Wither by Lauren DeStefano

DeStefano, Lauren Wither (Chemical Garden Trilogy), 368 p. Simon and Schuster, MARCH 20100.  $17.99.  Content:  PG (2 swears, murder, three wives).  You would have thought that once scientists cured cancer that the world would be a perfecg place.  But, instead, the next generation is dying young – 20 for girls and 25 for boys.  Rhine was only trying to help her generation and future generations survive.  Now she has been chosen as one of three wives for a House Governor, who is only a few years away from the death threshold.  The other volunteers – all dead; gunned down by the Gatherers (read procurers) and Rhine is far from her home in New York City and missing her brother.  She is pampered, but she is a prisoner; her only thoughts are to do what she must in order to escape.  Welcome to another dystopia – a future we created for ourselves through the wonders of science.  I really liked the fact that this wasn’t based on government control  or an apocolypse, but I am waiting to see where Ms. DeStefano is headed, because  I don’t have a guess.  How unusual!  And I do have to say that I LOVE the cover!  MS, HS – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher