Beta - Rachel Cohn

Beta by Rachel Cohn
Series: Annex #1
Publisher: Hyperion
Publication Date: October 16, 2012
Source/Format: BEA 2012 || ARC

[I received this book from the publisher. This in no way affects the opinions expressed in my review.]

Elysia is a Beta, an experimental creation, a teenage clone. Her purpose is to serve the people of Demesne, an island where perfection is key in every single aspect. While her life starts out idyllic, Elysia eventually finds herself confronted with real emotions and forced to decide what sort of life she might really want to lead.

It's always a pleasure to find myself liking a book more than I expected I would, which was the case with Beta. I had been hearing mixed things about it, but I can firmly say that I'm a fan of this new series. The world she's crafted is very imaginative, as are the characters that she's introduced. Though there were certainly a few moments that were much darker than I expected, overall, Beta really surpassed all of my expectations.

Demesne is supposed to be the ideal island getaway, where everything - from the air to the games - is perfect. Of course, as the book progresses, the perfection of just about everything starts to become eerie and a little bit creepy - it's a little too perfect that it feels like one mistake would cause you to get thrown out of there. While sometimes I would wish for a world as pristinely perfect as Demesne, another part of me realizes that it's unrealistic and too manufactured to be enjoyable for an entire lifetime.

The people who serve on the island are also supposed to be perfect, and that's where our Beta Elysia and others like her come in. Clones were created to serve the people on the island; they are not supposed to have their own independent thoughts and emotions. When Elysia starts realizing that she is different from the other clones, the story becomes a lot more interesting.

Initially, it was difficult to feel a connection to Elysia. This actually isn't unexpected, since she's supposed to be a clone, unfeeling and simply a servant. But once she started demonstrating more human qualities - like enjoying the tastes of things, or experiencing real emotions - I found it was easier to feel for her character. Her struggle to suppress her human tendencies was disheartening, as it sort of felt like she was being trapped in her own body. It was definitely easy to cheer for her when she started to fight back, to try to circumvent the way that life was supposed to be on the island.

The most interesting part of this book, apart from Elysia's own individual journey, is the idea of clones having rights. The characters in this book were divided between one extreme to the other, and it certainly made me question where I would stand if given the choice. There's no doubt that this conflict is going to be playing a huge role in the series, and I am certainly curious to see which side will triumph.

Beta is certainly a creative novel, combining a powerfully intriguing story with characters that you learn to love. It may take some time for you to really feel for Elysia and her kind, but once you do, the story will increase in its appeal. There are certainly darker moments (which was definitely unexpected), but they only add to the urgency and haste behind Elysia's choices. While not everyone is going to love this book, I certainly did and am looking forward to the sequel.