenagers. One of the teenagers, a girl, woke up when he played the old dvd of his father reading a book. He then, at the girl's request and after much protesting on his part, took her from the building. From there Mason, Jack, and the girl went across the state to escape from the people who were trying to find her.
Characterization : Mason, at the beginning of the book, seemed like a typical naive teenager with a massive scar. With the progression of the story, Mason turned less naive and he definitely started talking more. Laila, after her first meeting with Mason, was a very lost person. With Laila’s progression, she became less lost the more she experienced. At the end of the book, she was just like a normal girl. Jack, as a whole, did not develop as a character beyond the point of being Mason’s friend.
Impacts of Setting : The setting of this book changed rather rapidly, but in general they stayed in the state of Washington. The time was not really mentioned. They did not say what year it was or even what season it was. At the very least it could be told that this book took place in modern times. The rapidly changing setting in this story really lent to the mood of running away from an organization. The rapidly changing scenery, but the relatively unchanging time, also really helped that impact.
Thematic Connection : A theme I got from The Gardener is “do the right thing.” I reached this theme by the numerous times that Mason picked the harder choice. Mason, despite choosing the harder choice numerous times, also chose the right choice in terms of a moral compass.
Recommendation : I would recommend this book to anyone male or female at about high school age. I gave this recommendation due to the fact that this book was fairly short and not hard to understand.
July 23, 2022
What an interesting book. I read it in 2 settings. I just couldn't put it down. So strange but interesting story. Loved it.
June 6, 2010
Future Steps in Evolution for the Fate of Mankind
Although S.A. Bodeen’s new sci-fi thriller The Gardener is somewhat predictable in its plot layout due to the cover subtitle blurb telling you outright what the story entails, and is formulaic in its execution, this new novel is still an outstanding science fiction read for teens and adults alike. This thought provoking book allows the reader to think ahead to the future of the human race and to the many problems our descendants will face regarding declining food supplies caused by the increasing warnings of global warming and over population that are rapidly depleting the world’s resources.
Mason, a 15 year old biology enthusiast is raised in Oregon by a single mom who works at a mysterious facility called The Haven of Peace in which Mason has always been led to believe was a rest home for the elderly. He never knew his dad, the only experience of his father he ever had was a short home movie on a DVD that his mother gave him, that shows his faceless father reading to him from a children’s book, The Runaway Bunny.
One night while visiting his mom for the first time at the Haven, he finds a group of comatose like teenagers being cared for by his mother. As she steps away for a minute leaving Mason alone, one of the young girls wakes up while Mason is passing the time watching is dad’s DVD. The girl seems to have reacted and awoken by listening to the words from Runaway Bunny. Laila, an angelic like teenager girl, fascinates Mason, and as she comes to life she pleads with him to take her away from there, to help her escape, that the “Gardener is coming!”
From this point on this creative young adult novel becomes a fast-paced sci-tech thrill ride as Mason and his best friend Jack, hijack Laila to a mountain cabin and soon realize they have gotten in over their heads and have embarked on a terrifying journey into the world of genetic engineering, and a lab experiment gone haywire created by scientists hell-bent on solving the problem of future starvation on planet Earth. As both Mason and Laila uncover horrifying mysteries surrounding both their pasts that reveal clues of their parents startling involvement with a company called TroDyn, the reader is caught up in issues of right and wrong, morals and values amidst the world of biology and genetics, and will wonder just what is ethical when planning the future survival of our children and the generations to come.
The Gardener is enjoyable, fun, well written and creative. I give it high points for innovation alone. And, it appears, for once, a stand-alone book and not an installment of a multi-book series which in itself is a breath of fresh air!
Although S.A. Bodeen’s new sci-fi thriller The Gardener is somewhat predictable in its plot layout due to the cover subtitle blurb telling you outright what the story entails, and is formulaic in its execution, this new novel is still an outstanding science fiction read for teens and adults alike. This thought provoking book allows the reader to think ahead to the future of the human race and to the many problems our descendants will face regarding declining food supplies caused by the increasing warnings of global warming and over population that are rapidly depleting the world’s resources.
Mason, a 15 year old biology enthusiast is raised in Oregon by a single mom who works at a mysterious facility called The Haven of Peace in which Mason has always been led to believe was a rest home for the elderly. He never knew his dad, the only experience of his father he ever had was a short home movie on a DVD that his mother gave him, that shows his faceless father reading to him from a children’s book, The Runaway Bunny.
One night while visiting his mom for the first time at the Haven, he finds a group of comatose like teenagers being cared for by his mother. As she steps away for a minute leaving Mason alone, one of the young girls wakes up while Mason is passing the time watching is dad’s DVD. The girl seems to have reacted and awoken by listening to the words from Runaway Bunny. Laila, an angelic like teenager girl, fascinates Mason, and as she comes to life she pleads with him to take her away from there, to help her escape, that the “Gardener is coming!”
