From birth, the two souls have shared the same breath and heartbeat, occupied the same flesh, inseparably intertwined. The girls are twin souls, hybrid souls - and like everyone else born in the world, they grow together sharing their every thought and feeling with the other.
As the years pass, they also fight for control of their shared body, learning who is stronger and who is weaker. Because in Addie and Eva's world, by the age of 10, a dominant soul is meant to emerge, the recessive soul meant to simply fade away, as though it never existed. Addie and Eva are different, though, and as the years pass, Eva refuses to disappear.
The neighbors talk, the kids at school stare, and the government doctors step in. At the age of 12, after tests and treatments and thorough examination, Addie is declared "normal" and Eva is no more. Except that Eva did not disappear, and still lives and breathes. Addie and Eva, Eva and Addie are Hybrid. After years of ceaseless war between normal, single soul Americans and invading monstrous Hybrids, fear of Hybrids is pervasive and without compare.
This is Addie and Eva's greatest secret, and if they are to be discovered and revealed as a Hybrid, they will be imprisoned, killed, or worse. So one day, when a strange girl at school named Hallie begins to relentlessly seek out Addie, Addie and Eva are terrified that she knows their secret.
But that's when Addie and Eva learn that Hallie is just like them, a secret hybrid - but Hallie's other soul, Lissa, has the control and ability to move and talk on her own. Eva, who has been a passenger for so long, who has only ever been able to talk to Addie in her mind, will do anything to learn how Hallie and Lissa coexist. Even if it means risking their greatest, most guarded secret.
The debut novel from author Kat Zhang, What's Left of Me is a new entry in the sci-fi dystopia YA realm - an overpopulated, largely bland and somewhat homogenous landscape with a few amazing, brightly shining exceptions. Whenever I find a new novel of this particular subgenre, I am wary, but try to be cautiously optimistic - yes, there are many bland Not Dystopias that seem to use a pale, halfbaked totalitarian society as a mere backdrop for contrived insta-romance.
It was with trepidation that I began What's Left of Me ; it was with complete and rapt exhilaration that I finished the book. What's Left of Me is an original, harrowing, and unforgettable novel, and I loved every second of it. The thing that first caught my eye about Zhang's debut novel was the conceit of two different souls born into the same body, living together until one emerges dominant and the other dissolves.
In Eva and Addie's case, though, the two souls remain occupying the same flesh - which seems impossible, doesn't it? How could you live with two completely different entities within, knowing each other's every thought and experience? How could two souls live together and have one fall in love?
The very idea of Hybrids is fascinating, but more importantly, Zhang delivers in the execution of this unique concept brilliantly, through clever writing and the characterization of Eva. What's Left of Me is narrated by Eva, Addie's repressed soul who has clung tooth and nail to life - or whatever small semblance of life she can have as a secret observer to Addie's life, communicating only with Addie.
From the time they were children, both accepted and loved by their family and society in the years before they were due to Settle, Addie was always the dominant one, quicker and stronger than Eva in controlling their body. And, through Eva's perspective, we see just how isolated she is, how cruel her very existence is - Addie gets to walk and talk and live, while Eva is a secret that no one can ever know about.
Not her parents, not her brother, no one. Yet for this, Eva isn't resentful or bitter - but when she is given the chance to move and live like Addie, it makes sense that she desperately clings to that possibility, regardless of the risk involved. At the same time, even though the book is narrated by Eva, we also learn and feel for and understand Addie, too - who must love and resent Eva's existence, keeping her from being "normal" but at the same time her greatest confidant and an inseparable part of her. It's amazing to read the kind of quiet symbiosis the two souls have achieved - at one point, Addie and Eva fight and stop talking to each other, and as a result, Addie forgets where her hairbrush is, or to turn off her alarm because Eva is the observant one that reminds Addie to do these things each day.
Little touches like that add a believable dynamic to the girls' complicated relationship. What's Left of Me also weaves the nature of these conflicted dual souls into the writing of the book - we can see Eva and Addie's relationship change as the pronouns start to shift, from me and mine to us and ours. Addie begins to vocalize the forbidden "us" in reference to herself and Eva; Eva does not feel guilt for her existence and feels tactile things and emotions of her own volition.
This is incredibly, mind-blowingly effective, and I love the careful even-handedness of this narrative development. On the dystopia-meter, What's Left of Me also delivers. The xenophobia that characterizes the novel - the intense fear and hatred of the Other in the form of Hybrids is palpable and exceptionally well done in this book.
