zarahoffman
Written on Sep 2, 2013
Elysia is created in a laboratory, born as a sixteen-year-old girl, an empty vessel with no life experience to draw from. She is a Beta, an experimental model of a teenage clone. She was replicated from another teenage girl, who had to die in order for Elysia to exist.
Elysia's purpose is to serve the inhabitants of Demesne, an island paradise for the wealthiest people on earth. Everything about Demesne is bioengineered for perfection. Even the air induces a strange, euphoric high, which only the island's workers-soulless clones like Elysia-are immune to.At first, Elysia's life is idyllic and pampered....
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Elysia is created in a laboratory, born as a sixteen-year-old girl, an empty vessel with no life experience to draw from. She is a Beta, an experimental model of a teenage clone. She was replicated from another teenage girl, who had to die in order for Elysia to exist.
Elysia's purpose is to serve the inhabitants of Demesne, an island paradise for the wealthiest people on earth. Everything about Demesne is bioengineered for perfection. Even the air induces a strange, euphoric high, which only the island's workers-soulless clones like Elysia-are immune to.
At first, Elysia's life is idyllic and pampered. But she soon sees that Demesne's human residents, who should want for nothing, yearn. But for what, exactly? She also comes to realize that beneath the island's flawless exterior, there is an undercurrent of discontent among Demesne's worker clones. She knows she is soulless and cannot feel and should not care-so why are overpowering sensations clouding Elysia's mind?
If anyone discovers that Elysia isn't the unfeeling clone she must pretend to be, she will suffer a fate too terrible to imagine. When her one chance at happiness is ripped away with breathtaking cruelty, emotions she's always had but never understood are unleashed. As rage, terror, and desire threaten to overwhelm her, Elysia must find the will to survive.
- ISBN10 1423157192
- ISBN13 9781423157199
- Publish Date 16 October 2012
- Publish Status Out of Stock
- Publish Country US
- Imprint Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 336
- Language English
Reviews
Briana @ Pages Unbound
Written on Aug 7, 2013
Beta joins the growing line-up of young adult novels exploring the possibilities of genetic engineering and what it means to be human. This novel sets itself apart, however, by featuring a protagonist, a clone, who actually sounds inhuman. When Elysia is first created (or, as she would say, when she emerges), she is a model specimen: beautiful, pleasant, and eager to serve. She has no true feelings, but can use her programming to assess the emotional response her humans owners would wish her to have in any given situation; then she emulates it. As a result, Elysia sounds a little flat and naïve as the book opens. Mostly, she observes what her human owners do, then describes her process in determining what she should do. She also spends a lot of time asking “What is ____?” because apparently, even with all the advancements in clone technology, no one has thought to program colloquial words or idioms into clones’ chips. Sure, Elysia comes across as a bit bland to the reader, but she is supposed to; she is a machine.
Of course, the point of the plot is Elysia’s development of human-like emotions and thought-processes, and her voice changes appropriately as the novel progresses. She becomes more rounded, but I hesitate to say she becomes more likeable. Elysia would probably describe her new self as confident and rebellious, fighting against the injustice of clone servitude. Personally, I found her unpleasant and bordering on violent. Maybe it is due to all the teenage hormones all the characters are always talking about. Or perhaps it is her clone wiring acting up. At this point in the series, there is no way to tell. In future books, I hope Elysia finds ways to control her anger, or I will have difficulty accepting her as a leader and symbol of a righteous rebellion.
Elysia’s newfound emotions also lead her into a love affair. Unfortunately, she experiences instalove and appears drawn to her man based on a combination of lust and a feeling that they ought to be together because they are in integral ways alike. (She does throw in a line about how he has a number of great qualities, like kindness and honesty, which is true but does not seem to play a pivotal role in their relationship.) Later, a love triangle (square?) pops up, and the attraction there is similarly based on something other than true love or respect.