From this point on this creative young adult novel becomes a fast-paced sci-tech thrill ride as Mason and his best friend Jack, hijack Laila to a mountain cabin and soon realize they have gotten in over their heads and have embarked on a terrifying journey into the world of genetic engineering, and a lab experiment gone haywire created by scientists hell-bent on solving the problem of future starvation on planet Earth. As both Mason and Laila uncover horrifying mysteries surrounding both their pasts that reveal clues of their parents startling involvement with a company called TroDyn, the reader is caught up in issues of right and wrong, morals and values amidst the world of biology and genetics, and will wonder just what is ethical when planning the future survival of our children and the generations to come.
The Gardener is enjoyable, fun, well written and creative. I give it high points for innovation alone. And, it appears, for once, a stand-alone book and not an installment of a multi-book series which in itself is a breath of fresh air!
August 31, 2010
Mason has a hero complex and when a video of his father reading The Runaway Bunny wakes a beautiful girl from her coma who has been institutionalized in the nursing home where his mother works, Mason feels that he has to help the girl escape this place she fears so much. Now he finds himself in a whole host of trouble being chased by those who want the girl back so badly, and from a man the girl only knows as “The Gardener.”
This novel is fast paced and exciting, but unfortunately it falls a little flat. I found myself wishing for better character development and overall, just more details. The pacing makes up for that to some degree, and the action and pacing would make it interesting for reluctant readers.
We are told Mason has a bit of a hero complex. He is always wanting to save somebody, perhaps because of his experience as a child. I felt that most of the characters, with the exception of Mason however, are stock characters and not terribly developed. I was always wanting to know more throughout this novel. So many of the adults have secret lives with the company in the novel and you really don’t understand their motivations. Mason’s love for the girl was also a sticking point with me, because he doesn’t even really know her or who she is, just as she isn’t completely aware of who she is. I did like Mason as a character, but overall the characters just don’t connect with the audience. The dialogue between the characters was okay, but sometimes it felt rushed like the momentum of the story was forcing out the big revelations at such a fast pace that you only got a page or two dedicated the the mysteries that surround the girl and the story.
The audio version produced by Brilliance Audio and performed by Luke Daniels was well done, but there were moments when I felt that the narrator was too old to be narrating the voice of a 15 year old. Otherwise the production is well done, and a good way to read this book. It is only 5 CDs long which makes it a relatively quick book to listen to.
Overall, this book is entertaining, but like so many action packed movies out there it lacked depth. You are grabbed from the beginning and pulled through the novel at a relentless pace, but below the surface you won’t find much detail. I wish there was more back story, and found myself wanting to know more about TroDyn and especially the parents, but alas it just wasn’t there. Because of the action, this book will appeal to boys and your reluctant readers and it is, despite its flaws, a fun story.
Cautions for sensitive readers: Mild sci fi horror, and some violence.
May 4, 2010
Mason lives a small town in the Pacific Northwest with his hardworking, but troubled single mother. The town is centered and run around a scientific research company. Scarred at an early age from a dog attack, Mason is quiet and avoids being the center of attention, despite his linebacker size and stature. Most of all, Mason likes helping others and being a hero. It's this hero complex that gets him involved in the rescue of a mysterious and beautiful girl from the nursing home where his mother works. As Mason learns more about the girl, he discovers that the scientific lab running his town is connected to the girl, himself and his mother in strange and sinister ways.
I was a little disappointed in The Gardner and I almost feel guilty about it. I picked up the ARC at a conference and was so excited because I absolutely loved Bodeen's previous book, The Compound, as both a thriller and a YA book for boys. The Gardner is definitely an interesting and original book, but I'm not sure that it has enough oomph to its plot to captivate teen readers. The mystery plodded along and, while it did have cleverly paced action sequences throughout, the action and the conclusion just fell a bit short of gripping. The character of Mason was appealing, although a bit predictable, but the girl character and romantic interest never really gets to develop a personality (to be fair, she is semi-comatose through much of the book-but that's just the problem!). As a result, the relationship between the two main characters felt forced.
Some things I did like, however, were the environmental message and the Pacific Northwest setting. Both make The Gardner stand out. The science fiction elements were well written and just realistic enough to be believable and just gross enough to be fun. I'm sure there will be teens (and teen boys) who can enjoy this novel, but I don't think it will have the same kind of appeal as The Compound.