Addie and Eva's world is truly a dystopian one, and their society guards terrible secrets - what happens to those children who don't Settle and emerge with one Dominant soul? Why are there Hybrids in the first place? There's so much more, too - there's a Golden Compass sort of horror and reveal at what exactly is being done to children Hybrids taken in by the government. There's the characters of Hallie and Lissa, and her older brother Devon and recessive soul Ryan - who comes to mean something very important to Eva. There are nefarious and conflicted doctors alike, and, most of all, there are other, much larger reveals about the nature of this future America and its place in the rest of the world.
In short, allow me to summarize: What's Left of Me is a dazzling, utterly memorable first novel, and in the running for one of my top ten favorite books of the year. This is the stuff of great science fiction dystopia, YA or adult alike. Absolutely, wholeheartedly, emphatically recommended. View all 4 comments. Feb 21, Rose rated it liked it Shelves: I know what you're thinking: Explain yourself this minute! You said you really liked this book, why are you giving it only 3-stars?!
XD First things first, I have to give it to Kat Zhang; her narrative kept me reading through this book from beginning to end, and I liked the premise of the story.
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For a good while, it kept me engaged in the toggle between Eva and Addie's personalities. The beginning of the novel was VERY good. I also think that, despite the minimal focus on the romance which was a GOOD thing in this book , I still felt like it wasn't quite vetted out as much as I would've liked to see. I do think that this will appeal to quite a bit of people, though. The concept of it, by far, is one of the most intriguing premises I've come across in the past year in YA fiction. The idea of twin souls sharing one body isn't new, but the fact that they have to compete for existence where it means that one of them may potentially be erased is heartbreaking, especially if those souls "complete" each other in a sense.
Addie and Eva, in their initial interactions are shown to be souls that care for each other and never want to pull apart despite sharing one body and Addie being the dominant figure. I found that bond compelling in parts of this novel as I read through it. I also found that the measure this society can recognize this phenomenon fascinating, and that they would take an active stance against erasing multiple souls to be jarring, especially with such a close bond to consider.
But the question my mind tried to figure in this collective book was - why? Why did the society see the hybrids as a threat? Why were they so adamant about ridding of them? If a society is to be believed, there has to be a motivation behind the impending threat. Even if it's just to establish them as an abberation, I would've expected a little more expansion on that than what this book offered.
Heck, even Dan Wells - with his work on "Partials" - showcased the divide between the societies in the world that he created. I did admire, however, the way Zhang creates the narrative in how Addie and Eva worked against their constrictions. Granted, Addie wasn't always happy about Eva trying to exert control, and the two argued contentiously about the push for dominance and working against the norm, but neither one of them wanted the other to face erasure.
That to me was probably the most compelling part of the novel, in addition to some jarring betrayals and chase scenes where those challenging the status quo are taken to be "corrected". I think there are points of the novel that are hit and miss. The very beginning of the novel has fluid progression and exchanges that show the impending threat to the girls. Yet, about midway through the novel - I'll admit there were parts that dragged on a bit more than they should've for the subject matter. The push toward the end is where the novel's momentum picked up speed again, with some creative leaps that I wish had more expansion - like the nature of the operations, the establishment they were in, among other factors.
The worldbuilding in this is very light, so for me it was harder to delve into than I would've otherwise. It left me with many questions as to how certain things came to be and if it were just a bit fuller, I think I would've ranked this higher. There was also the matter of the romance in this book - I'm actually happy it takes a backseat to developing the tensions and connection between Addie and Eva, but I still felt that the element was so light that it lacked enough development to pull me in - it had me at a bit of arms length as I read it.
I felt the characters cared for each other, certainly, but not the pull where that tie was substantiated enough to engross or enthrall me. I think younger teens and those that are looking for a light dystopian novel with interesting elements would likely enjoy "What's Left of Me", because the idea of it is well thought, and this novel has its moments of harrowing conflict.
I think, however, with a little more development, this could've been a fuller experience than what was. Still good, but not to the level that I think some further focus would've brought to the table. I'm certainly invested enough in the book to see what happens to Addie and Eva from here on, and its an interesting start to this series. The reviews trickled in, my reading pile grew, my workload climbed ever higher Finally , I read it.
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And it surpassed any expectations I ever had. In Eva and Addie's world, each person born into the world is actually two people, where one body is home to two souls. Of those two souls, one is dominant and one r 4. Of those two souls, one is dominant and one recessive, and it is the latter that is supposed to eventually fade in childhood. In this case, Eva is the recessive soul - but she didn't fade.