Despite the evident flaws of the book, I was pretty much on board with it until the climax. It has an original concept, an inhuman character that actually sounds inhuman (I am still impressed by this), and a luxurious setting that is part tropical paradise and part futuristic dream. All of this is undeniably cool. However, at the climax, things go seriously wonky. A sizable number of the main characters become psychotic with a smidgen of motivation/foreshadowing but not nearly enough to justify their actions. In a few pages, nearly the last pages, the pace goes from moderate to breakneck as things just go down. This is not exciting; it makes the book feel unbalanced. At just the place the book is supposed to be winding down, new characters, plots, and romances are revealed one after another. There is no time to explore them; they are obviously just set-up for book two, but it is all so overwhelming and seems very last-minute. The last fifty pages led me to stop debating between three or four stars on Goodreads and start debating between two and three.
Beta is sci-fi light with a contemporary feel that will appeal to fans of Eve and Adam and What’s Left of Me. It has a unique concept which is moderately well but not excellently executed. I recommend it to readers already invested in the science fiction genre or the cloning concept.
Content Note: This book features frequent drug use, nudity, rape, and pregnancy. In some cases, they are meant to serve as plot points, but they are not well-handled (i.e. they are not really discussed). They are passing moments that simply lead to other moments in the plot.
Of course, the point of the plot is Elysia’s development of human-like emotions and thought-processes, and her voice changes appropriately as the novel progresses. She becomes more rounded, but I hesitate to say she becomes more likeable. Elysia would probably describe her new self as confident and rebellious, fighting against the injustice of clone servitude. Personally, I found her unpleasant and bordering on violent. Maybe it is due to all the teenage hormones all the characters are always talking about. Or perhaps it is her clone wiring acting up. At this point in the series, there is no way to tell. In future books, I hope Elysia finds ways to control her anger, or I will have difficulty accepting her as a leader and symbol of a righteous rebellion.
Elysia’s newfound emotions also lead her into a love affair. Unfortunately, she experiences instalove and appears drawn to her man based on a combination of lust and a feeling that they ought to be together because they are in integral ways alike. (She does throw in a line about how he has a number of great qualities, like kindness and honesty, which is true but does not seem to play a pivotal role in their relationship.) Later, a love triangle (square?) pops up, and the attraction there is similarly based on something other than true love or respect.
Despite the evident flaws of the book, I was pretty much on board with it until the climax. It has an original concept, an inhuman character that actually sounds inhuman (I am still impressed by this), and a luxurious setting that is part tropical paradise and part futuristic dream. All of this is undeniably cool. However, at the climax, things go seriously wonky. A sizable number of the main characters become psychotic with a smidgen of motivation/foreshadowing but not nearly enough to justify their actions. In a few pages, nearly the last pages, the pace goes from moderate to breakneck as things just go down. This is not exciting; it makes the book feel unbalanced. At just the place the book is supposed to be winding down, new characters, plots, and romances are revealed one after another. There is no time to explore them; they are obviously just set-up for book two, but it is all so overwhelming and seems very last-minute. The last fifty pages led me to stop debating between three or four stars on Goodreads and start debating between two and three.
Beta is sci-fi light with a contemporary feel that will appeal to fans of Eve and Adam and What’s Left of Me. It has a unique concept which is moderately well but not excellently executed. I recommend it to readers already invested in the science fiction genre or the cloning concept.
Content Note: This book features frequent drug use, nudity, rape, and pregnancy. In some cases, they are meant to serve as plot points, but they are not well-handled (i.e. they are not really discussed). They are passing moments that simply lead to other moments in the plot.
Kelly
Written on Nov 8, 2012
I really enjoyed 'Beta'. It was a darker read than most young adult novels, considering the mature themes involved. It contains violence, sex, a rape scene (although there is no specific description), and drug usage. It IS part of the story to describe the elitists of the island, rather than just a controversial talking point. Well written. I simply couldn't put it down.