I was a little disappointed in The Gardner and I almost feel guilty about it. I picked up the ARC at a conference and was so excited because I absolutely loved Bodeen's previous book, The Compound, as both a thriller and a YA book for boys. The Gardner is definitely an interesting and original book, but I'm not sure that it has enough oomph to its plot to captivate teen readers. The mystery plodded along and, while it did have cleverly paced action sequences throughout, the action and the conclusion just fell a bit short of gripping. The character of Mason was appealing, although a bit predictable, but the girl character and romantic interest never really gets to develop a personality (to be fair, she is semi-comatose through much of the book-but that's just the problem!). As a result, the relationship between the two main characters felt forced.
Some things I did like, however, were the environmental message and the Pacific Northwest setting. Both make The Gardner stand out. The science fiction elements were well written and just realistic enough to be believable and just gross enough to be fun. I'm sure there will be teens (and teen boys) who can enjoy this novel, but I don't think it will have the same kind of appeal as The Compound.
June 11, 2010
After viewing The Gardener's cover a few short weeks ago, I was so excited to get my hands on this novel. I was hoping for a great science fiction novel that possibly held a futuristic setting, or at least some type of futuristic element. Unfortunately, that is not exactly what I got.
The Gardener was almost nothing like I had hoped. Although the premise sounded encouraging enough, most of the novel focuses more on a cat and mouse type chase than actually uncovering the hidden secrets of the Greenhouse. I must admit that I enjoyed the chase; however, I wish that the science fiction aspect had played a larger role in the overall novel. True, readers are given clues and hints throughout the novel about the Greenhouse and its secrets. But once the reader actually gets to the unveiling, it feels like it is almost too little, too late.
As for the characters, they were pretty interesting. Mason is your basic "Look, damsel-in-distress... I must save her" kind of character. Yes, it was noble of him to risk so much for a girl that he barely knew. But sometimes, I wondered if his motives were more selfish or selfless. Either way, as a reader, I knew that his heart was in the right place. However, by far, my favorite character was Laila. Her secret past and the clues leading up to her identity held me glued to the book's pages.
Although the science fiction aspect was lacking, the novel was still quite enjoyable. The Gardener would be a wonderful novel for those wanting to ease into this genre. But if you are a die-hard science fiction / futuristic lover, you may want to look elsewhere. The overall premise may intrigue you, but I fear that the amount of actual science fiction / futuristic elements may disappoint.
The Gardener was almost nothing like I had hoped. Although the premise sounded encouraging enough, most of the novel focuses more on a cat and mouse type chase than actually uncovering the hidden secrets of the Greenhouse. I must admit that I enjoyed the chase; however, I wish that the science fiction aspect had played a larger role in the overall novel. True, readers are given clues and hints throughout the novel about the Greenhouse and its secrets. But once the reader actually gets to the unveiling, it feels like it is almost too little, too late.
As for the characters, they were pretty interesting. Mason is your basic "Look, damsel-in-distress... I must save her" kind of character. Yes, it was noble of him to risk so much for a girl that he barely knew. But sometimes, I wondered if his motives were more selfish or selfless. Either way, as a reader, I knew that his heart was in the right place. However, by far, my favorite character was Laila. Her secret past and the clues leading up to her identity held me glued to the book's pages.
Although the science fiction aspect was lacking, the novel was still quite enjoyable. The Gardener would be a wonderful novel for those wanting to ease into this genre. But if you are a die-hard science fiction / futuristic lover, you may want to look elsewhere. The overall premise may intrigue you, but I fear that the amount of actual science fiction / futuristic elements may disappoint.
June 30, 2010
I read Bodeen's first book, The Compound, and really enjoyed it. The story was solid, the characters were fully fleshed out, and the pacing was riveting. So when I heard about The Gardener and the incredibly enticing premise, I couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy.
The story opens with a great emotional hook as five-year-old Mason is attacked by the neighbor's dog. It also skillfully introduces how that moment triggers later events in the story, and I couldn't wait to find out how it was all connected. And I wasn't disappointed about that. The plot is pretty strong and the pacing is just as riveting as The Compound.
The characters, however, weren't as solid as they needed to be. Mom's drinking is introduced when convenient, but forgotten when it's not. Including the effects of drinking so much that she can't drive herself home. The story also didn't have enough oomfph to it. In The Compound, the reveal about the yellow room is shockingly mind-blowing and horrifying, and I could not put the book down afterwards. The Gardener had the potential for this in multiple places, but it never lived up to that potential.
Still, this is a good story that younger teens might enjoy. It just wasn't my favorite.
The story opens with a great emotional hook as five-year-old Mason is attacked by the neighbor's dog. It also skillfully introduces how that moment triggers later events in the story, and I couldn't wait to find out how it was all connected. And I wasn't disappointed about that. The plot is pretty strong and the pacing is just as riveting as The Compound.
