Vicki
Written on Feb 3, 2017
After modern science turns every human into a genetic time bomb with men dying at age twenty-five and women dying at age twenty, teenaged Rhine finds hope for a brighter future from a surprising source.
- ISBN10 1442409134
- ISBN13 9781442409132
- Publish Date 12 February 2013
- Publish Status Active
- Publisher Simon & Schuster
- Imprint Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
- Format eBook
- Language English
Reviews
Kim Deister
Written on Jan 28, 2014
This book was intense, so much happening and changing for all of them. After the previous books, it is hard to imagine that anything else could happen to Rhine. Or to Gabriel, Linden, and Cecily, for that matter. But, as has always been the case, Rhine's father-in-law Vaughn is always there. He is never that far away and they all live in some level of fear because of him.
There was a lot to surprise in this book, none of which can I delve into too much, for fear of spoilers! Rhine's twin Rowan comes back into the picture and he was become someone I ever expected. We learn a lot more about Linden, who was always somewhat aloof with his ladies. I had a hard time really feeling for him throughout the other books because he was so separated from the reality of the world he lived in, but that changes with this book. Vaughn, too, as much as I love to hate him, shows a side that is far more human and compassionate than ever before. The biggest surprise is Cecily who has finally grown up and come into her own.
And then there was Reed, Vaughn's brother and Linden's uncle. He takes Rhine in, and later Cecily and Linden, too. He is a survivalist and a bit of an eccentric, dismissed by Vaughn as crazy. I think that he was the most sane one of the bunch, becoming the unlikely ally of Rhine. He was a strange duck, but one I loved.
Things to love about Sever...
--The intrigue. There are so many twists and turns in this book, so many times that everything turns upside down.
--The characters. Once again, the characters challenge the reader to put themselves in the situations and decide.
--The story. So powerful, so beautiful.
Things I wanted more of...
--Answers. There were still some questions about the future that are left to our imaginations as the readers. After all they had been through, I wanted to know if there was an HEA.
--Maddie. I wanted to know if she was going to be okay.
--Cecily and Gabriel. I wanted to know how their stories continued
My recommendation: Absolutely stunning read!
nannah
Written on Aug 20, 2013
I LOVED that DeStefano balanced the tragedy of her world with happy moments. Oh, I loved it, especially after the weight of the second installment, which kind of felt like a gigantic cat had just parked itself on my chest and wouldn't budge, no matter how many treats I tempted it with. The relationship between Cecily and Rhine was a bright light in this dystopia--something I really connected with, and I really loved seeing more of here. And on the topic of Cecily, her character was beautifully fleshed out and developed. There was such beauty and attention to detail when it came to characterization (well, this was always one of DeStefano's strong points, but I felt it really shone here), and it made the novel all the more engaging.
There were, however, a couple scenes where I felt cheated. Cheated out of emotional potential, or just scene time in general. like the twins' reunion, Linden's death, and Rhine and Gabriel's reunion at the end. I just . . . feel like they were supposed to feel HUGE but ended up feeling so brief, explained in a couple of paragraphs. Maybe for shock factor, but I just didn't feel the emotional attachment to these scenes--places where I should've wanted to cry and scream but didn't. Don't get me wrong, what she had was well-done, it just didn't feel . . . done enough! Or maybe it was overdone. Like overcooked steak, and I wanted it rawer, more juicy, more REAL. Less dry somehow. This is all, of course, personal opinion.
All in all, a very satisfying conclusion to a very haunting, dark, and lovely trilogy that will stay with me for a long time (in its actual form and as a source of inspiration). DeStefano is a master at crafting beautiful prose, and I can't wait to get these books on my shelves permanently. :)
lizarodz
Written on Apr 23, 2013
Woo, hoo! I made it to the end of the series :) I have to say that Wither was nice, but I really didn’t care for Fever as much (see my review here), since it seemed to be the narrative of one calamity after another. Sever was full of twists and turns and more action that we saw in the first two books. Also, Cecily and Linden are in this one a lot more, which I enjoyed.
The story starts where we last saw Rhine, in the hospital, when she is about to get discharged. Linden takes her to his uncle’s house to stay until she recovers. Reed is the complete opposite of Vaughn and I liked him a lot. Rhine finally finds Rowan, but the encounter is tainted by my last favorite person in the series. Rowan is strong, even if he places his faith in the wrong person.
Oh Linden! It was so hard for him to come to terms with what his father was and to put his wives’ wellbeing before his own blind faith in Vaughn. I admire how DeStafano made Linden, the presumptive villain and girl snatcher, into such an endearing character. I truly believe that Rhine loved him and if circumstance had been different, she could have been happy with him.
Vaughn keeps on being his evil and manipulative self and his reach is very far and wide, although we get to understands his motives in this book, I still hate him. Kudos to Cecily for doing what needed to be done! Gabriel is not in the book until the very end and I’m sad to say that I never really liked him.
The writing continues to be the most redeeming quality of the series. It is lyrical, beautiful, absorbing… listening for these books was almost like someone reading poetry to me. So full of feeling, whatever those were: sadness, despair, pain, fear and even love.
I don’t know how to describe the ending, other than DeStefano tied all the loose end rather nicely. It is, against all odds and the premise of the series, a happy ending.
Some quotes for you:
“We'll squeeze every second that we can from our lives, because we're young, and we have plenty of years to grow. We'll grow until we're braver. We'll grow until our bones ache and our skin wrinkles and our hair goes white, and until our hearts decide, at last, that it's time to stop.”
“Maybe hope isn't the most dangerous thing a person can have. Maybe love is.”
“I don't dare touch her. Loss is a knowledge I'm sorry to have. Perhaps the only thing worse than experiencing it, is watching it replay anew in someone else--all the awful stages picking up like a chorus that has to be sung.”
“It isn’t a perfect place. There are no perfect places. But nobody cares about perfection when there are sand castles to build and kites to chase, children that are being born, old hearts that are giving in.”
About the cover: The covers are all full of items that symbolize part of the story, but I’m sorry, I can’t get pass that awful green color (the color of hope?)