Ashley
Written on Oct 30, 2012
Beta was so much darker than I anticipated! If you're looking for a light, interesting read about clones, look somewhere else. Beta has suicide, heartbreak, murder, drugs, rape, and slavery!...Read more
booknook — Young Adult book reviews
Beta was so much darker than I anticipated! If you're looking for a light, interesting read about clones, look somewhere else. Beta has suicide, heartbreak, murder, drugs, rape, and slavery! WOW! Totally not what I expected, but I ended up loving it.
This book is incredibly hard to review because all the juicy bits that I want to talk about (whether to criticize or praise) happen at the end! The beginning is very interesting and does a fabulous job of setting up the world, but not much actually happens. For some people that may be a problem, but I enjoyed it immensely. But even so, it's very hard to actually describe. We learn a lot about daily life and behaviour on this perfect island. Elysia slowly adapts to her new life and takes in her surroundings. Beta really made me think about the possibility of clones and what purpose they would serve in society.
Eventually, a love interest emerged. I honestly wasn't a huge fan of it. I didn't particularly like the guy and the romance in general seemed very rushed. On the one hand, the romance didn't seem like it was meant to be a big part of the story, which would make the rushed romance a little more okay. But on the other hand, the romance caused Elysia to really change her outlook on life as a Beta, which suggests to me that the romance is actually very important! There were a lot of promises there were unresolved so surely it will play a huge role in the future books.
(show spoiler)[I also didn't understand why Elysia suddenly becomes obsessed with 'raxia. At first I understood it because Tahir was only "alive" when he was on it, but after the second time I thought he had awaken permanently. So why did she continue to desire it? "I must get that combination, and supply myself and my love [with 'raxia]."]
The end of the book is all kinds of intense. We get a huge onslaught of twists, turns, and new information... and even a love..square? I did like the new love interest quite a bit, but I didn't like Elysia's attitude towards it:
She was basically saying, "He's not the guy I'm in love with, but as long as he's here, available, and lusting over me, I might as well use him." Not cool, Elysia!
There was one event towards the end that really came out of nowhere. (show spoiler)[Throughout the entire book, Ivan was a bit of a druggie, but he was really nice, funny, and engaging. Suddenly at the end he became a violent rapist? I guess it could have been the 'raxia, but it still seemed so out of place.] On the one hand, it was really intense and kind of exciting.. but on the other hand, it seemed very rushed and random. There was no build up and no hinting—it just suddenly appears.
The ending... holy crap the ending. It was so.. conflicting. It was an ABSOLUTELY INSANE cliffhanger!! ..but it made absolutely no sense. I'm sure everything will be explained in the next book, but I'm not crazy about the cliffhanger because right now, considering everything that happened in the book, I can't imagine how it's even possible. Rather than being left with intense anticipation for the next book, I was just left with confusion. Of course I'm dying to see how Rachel Cohn manages to explain this, but I'm also frustrated by the fact that it's literally not making any sense to me right now!
Except for the very strange love interest, I enjoyed the first three quarters of this book immensely. The world was fascinating and so exciting to read about! It was dark, gritty, sad, and disturbing, but that's what made it an enjoyable read for me. If you don't like darker, intense books then you may not enjoy it as much! It wasn't until the last part of the book that I started to have some doubts.. But issues aside, I really enjoyed Beta and I will certainly be continuing with the series!
Beta was so much darker than I anticipated! If you're looking for a light, interesting read about clones, look somewhere else. Beta has suicide, heartbreak, murder, drugs, rape, and slavery! WOW! Totally not what I expected, but I ended up loving it.
This book is incredibly hard to review because all the juicy bits that I want to talk about (whether to criticize or praise) happen at the end! The beginning is very interesting and does a fabulous job of setting up the world, but not much actually happens. For some people that may be a problem, but I enjoyed it immensely. But even so, it's very hard to actually describe. We learn a lot about daily life and behaviour on this perfect island. Elysia slowly adapts to her new life and takes in her surroundings. Beta really made me think about the possibility of clones and what purpose they would serve in society.