The characters, however, weren't as solid as they needed to be. Mom's drinking is introduced when convenient, but forgotten when it's not. Including the effects of drinking so much that she can't drive herself home. The story also didn't have enough oomfph to it. In The Compound, the reveal about the yellow room is shockingly mind-blowing and horrifying, and I could not put the book down afterwards. The Gardener had the potential for this in multiple places, but it never lived up to that potential.
Still, this is a good story that younger teens might enjoy. It just wasn't my favorite.
January 15, 2014
The Gardener By S.A Boden
340 pages
fiction
Mason comes across a girl with a group of three other kids. But they dont so look normal they have butterfly tatoos and scars on their legs and arms. His mother told him they are brain dead. But that could not be right because the pretty girl he just saw is looking straight at him and asking him questions. Now they must get away though because the Gardener is coming.
Can I just say I feel like I just wasted my time on this book? There was no plot! Other than running from some guy Mason has no clue about called "the Gardener" and dragging a pretty and crazy like girl with him he also does not know. Is this even a plot? Because I feel like it is not. There was no relationship feeling with crazy girl and Mason, he knew her for not even a day and was willing to die for her. Call me crazy but that is just no relationship at all, Mason does not know anything about her and the book was lacking strongly with details and feeling and a plot. This should not be called a book. This should be a chapter in an unfinished book. I have never given a book this low of a rating ever maybe because I have read better books. Just dont waste your time with this book.
340 pages
fiction
Mason comes across a girl with a group of three other kids. But they dont so look normal they have butterfly tatoos and scars on their legs and arms. His mother told him they are brain dead. But that could not be right because the pretty girl he just saw is looking straight at him and asking him questions. Now they must get away though because the Gardener is coming.
Can I just say I feel like I just wasted my time on this book? There was no plot! Other than running from some guy Mason has no clue about called "the Gardener" and dragging a pretty and crazy like girl with him he also does not know. Is this even a plot? Because I feel like it is not. There was no relationship feeling with crazy girl and Mason, he knew her for not even a day and was willing to die for her. Call me crazy but that is just no relationship at all, Mason does not know anything about her and the book was lacking strongly with details and feeling and a plot. This should not be called a book. This should be a chapter in an unfinished book. I have never given a book this low of a rating ever maybe because I have read better books. Just dont waste your time with this book.
November 30, 2016
Usually when you hear the word “greenhouse”, you probably think of a glass building with plants inside. Normally that’s what I would think of too, but after reading The Gardener by S.A. Bodeen my mind thinks of something else. In this book, there’s a greenhouse, but not a normal greenhouse. Oh no, actually quite far from what you’d ever think. This greenhouse grows humans. Humans? You might ask yourself “Did I read that correctly?” The answer is yes.
Mason, a somewhat normal high school student, is taken on a very interesting path when he finds out some things about his mother’s past. He decides to confront his mother about it at her workplace, but while there he meets several strange teenagers. His mother works at a nursing home, so why would kids be there? More importantly, why are those kids unresponsive and catatonic? Mason manages to wake one of them and she is insistent on escaping and getting as far away from the nursing home and the gardener as possible. Since Mason is the heroic kind of person he rescues her. Although because he did this, he’s in trouble. Mason goes on a great adventure to find out who this strange girl is and where she came from, while also finding out about his own past in the process.
Mason, a somewhat normal high school student, is taken on a very interesting path when he finds out some things about his mother’s past. He decides to confront his mother about it at her workplace, but while there he meets several strange teenagers. His mother works at a nursing home, so why would kids be there? More importantly, why are those kids unresponsive and catatonic? Mason manages to wake one of them and she is insistent on escaping and getting as far away from the nursing home and the gardener as possible. Since Mason is the heroic kind of person he rescues her. Although because he did this, he’s in trouble. Mason goes on a great adventure to find out who this strange girl is and where she came from, while also finding out about his own past in the process.
October 19, 2010
I'm a pretty big fan of this sci-fi thriller. The cover says it all "this greenhouse... grows humans" so when Mason discovers that his mom works for TroDyn, the corporate giant who owns everything in their town including a laboratory with suspicious activity, he goes on a mission to see what's up. What's up is that he encounters Laila, who "wakes up" and runs out of the facility. Through bits and pieces and a bit of an adventure, it's discovered that the lab experiment is to grow humans to become autotrophs and eradicate human hunger. Laila was "uprooted", which was why she was losing energy and didn't remember anything. The gardener that she is fearful of just so happens to be Mason's father (he doesn't realize this until almost the very end, but we suspect all along) who is an accomplice to the malicious actions of Eva, who is taking the experiment too far.
The descriptions of the garden, the autotrophic science, and the personal relationships that Mason forms make it a riveting read where science meets life-- it just might be happening in greenhouses across the world for all we know.
The descriptions of the garden, the autotrophic science, and the personal relationships that Mason forms make it a riveting read where science meets life-- it just might be happening in greenhouses across the world for all we know.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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