Tests were run, theories were made, until finally Addie was pronounced healthy. All this time, Addie has had to pretend that she's normal like any other person, because hybrids are the biggest thing that people have been taught to fear.
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This goes on until Eva and Addie discover that there may be a cure, a way for Eva to have her own control. But this propels them into circumstances that they've been trying to avoid all their lives, and now the matter of survival is greater than it ever was before. What's Left of Me swallowed me whole right from the start. Zhang brings to us an original and intriguing concept, and with an excellect idea came excellent execution. The idea of two souls in one body is a frightening one. In the first instance, I can't even begin to imagine what it would be like to have another soul inside of me.
My own head is chaotic enough without someone else adding their own contributions, and I know I wouldn't be able to stand anyone's voice in my head for any amount of time, let alone my whole life. Even more than that, imagine having no control? As a recessive soul, there'd be no way for you have your voice heard, for you to move where you want, do what you want. I think that kind of life would honestly drive me insane.
And for the disappearance of this soul, the effective death, to be an accepted thing? Zhang managed to underline perfectly everything that comes along with this concept of two souls, exploring it to its full potential. Her writing is beautiful and captured everything, from emotions, to voices, to personalities. The relationship between Addie and Eva is a fabulous example of this.
Eva's frustration, and her desire to be acknowledged, accepted, loved, came across so clearly. There were times I disliked Addie for her selfishness, willing her to at least understand that Eva had a right to life just as much of her. But at the same time, it was obvious that she did understand. Despite their occasional disagreements, it's clear that they love each other and that neither can really do without the other.
Both have their own distinctive voice, and I was very admiring of the fact that the author never confused her pronouns, separating Addie's actions and experiences from Eva's. I imagine it must have been hard to try and keep up with it, yet there were no mistakes. In fact, every secondary character was fleshed out; every soul met has their own personality.
Even the romance worked. There was little of it, but what there was was laced expertly in the plot and proved to be very enjoyable. The plot itself was brilliant. It started off slow and then gradually picked up, but the pacing was always exactly right.
But I can't begin to tell you how emotional I became reading this. The revelations, twists and turns that made up the plot left me feeling angry, horrorstruck, full of sorrow. I couldn't believe the lies that people were believing. The ordeal that hybrids were put through. The fact that they were on their own.
I sort of liked Eva and Addie's parents, I felt sorry for them, but there came a point where I was so disappointed in them, even though I had seen it coming. Eva and Addie in comparison had so much strength. Kat Zhang has truly created something amazing and heart-wrenching here, for me at least. What's Left of Me has proven itself to be a tremendous story of hope, pain, courage. It's a story that has more than lived up to its potential, and I for one can't wait to see what happens next in this journey with Addie and Eva. This review is also posted on my blog.
View all 15 comments. Feb 21, Jennifer rated it really liked it. Addie and Eva are two souls in one body. They were supposed to settle around 4 years old, 10 years at the very latest. Settle on which soul will stay and which soul will fade away. Settle on which soul is dominant and will get to live.
Eva didn't want to give up on life. She fought as hard as she could. But by 12 years old Addie had to settle and hide Eva's existence or risk being sent away to doctors and experiments and possible death. Eva shouldn't be there and no one can know. Eva continues t Addie and Eva are two souls in one body. Eva continues to watch but she can no longer take control. The two people in one mind idea kind of reminded me of The Host by Stephanie Meyer. One girl has full control while the other is just observing with no control to speak or move. Sounds like a horrible life!
The book is told in the POV of the non-dominant soul Eva. Eva helps remind Addie and they keep each other company. They want to teach Eva how to take control again but it is not so easy and not so easily hidden. The book was easy to follow considering the two people in one mind aspect. Eva always talks about everything as "ours" which takes a little getting used to.
The idea of two people in one head had my mind reeling. I kept thinking what if Eva falls for Ryan, which is what I kind of felt happening, then does Addie have to fall for Devon? What if they both don't fall for the two guys in one body? What do they do during sexy times? LOL When one girl is in control and the other is just observing?!
A lot of the questions I had, sadly were not brought up until the very end. The book had little romance and was a bit slow during the middle but the whole idea was so intriguing that I was still glued to the pages. It was just so sad to imagine having to lose a part of yourself. Think of growing up with another person and then having to let them fade away. The government claimed two souls fighting in one body causes chaos and war in other places around the world. I would assume if two souls was the way we were born that we would figure a way to make it work.
I think we will get more into that knowledge in the next book. Can't wait to see what happens next with the hybrids! I tried -It's okay- I said, because what else was I supposed to say? She was the other half to me. She was more important than anyone. That had been my private fear. I didn't know what to say. As they talk to each other in the book it is in But goodreads is trying to italicize that so I'm using - Feb 22, Ari rated it really liked it Shelves: It needs to to have an interesting plot that makes you turn page after page, it needs a pack of great characters to make you wish to know more about them, it needs an intrigue to keep you up all night reading and it needs a great ending that might THE GOOD The concept: It needs to to have an interesting plot that makes you turn page after page, it needs a pack of great characters to make you wish to know more about them, it needs an intrigue to keep you up all night reading and it needs a great ending that might make you want to read the next book because yeah, this is a series.
But what I liked the most was the emotional writing. I loved how close Abbie and Eva were. You could always tell them apart because deep inside they were as different as twins can be, as siblings can be, as people can be. I loved how I could relate with both of them, how I wished for them to find a way to be happy sharing the same body, I loved how both made an impression on me — they were like 2 different sides of the same coin.
I understood Addie, yes she was a bit selfish at times, but all she wanted was a normal life. Oh, it is so beautiful. I should have started with it as it grabbed my attention from the first moment I saw it, and it has so much to do with the storyline. As emotional as the first half was for me, the second one left me in a state of indifference. Even the love story seemed forced, it happened too quick and without much background. Add to this the fact that we have 2 souls in both bodies and it will make for a quite awkward situation.
Still, I did enjoy this book and I might even get to read the next one when it comes out. Feb 22, Beckie rated it it was amazing Recommends it for: Review can also be found on my blog: I was given a copy of the book back in June and was so happy once I got it in the mail. The cover is gorgeous and plays so well with the concept behind the story.
Right from the start when I heard about What's Left of Me on goodreads I knew I wanted to have a arc to read for a review on my blog. I was so intrigued by the plot and characters within. Addie and Eve's story presented itself to be most fascinating to me. I love the idea of one body sharing tw Review can also be found on my blog: I love the idea of one body sharing two souls.
The concept is so very unique and refreshing. Author Kat Zhang has truly blown me away with her impressive writing technique and ability to make the story come to life on paper. This debut novel has topped by Top Ten list of favorite books. Two Soul's sharing one body Addie and Eva live in a world where humans are born with two soul's in one body.
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One is dominate and the other submissive. The submissive soul is supposed to fade away leaving the dominate one alone. Eva has always known that she is the lesser of the two but chooses not to leave her sister even though she should. This choice to live their lives together but never telling anyone else for this would be dangerous and go against all that is right. The choices they soon will come to make have both Addie and Eva now fighting for there lives. Both of the girls now must bond together tighter than ever before in a fight to remain whole. This book just totally rocked my socks off.
I could not get enough! The world building in the book is so very flawless and rich with detail. Both Addie and Eva's characters are so genuine, and full of one life. Even though they share one body both girls have totally different character traits and identities. I loved Eva most because she always knew what she wanted and what she believed it even thought it was hard to. I found Addie to be much more of a worrier and questioning things she feared. Thus giving the story such a unique balance of adventure and charm.
I love every page, every word!
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I can't wait to get my hands out the next installment to what will happen next! This book is too good not to be given the chance. Sep 12, D. Check out this review and others at www. The first book in the Hybrid Chronicles series tells the story of Eva and Addie, two souls that share one body. This book takes The Host to the next level but without an obvious solution. I felt bad for the parents, who wanted the best for their children but had to make a terrible decision. Just imagine the number of suicides and accidents if you had two people fighting for control of a body!
Zhang did a good job identifying the important characters so their personalities went beyond the physical and the hybrids were different enough that they felt like two people even if they inhabited the same body. Although Eva would always say who it was, the reader really got the impression there were different people when you heard about Ryan, Devon, Hally and Lissa. Addie was a little more indistinct — you just had an impression of unhappiness and conflict — so I really hope to learn more about her in the next book.
The most important lesson of this story is that it reminds the reader to question the status quo. My husband is a college professor and he despairs at how much his students just accept whatever they are told without questioning. Dec 12, Giselle rated it it was ok Shelves: An unsolicited Advanced Reader Copy was provided by the publisher for review.
Quotes have been pulled from an ARC and may be subject to change. Two souls inside one body. One soul is recessive and the other is dominant. Not being able to control their shared body takes a toll on Eva, and so does their sisterly relationship. It was definitely scary to think of what c An unsolicited Advanced Reader Copy was provided by the publisher for review.
It was definitely scary to think of what could happen to the girls if they were found out. Eventually I did keep reading to find out if anything did happen. And yes something interesting finally did in the end. I had such high hopes for this one. I thought it sounded amazeballs. I thought it was going to be compelling, but sadly I was mistaken.
- What's Left of Me (The Hybrid Chronicles, #1) by Kat Zhang!
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There was so much promise. I wanted the book to go the extra mile, to make it great, but it just fell flat. Apr 08, Krystle rated it really liked it. The things this novel has going for it is the stellar concept, quality of prose, and well-crafted characters. This is not a bait and switch book. Kat Zhang definitely has talent. Some of her descriptions can be quite beautiful, stinging you with its clarity and subtle persuasion. She writes introspective moments very well. My favorite part though was the characters. Then you have Addie who is conflicted and fearful but at heart loves her sister and wants to do the best for her even if danger is pressing upon them.
Why are they such a danger to society and pose such a threat to the government? Where have all the foreigners gone? Who are these foreigners? What sort of races are these people? Why did the government decide to reform new countries and what caused this? How did these hybrids originally come about anyway?
Except for the slight dip in romance at the end no, there is no love triangle, praise the gods! Anyway, I'll always support Asian-American authors and will try to give them at least a read. May 18, Isamlq rated it really liked it. I got it, and I was hooked with each page. The Capitol extracts wealth from the districts, keeps them under surveillance, and holds an annual tournament in which two young "tributes," a boy and a girl, chosen by lottery from each district, fight a battle to the death on national TV.
The tournament, called the Hunger Games, takes place If you would like to authenticate using a different subscribed institution that supports Shibboleth authentication or have your own login and password to Project MUSE, click 'Authenticate'. View freely available titles: Book titles OR Journal titles. Project MUSE promotes the creation and dissemination of essential humanities and social science resources through collaboration with libraries, publishers, and scholars worldwide. Forged from a partnership between a university press and a library, Project MUSE is a trusted part of the academic and scholarly community it serves.
Built on the Johns Hopkins University Campus. This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. The novel opens 15 years later, chronicling American life under totalitarian rule. Dick includes fantastical elements, of course, including a novel within the novel that describes an alternate universe in which the Allies won the war. The genius of High Castle is that the golden alternate universe, so similar to our own, is no utopia.
The Allied powers conquer, racism still reigns and life is better for some and worse for others. The result is a sobering reminder that everything comes with a cost, even in a more alluring timeline. Gabrielle Zevin is masterful at taking mundane thought experiments—What if a teen who had it all got amnesia? What if death meant living your years backwards until you returned to the world as a baby? It demonstrates how devastating even the most mundane changes to a culture can be. And in telling the story from the perspective of a retired woman regaling readers with her teen exploits, it demonstrates how all things ebb and flow, even misguided totalitarian policies.
You just have to push back when the tide comes in. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? The plot behind Philip K. Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace North America has consolidated under one privatized government, comprised of a web of companies with their own acronym: Meanwhile, a herd of monster hamsters roams the massive irradiated chunk of what used to be the northeastern U.
The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell The compelling thread in this book is the structural implication that the dystopic future has already been set in motion by the events of the present—and the past. Multi-POV narratives can be challenging to sustain, even when all the characters are in the same story; accomplishing that with six separate, barely-connected narratives is almost a magic trick. Nobel Prize-winner Kazuo Ishiguro plays a litany of tricks on his readers with Never Let Me Go , most notably sneaking a dystopian science-fiction premise into this literary meditation on mortality.
Never Let Me Go is a melancholy coming-of-age story with a cast fated since birth to never see an advanced age, and its dystopia is one all-too-familiar: The Giver by Lois Lowry Chances are, you first read The Giver in school. Set in what appears to be a utopia, the novel introduces a young boy named Jonas who lives in a pain-free society. The world runs on conformity and contentment—at the price of emotion. So when Jonas is selected to be the next Receiver of Memory and is introduced to past secrets, he finds himself questioning the world around him. The Giver asks big questions about what people are willing to sacrifice in order to feel safe: Would you give up all feeling for a life without crime or sickness?
And what is the value of your individuality? Neuromancer by William Gibson Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut Pilgrim may be unstuck in time, but the governments in Slaughterhouse-Five are the ones caught in a cycle of reliving the past yet learning nothing from their mistakes. The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton Set in a world ravaged of natural beauty—all humans are cursed to live with wrinkled gray skin, scraggly hair and red eyes unless they can pay a talent-wielding Belle to have their situation changed— The Belles unveils a dystopia that is more enticing, more feminine and more brutally brittle than any that have come before.