Eventually, a love interest emerged. I honestly wasn't a huge fan of it. I didn't particularly like the guy and the romance in general seemed very rushed. On the one hand, the romance didn't seem like it was meant to be a big part of the story, which would make the rushed romance a little more okay. But on the other hand, the romance caused Elysia to really change her outlook on life as a Beta, which suggests to me that the romance is actually very important! There were a lot of promises there were unresolved so surely it will play a huge role in the future books.
(show spoiler)[I also didn't understand why Elysia suddenly becomes obsessed with 'raxia. At first I understood it because Tahir was only "alive" when he was on it, but after the second time I thought he had awaken permanently. So why did she continue to desire it? "I must get that combination, and supply myself and my love [with 'raxia]."]
The end of the book is all kinds of intense. We get a huge onslaught of twists, turns, and new information... and even a love..square? I did like the new love interest quite a bit, but I didn't like Elysia's attitude towards it:
"He is not my love. But he is an excellent solution."
She was basically saying, "He's not the guy I'm in love with, but as long as he's here, available, and lusting over me, I might as well use him." Not cool, Elysia!
There was one event towards the end that really came out of nowhere. (show spoiler)[Throughout the entire book, Ivan was a bit of a druggie, but he was really nice, funny, and engaging. Suddenly at the end he became a violent rapist? I guess it could have been the 'raxia, but it still seemed so out of place.] On the one hand, it was really intense and kind of exciting.. but on the other hand, it seemed very rushed and random. There was no build up and no hinting—it just suddenly appears.
The ending... holy crap the ending. It was so.. conflicting. It was an ABSOLUTELY INSANE cliffhanger!! ..but it made absolutely no sense. I'm sure everything will be explained in the next book, but I'm not crazy about the cliffhanger because right now, considering everything that happened in the book, I can't imagine how it's even possible. Rather than being left with intense anticipation for the next book, I was just left with confusion. Of course I'm dying to see how Rachel Cohn manages to explain this, but I'm also frustrated by the fact that it's literally not making any sense to me right now!
Except for the very strange love interest, I enjoyed the first three quarters of this book immensely. The world was fascinating and so exciting to read about! It was dark, gritty, sad, and disturbing, but that's what made it an enjoyable read for me. If you don't like darker, intense books then you may not enjoy it as much! It wasn't until the last part of the book that I started to have some doubts.. But issues aside, I really enjoyed Beta and I will certainly be continuing with the series!
Suz @ Bookish Revelations
Written on Sep 11, 2012
Beta is an incredibly intriguining book, that will grab reader's attention immediately and hold it until the last page has been flipped. It is one of the most interesting and original sci-fi dystopian based books that I've read in a while. Rachel Cohn pens such an incredibly edgey story full of many questions, mysteries, and wonderfully developed characters. There are shocking secrets to be discovered, surprises in store, and so much more that will wow readers and keep them on the edge of their seats. There is wonderful adventure and romance, danger and mystery involved in this delicious story that make it un-put-downable.
There are some truly brilliant unexepcted elements that are explored in this novel. The fact that the story being told is mostly original, is pretty spectacular in itself. Reader's won't see what's coming or what to expect, as they're reading the book, which will make for an even more interesting journey and reading experience. Elysia is a truly fantastic heroine that is incredibly likable and easy to connect with. She's the first of her kind, in a teenage clone line. So, it's only natural that she would have questions of her own and want to figure out the answers to them. One of the best things about her, is her journey to becoming more human and the fact that she's brave enough to be willing to die for her beliefs. This makes her a strong character, that can be admired.
Beta is full of surprises that readers will find themselves enamored with. While the romance is sweet and charming, I did personally find it to be a bit of insta-love, which isn't one of my favorite elements in a book. There was also an instance where it felt like I switched from reading Beta to a moment where I felt like I was experiencing Twilight all over again, with the "imprinting" that was introduced. I wished Cohn would have been a bit more creative as far as that goes. I also wish that there would have been a little bit more background and knowledge explored on the Water Wars, than there was.
