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I received this book for free from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. If you've read my other reviews, you'll know that if it's bad, I'll say so, regardless of how I received the book.
The Similars by Rebecca Hanover Series: The Similars, #1
Published by Sourcebooks Fire on January 1, 2019
ISBN: 149266510X
Genres: Young Adult
Pages: 352
Format: eARC
Source: Net Galley
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When six clones join Emmaline’s prestigious boarding school, she must confront the heartbreak of seeing her dead best friend’s face each day in class.
The Similars are all anyone can talk about at the elite Darkwood Academy. Who are these six clones? What are the odds that all of them would be Darkwood students? Who is the madman who broke the law to create them? Emma couldn't care less. Her best friend, Oliver, died over the summer and all she can think about is how to get through her junior year without him. Then she comes face-to-heartbreaking-face with Levi—Oliver's exact DNA replica and one of the Similars.
Emma wants nothing to do with the Similars, but she keeps getting pulled deeper and deeper into their clique, uncovering dark truths about the clones and her prestigious school along the way. But no one can be trusted…not even the boy she is falling for who has Oliver's face.
I’ve added the official synopsis for The Similars by Rebecca Hanover because I don’t want to describe the novel. I want to discuss it. There are so many delicious concepts that are becoming closer to reality every day. And they are pulled together in an intriguing story with relatable characters. The Similars reminded me of the free self-published amazing stories I binged on via iBooks a few years ago. They were brilliant stories and just that little unusual. I’m glad someone has published one like that.
There are a few ways you can describe The Similars. It’s a YA novel with teens in school with romance and friendships. It’s also science-fiction discovering and encountering clones, science and technology that’s close but not yet invented. And it’s a political commentary of race and caste, even though clones aren’t a race. Finally, there’s the mystery and cover-up of the clones and their connection to the academy. And a generation-old love triangle that makes it look like Severus Snape moved on from Lily.
I love the way these are all woven together with no one stream really dominating. It’s not a romance, but it’s not really political. The science isn’t confusing or even very sciencey.
But I finished The Similars wanting answers. I’m thankful Rebecca is writing another in the series. Without, too many spoilers I want to know what’s up with the headmaster and principal of the Academy. And Oliver!?! Even Emmaline and Levi—will the romance work? Then there’s Tessa’s campaign against the clones. Oh, and I want to trade my Apple Watch for a plum. Does Dash turn evil? Sentient virtual assistants is probably an extra storyline that can’t fit in the series.
I think what I liked most about The Similars is that it’s not that much sci-fi. We’re on the cusp of having the technology. Actually, we have the early generations of it. In a novel we see how it can be good and evil and how different people react. Even the cloning.
I’m late with this review. The Similars was released on Tuesday. Grab it from the library.
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Photo by Vadim Sherbakov on Unsplash
