Book review - Only Ever Yours

Title: Only Every Yours
Author: Louise O'Neill
Genre: dystopia
Similar books: Perfected by Kate Jarvik Birch
                     Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro 
Rating:

Whoa

Summary: Ever since climate change decimated the population girls have not been born naturally. Instead, they are created in a lab, bred for beauty and pleasure, and raised to perfectly please their men. Best friends Freida and Isabel have been dreaming their entire lives of the day when they will become companions. As their final year at school comes to a close, the pressure to be perfect mounts. only a select few girls will become companions. The rest are destined to be concubines or chastities. Will Freida and Isabel achieve their dream or will the pressure become too much.

My opinion: I've read a great deal of dystopian fiction and it all seems to follow a similar path: protagonist recognizes an unjust system, either joins or starts a revolution, and overthrows the government or escapes to freedom. This book certainly bucks that trend with the idea that sometimes there is no way out and an attempt to revolt brings down judgement on your head. This book certainly isn't perfect. I found most of the writing to be kind of annoying. Freida was all over the place emotionally and so needy, constantly seeking even the shallowest of validation. That ending, though, makes me look at the entire thing in a new light.

More information: Only Ever Yours releases May 12.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.