Young Adult Book Reading Challenges discussion

Rhine had been in Linden's house for approximately a year before she even attempted to escape? What do you think of her inability or lack of desire to escape? Does her behavior, in your opinion, match what you know about other, possibly real life, kidnapped victims'?

Tatiana wrote: "Rhine had been in Linden's house for approximately a year before she even attempted to escape?"

I'm going to disagree with you on this. She tried to escape from the very beginning - at least she was trying to see if it was feasible to escape. Soon after she gained consciousness she searched and inspected her room closely to see if there was any way to get out only to find that the door was open. I think it took her a long time to attempt an escape simply because she needed to learn about where she was and wait for an opportunity.

It's been a while since I read this, but here's what I think:

She did put the effort into escaping right from the beginning. Rhine just wanted to be sure that the escape would be a success, because the punishment would be severe if she were caught.

But, at the same time, I think her escape took so long because subconsciously she was finally comfortable. She met a hot guy, her husband never forced himself on her, she had enough food, she was basically living a life of luxury. I can't really blame her for not being in a huge hurry to get out of there.

Erin, your comment brings about this question - is it not odd that Rhine was kidnapped specifically to be impregnated and yet, she lives in Linden's house for months without anyone trying to get her pregnant, artificially or otherwise, while, you know, 13-year old Cecily does get pregnant? Rhine is extremely comfortable, her living situation is much better than living with her twin locked up in a basement. So, why run at all?

I think she took too long to escape. If i was her i would have already escaped. This was one of the points that i didn't like about the book.

Nicola wrote: "I found it completely ridiculous and couldn't believe it when I suddenly realised just how long it took her to make an escape attempt. And I was baffled as to why she chose during a hurricane! How ..."

I agree, completely anticlimactic.

I think that the faking her way through it also got to her a little bit, seeing as how she realized Linden was just as trapped as she was. That speaks to Rhine's humanity and ability to care for others. I think she was a strong person, but at times, the comfort was easy to participate in. Her wishy washy-ness at times got to me, but it's understandable. It's disconcerting to think that there would be a world full of wishy washy teenagers only. LOL

I think Rhine found that time was slipping away faster than she could realize. She felt she had to protect Cecily because of her young age, and Jenna because she knew too many secrets to get her in trouble; which ultimately killed her. Rhine said she was going to try to escape earlier but how could she just leave Jenna on her death bed, after all she was her sister wife.

I figured she'd wait until she was out in the city to make her first escape attempt. I thought it was pretty dumb of her to just jump out of a window and expect to be able to get away. Also, her escape at the end of the book just seemed way too easy to me. It just felt like they were... let go.

The fact that she just jumped into the middle of a HURRICANE to escape was pretty dumb, I agree with that. Rhine was basically like, "Oh, a hurricane. I'll try to escape right now, and if I don't make it I'll die anyway so whatevs." <---Yes, I just said whatevs.

Rhine's character personality basically reminded me of Bella Swan from Twilight: angsty teenager who likes whining to everyone about how unfair her life is (everyone being us readers). I love the book, honest I do, but some aspects of Rhine's personality and movites/actions made no sense. Why wouldn't she escape out in the city, when it was just her and Linden? She could've easily fought him off if she wanted to, and from what I've gathered about Linden's personality, he wouldn't fight back. He'd be too stunned to do anything except watch Rhine run away from him in her stunning dress.

About her escape at the end of the book....I'm literally chapters away from finishing the book, so I'll let you know what I think of it then.

Overall, I loved Rhine in some ways, but character development in all the characters (not just Rhine....Gabriel and her relationship left me dumbstruck. No development in it at all, so I wasn't easily convinced by them suddenly wanting to run away together) is greatly needed for the future novels in this book series.

I never understood why she wanted to escape in the first place. Freedom was this great thing to her, and she knew Gabriel would understand once he experienced freedom.

But what she had before wasn't really freedom, and besides, with the world about to come to an end, there's something a little more important than freedom right now. If the first generation dies without a cure, there is no hope for solving the problem.

So her focus on freedom seems misplaced to me.

Rita wrote: "I never understood why she wanted to escape in the first place. Freedom was this great thing to her, and she knew Gabriel would understand once he experienced freedom.

But what she had before w..."

That's also what I thought. She could have had anything she ever wanted with Linden, but she kept telling herself she hated him.....oh wait! She did care for him after all! Not only did she have Linden, but she had Cicily and Browen to help care for as well. Rhine was first wife--she could go to a billion parties in her last four years and get as close to freedom as she could. She had it made...she just refused to see it.

Storm wrote: "Not only did she have Linden, but she had Cicily and Browen to help care for as well..."

It bothered me that she ducked out of the responsibility of taking care of those people who depended on her. She abandoned them. If she had stayed with Linden and had turned her world into a better place, I would have loved the book.

But all the same, I have to say that the author Lauren DeStefano did something right because I was so upset about the book. If it was poorly written, I might not be so upset about how it all turned out.

Tatiana wrote: "Erin, your comment brings about this question - is it not odd that Rhine was kidnapped specifically to be impregnated and yet, she lives in Linden's house for months without anyone trying to get he..."

This bothered me tremendously! Why did all the other girls have sex and nothing happened to Rhine? I mean no real attempts to have sex with her anyways. I didn't like this at all!!

Rhine... I thought she was an interesting character. I was surprised it took a whole year for her to leave. A WHOLE YEAR! That is a long long time. And then all she did was walk out the gate? And there was no plan for the gate? Really she thought one of the wives scan cards were going to work to get to the outer gate? And her Gabriel barely knew each other! I haven't been in a hurricane so I didn't think her trying to escape during one was that big of a stretch. She just thought everyone would be busy and that would be a good time to go.

I guess not being in the situation myself I can't really say why it took a year. Maybe she just needed to work up the courage? I have to agree with the time passage in this book. I couldn't believe that it had been a year at the end of the book. But I suppose it had to be at least 6 months since Cicily had a baby.

I do like Rhine... I mean I thought she did care about the people in the house with her.. but if I were her I would've left much sooner.

Storm wrote: "Rita wrote: "I never understood why she wanted to escape in the first place. Freedom was this great thing to her, and she knew Gabriel would understand once he experienced freedom.

But what she h..."

I agree with this. Toward the end of the book when she went to the last party and danced with the other wives I thought she was having fun. How many people are wishing for her life right then and there. She came from such a crappy place maybe she could've just asked Linden to try to find her brother. And why didn't anyone want to tell Linden the truth about everything?

What do you guys think happened to Rhine in the basement when she first got to the mansion? rhine wakes up with sore legs and hips. how scary to be knocked unconscious and waking up with sore hips?? Later we read that she sees rose's body and biohazard suits when she sneaks down there and still she doesn't wonder what happened to her body. When I first read this part I was thinking of her being raped. Did Vaughn do an experiment?

Angie wrote: "What do you guys think happened to Rhine in the basement when she first got to the mansion? rhine wakes up with sore legs and hips. how scary to be knocked unconscious and waking up with sore hips?..."

I'm not entirely sure. I thought she had been raped too, it seems logical enough. Half of me wants to know, and half of me doesn't want to know.

Angie wrote: "When I first read this part I was thinking of her being raped. Did Vaughn do an experiment? "

I don't think she was raped. Vaughn probably performed an internal examination. Maybe he harvested some eggs. Perhaps some of his experiments use the same technology that was used to produce the first generation.