[ 2016 | #39 ] : "FEVER"

Title : FEVER

Copyright © 2012 by Lauren DeStefano

Published by Simon & Schuster BFYR

Cover design by Lizzy Bromley

Photographs copyright © 2012 by Ali Smith

First export edition February 2012 ; paperback ; 342 p ; ISBN 978-1-4424-5170-4

Normal Price : IDR 198

~ WARNING : SPOILER ALERT ~

( specially for those who hasn’t read the first instalment )

Rhine Ellery / Lasby finally escape from Vaughn’s home / prisoner. She did not alone, Gabriel with her for every step. Then like naive people, she takes Gabriel, who never live outside the real world, into the journey into freedom. Well, its a very short one actually, ‘coz then they enter the dark-side of real world.

They both capture and held by force into a scarlet district – a prostitution den of unwanted girls that Gatherers couldn’t sell to House Governors, of who simply had nowhere else to go. Madame Soleski – the owner, is an old woman who really makes Rhine scare of her life and Gabriel’s.

The story turn into ugly scenery, something I even couldn’t imagine. Madame Soleski is demented and crazy, her paranoia believe that both of them actually spies who will take her ‘girls’ – several of capture girls who becoming sex-slave for so long. Then she got brilliant idea, to sold Rhine in highest bidder, since she so special with two different colour-eyes.

But not before force Rhine and Gabriel ‘performing’ in front people who like to watch ... yes, is quite creepy reading this scene. The worse scenario, being wounded so bad, Gabriel got his first taste of ‘angel-blood’ – meant to relieve his pain, but in long term makes him become addicted to that. Rhine trying so hard too help Gabriel, but even she could see that situation becoming worse than ever.

At this point, I actually couldn’t feeling sorry for Rhine. It’s her own fault or I could say how she persistance to be naive, choose something did not consider as clever decision. Even how she pursued Gabriel (who I could not blame, since he never actually live in real world) to be with her in romantic-excape. Seriously Rhine, after all those experience with her brother, ‘till she got capture and sold by Gatherers, still act naive within world?

Then the story goes into strangely (and absurb) scenary, some of them quite ‘disturbing’ like how Rhine willing to participate ‘play-along’ seductive-sex-scene with Gabriel, being object of pleasure to people who really like and enjoying ‘watching’ ... even she could argue that her doing that to find a way, escape from Madame Soleski – who later finally prove rather ‘crazy’ and super paranoia person. If (again) the author attempted giving another ‘twisted’ version life of harem through world of prostitution, is not my kind (favorite) reading #sigh.

But then just before this book ended, the story becoming more interesting. And is not about Rhine nor Gabriel any longer, is about the world outside, start with Vaughn’s secret, his experiment that taking so many life of young girls and young boys, even some of the infant that born without outside knownledge. Rhine that finally escape from Madame Soleski, find herself back into Vaughn’s home, as prisoner or worse – as an object of crazy, brutal, and relentless experiment.

What will be happen when Linden (who acclaimed never knew what his father doing the whole time) facing the fact that Rhine being torture in his father’s care ? Did he willing taking action to save someone he really care, or he just pretend all those happen with ‘girls’ in the house is for a good purpose and for his benefit only ? I hate to tell you, that by the end of the story, I really want to know what happen next – that means I must (find and) read the thirth book. I just hope this book really interesting from the beginning, not only by the end of the story <(-__-)>

Conclusion :

Buku kedua ini merupakan kisah yang ‘campur-aduk’ – terlalu banyak hal yang hendak disampaikan oleh penulis, sayangnya tidak semuanya terjalin dalam satu kesatuan yang memberikan sesuatu yang ‘khusus’ dan menjadi daya tarik tersendiri. Dari awal kisah, jujur diriku berubah menjadi pembaca yang ‘gemes’ dengan perilaku Rhine, walau jelas-jelas digambarkan sebagai ‘korban’ (nyaris sepanjang kisah itu adalah peran yang diberikan oleh penulis), tidak menjadikan diriku simpati pada karakternya.

Dari buku pertama, tema seputar ‘percobaan’ menyangkut lahirnya generasi yang tangguh dan sesuai harapan sang penciptanya (bukan Tuhan yang kumaksud) menjadi daya tarik sajian fantasi sci-fi. Kemudian penulis terjebak pada stereotipe dalam memadu unsur romansa yang justru membuatku memberikan nilai negatif pada beberapa bagian kisah buku kedua ini. Untungnya menjelang akhir, nuansa misteri dan intensitas kembali ‘merangkul’ diriku untuk menikmati perjalanan Rhine, sekaligus membuatku penasaran akan kelanjutannya. Sayangnya, daya tarik ini hanya mendapat porsi seperempat dari keseluruhan kisah – tepat menjelang ending #sigh

Title : FEVER

[ book 2 of The Chemical Garden Trilogy ]

Copyright © 2012 by Lauren DeStefano

Rate : 2.5 of 5

[ more about the author & related works, just check at here : Lauren DeStefano | on Goodreads | on Wikipedia | The Chemical Garden | at Twitter ]

Best Regards,

@HobbyBuku