Between the Covers discussion

Dystopia Requests and Reviews

Eden, by Keary Taylor

This is the first book I finished in 2013.
I read at least 10-20 books in 2012 that tried to accomplish what this book did. It was a book of the end-of-times and the last few humans who were trying to survive. However, this book really dived into what it means to survive, and what makes humans so different.

The Writing
The writing was fantastic. I highlighted all over this book and even left notes here and there. Keary really engulfs you into this world of Eden.

The Plot
How many books have you read about some plague or virus or robots taking over and ending humanity? Zombies, cyborgs, etc. It has been done a million times. And the backbone of this story isn't entirely something new. Science has evolved and if you are in need of a new heart or a leg well now you can have it! Of course it didn't stop though and eventually it spread and took over the human and all of humanity. And now there are only a few humans left trying to survive. Nothing new. However in ever book I have read with a similar plot, there is always a flaw. Something they missed and could have done better. Or a point to the book that wasn't there. Keary didn't write this book simply because this type of genre is popular right now as so many other books seem to be. No, he wrote this book exactly how Dystopia books should be written: with a purpose.

Eve is what made this book. Not because she was a strong female lead character (about time) but because of what she was. (view spoiler)[ The original experiment that caused the downfall of humankind. She is half them and didn't even know it. She is everything she hates and fights. While she is questioning who she is and what she is meant for, you really get a feel of what it means to be human. It isn't who you are, what you look like or where you are from. It is what you fight for and what you believe in that is important

Some of my favorite quotes:
"Was that what love was? Brief touch and physical assurances of another's presence? Or was it what that touch made you feel inside? Was it the impression that it left inside of you and stayed with you for as long as you would remember?"

"Eden was wherever these people were, Eden was them."

"In that moment I finally knew. I knew which one I would grieve over. A piece of me would be missing forever if he was gone. A part of me would break. But I would make it through. And I knew which one of them I couldn't live without, couldn't take another single breath if he were to be taken away from me. In that moment I finally understood what love meant." (Just a side note, I hate love triangles. Never enjoyed a single one I read. Except this one! It wasn't there simply to be there, it added to the story line and overall feel to the book.)

"We'll always have each other. As long as we have that, it will always be Eden."

I recommend this book to anyone who likes Dystopia, end of times, and thought-provoking books. (hide spoiler)]