What's Left of Me
by Katy Zhang
Like everyone else begins life, Addie and Eva are two souls, born into the same body. They take turns controlling their movements, learning how to speak, dance, live. But soon the whispers start. Why are they settling? Most people lose one of their souls at a young age, the dominant soul taking complete control as the recessive soul quietly slips away. So why is Eva still around? And how can they keep it a secret? Because if anyone finds out that Eva is still a part of Addie, they'll be taken away. From her family, her friends, to a place of uncertain location and even more uncertain consequences.
This book was amazing! It reads like other popular dystopian fiction (Delirium, Legend, etc), but the world is clearly present day and looks almost exactly like our own. Life exists for the characters much as it does for the reader. The story is told in first person, from Eva's viewpoint. But while she is the center of her own story, she is not the person making the decisions for her life. What impressed me most about this book is the pacing. Kat Zhang manages to mix just the right amount of action, heartbreak, and suspense with just a splash or romance. The book raises some great questions. What makes a person a person? What does it mean to sacrifice for the common good? What is the "common good"? How do you fall in love with a boy if there are two completely different people living inside one body?
What's even more incredible about this book is that it was written by a high schooler! That's right. A high schooler who was finishing this book while she was supposed to be studying for her IB exams. This girl must never have slept, but it paid off. This book is refreshing, fast paced, exciting, and just stinkin' cool. I can't wait for the next one.
Check out the author's page for the book trailer and more here.
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