Aberrant (Aberrant #1)

Review copy received for blog tour

In the dystopian society of Cabal, all citizens are equal and required to accept the governent rules without question. People are matched by the government in marriages and children are born to families who win a lottery called "The Day of the Chosen". At eighteen, Olivia Parker has just been matched to her childhood best friend Joshua and is eager to start living with him. Howvere, she's arrested and thrown into jail; her crime is that she was born naturally.

With Joshua's help, Olivia escapes from prison; they flee together to another city, Haven. The government, however, is hunting Olivia down and will stop at nothing to kill her.

Aberrant was an interesting dystopian novel. There is quite a bit of world building, as we need to learn about the government and society in order to understand the plot. Cabal seems to be run by an authoritarian regime which ensures equal living conditions to everyone. Women, however, can't seem to be able to conceive naturally. Each couple can have a child if they win the lottery, but only one;if they win the littery a second time, they are forced to give the baby up. But there's at least one woman who can conceive: Olivia's mother was able to get pregnant, so it's assumed that Olivia would, too.

This partof the plot I found quite confusing. It is stated that women can't conceive naturally, so I thought they had to turn to somethign like in vitro fertilization. However, later it is explained that babies are born in labs rather than in hospitals. So maybe women can't carry out a pregnancy, either? Then how could Olivia's mother carry out hers without being noticed? I suppose it would look very strange to have a woman with a pregnant belly in a society where no other woman is. Or maybe she was able to hide it for this reason, that people do not associate a swollen belly on a woman to a pregnancy any longer? I wish the book had cleared up this point.

The plot is very fast-paced and full of surprises. The characters are not particularly described, except for Olivia and Joshua, the two main characters. Olivia is a young woman thrust into a world she knows nothing about; she is determined to do what it takes to stay alive. Joshua is a sweet, caring friend and boyfriend. In spite of being matched together by the government, they appear to be well suited to each other.

The book is short, so we are left wanting more from the series.

I love dystopian novels. Admittedly, I've shied away from ones that aren't in the mainstream. The world-building is so important in dystopian novels and I've been hesitant to read the less-popular ones because I'm afraid they would be lacking the spark that books like Divergent and Hunger Games have. Aberrant showed me that I just might be missing out after all.

Aberrant was a short and fast-paced. It was an engrossing read filled with lots of drama and the totally effed-upedness that I've come to expect from dystopian novels. The author jumped right into the drama with both feet. There's very little build-up to the story, and that's not a bad thing. It grabbed me from the start and held on through the cliffhanger at the end.

Olivia and her childhood best friend, Joshua, are assigned to marry each other by the government. They're both relieved with this arrangement. Their relief is short-lived, however, as Olivia is arrested and Joshua helps break her out of prison. They go on the run and encounter one messed-up set of circumstances after another in this strange dystopian land. I won't give anything away because the drama is so good, the situations so bizarre, that you just need to experience them for yourself.

The relationship between Olivia and Joshua is one of my favorite types: the friendship-first, slow-burn. (Or as slow of a burn as you can have in 250 pages.) They have been friends for years, but begin to see each other differently after their marriage and their time on the run. It's sweet and real. I was able to connect pretty well with both Olivia and Joshua. I wish there had been a little more character-development though. I know it's difficult to fully-develop an alternate world and characters in 250 pages, but I wanted a little more on the character end of things. That's the only thing I found lacking about the novel.

All that said, I'm really glad I requested this book from NetGalley - and that I was approved. I have an ARC of Moirai, the second novel in the series, that I'll be reading this week to review for a blog tour at the end of the week. I can't wait to read it and see where Olivia and Joshua's story goes next.

I received this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

MY REVIEW
I received an e-copy of this book via Girls Heart Books in exchange for my honest review and blog tour participation. Well what can I say about the two different covers for this book. The one pictured to the left with the city pictured on it is the e-book cover, and the one pictured on the right is the paperback cover. I do like them both. I suppose the e-book cover is perhaps more dystopian-esque having the remains of a town on it with the smoke from the devastation still rising into the air. the paperback cover has a female on the front cover. I'd say the female is the main character in the book Olivia Parker, she is standing alone with what looks like devastation all around. I think the e-book cover will appeal to those bigger dystopian fans where as the paperback cover may attract those who perhaps aren't such big dystopian fans or maybe wanting to try something new and different.
I have to say I would pick up either of these covers to learn more about the book. I do truly like both covers.
The book really starts with a marriage ceremony, there's five boys and five girls standing on a stage waiting to be told who the government has paired them up with. The girls all wear white dresses, its the only time they will ever wear white in their lives for their marriage ceremony. They know who the boys are as they have been at school and all come from the same neighbourhood, but they haven't been dating or anything. Olivia stands fourth in line watching three other pairings made hoping she doesn't get paired with the disgustingly smelly Levi. If she does get paired with him she'll just have to make the best of it, as what the government says and decrees is law. Olivia lets out a breath of relief when her match is called as Joshua. They have been childhood friends so at least they know each other a little. they go to their house, given them by the government, with its government issued furniture and food. Everyone has the same, no one is allowed to be different. Relationships are different in Cabal, as you do not have "personal relations" there is a lottery called "the day Of the Chosen" if you are "lucky2 and your number comes up you are allowed to have a child. You are taken away to the clinic to be inseminated. no one has children naturally anymore . . . . . or do they? Olivia's mum say's she needs to speak with Olivia and Joshua after their marriage ceremony, it is something of utmost importance . . . but that secret meeting doesn't happen, first Olivia is arrested, then her mother. Why? Well Hmmm I'll say Olivia is "different" in such a way it makes her a rather valuable commodity.
There's lots going on there's a secret journal written by Olivia's father. There's the fact that Olivia and how she is "different" has become somewhat of a myth to those in other settlements. There's action, drama, conspiracy, mystery, intrigue and a little bit of romance too. I think there's a bit of something for everyone in this book. I'd definitely put it high on my favourite dystopian book list.
Olivia and Joshua escape but seem to go to one situation where they will be used to another. I don't want to say much more to you as you really do need to read this book. I'd say most people will enjoy it. I don't think you need to be a big dystopian fan like me to love this book.
So did I enjoy the book? Loved it! Would I read Bk#2? Definitely as soon as it's available for me to read! Would I recommend the book? Yes I do highly recommend it, like I said I think you don't need to be a big dystopian fan to love this book either! Would I read more by Ruth Silver? I would do yes, I like her style and pace of writing, there's never a dull moment there's always something happening or the scene being set for the next big happening.