Over-all, Beta was incredibly tense drama, adventure filled book that will definitely appeal to most sci-fi and dystopian fans. It's a wonderfully engaging and captivating novel, despite a few flaws. I would definitely recommend this book to those who enjoy dystopia and science fiction novels.
There are some truly brilliant unexepcted elements that are explored in this novel. The fact that the story being told is mostly original, is pretty spectacular in itself. Reader's won't see what's coming or what to expect, as they're reading the book, which will make for an even more interesting journey and reading experience. Elysia is a truly fantastic heroine that is incredibly likable and easy to connect with. She's the first of her kind, in a teenage clone line. So, it's only natural that she would have questions of her own and want to figure out the answers to them. One of the best things about her, is her journey to becoming more human and the fact that she's brave enough to be willing to die for her beliefs. This makes her a strong character, that can be admired.
Beta is full of surprises that readers will find themselves enamored with. While the romance is sweet and charming, I did personally find it to be a bit of insta-love, which isn't one of my favorite elements in a book. There was also an instance where it felt like I switched from reading Beta to a moment where I felt like I was experiencing Twilight all over again, with the "imprinting" that was introduced. I wished Cohn would have been a bit more creative as far as that goes. I also wish that there would have been a little bit more background and knowledge explored on the Water Wars, than there was.
Over-all, Beta was incredibly tense drama, adventure filled book that will definitely appeal to most sci-fi and dystopian fans. It's a wonderfully engaging and captivating novel, despite a few flaws. I would definitely recommend this book to those who enjoy dystopia and science fiction novels.
rakesandrogues
Written on Jun 14, 2012
When I hear Rachel Cohn, I think of angsty but funny contemporary novels – and, of course, collaborations with David Levithan. So, it is not all surprising that I would be skeptical at the news that...Read more
Originally published at: http://muggle-born.net/beta-by-rachel-cohn-book-review/
When I hear Rachel Cohn, I think of angsty but funny contemporary novels – and, of course, collaborations with David Levithan. So, it is not all surprising that I would be skeptical at the news that she was coming out with a science fiction novel. But Cohn proves to everyone that she is a capable writer of writing outside of the genre she is known for. BETA by Rachel Cohn is a compelling read that is a great addition to the science fiction young adult genre.
Elysia’s character was quite charming. Emerged at sixteen, Elysia still has quite to learn even if she has a programmed chip that gives her the basic information that she needs to survive in Demesne. Unused to slang and sarcasm, some of Elysia’s early interactions with the other humans are quite funny. Her character’s naivete could easily have come across as annoying, but because Cohn is such a skillful writer, Elysia is an endearing and funny character.
I love the concept of cloning that makes up the world of Demesne. In Demesne, clones were created from recently deceased bodies to use as servants on this luxury island. Clones are thought to have no soul and their sole purpose is to serve. I love the little details that Cohn has incorporated into the story from the fleur de lis tattoos that mark each clone to the different cloning terminology that they all use. These details in BETA by Rachel Cohn really make the world-building as a whole rich and captivating.
Okay, I wasn’t the biggest fan of the romance in BETA. Is it really necessary? I hate that love and romance became the catalyst that made Elysia realize what she is capable of. I feel like she could have learned this on her own. Furthermore, Cohn makes it quite obvious that there will be a love triangle in this series from very early in the novel. Love triangles are usually a no-no for me, but because the novel isn’t centric around the romance, I let it slide this time. I hope that in the future books, the romance does not trump the real issues at hand: clones’ rights.
Predictable? Quite obviously so. Unfortunately, some of the major shockers of BETA were so obvious from the beginning. However, it is so easy for readers to overlook this factor because the journey getting there is just so much more fun. With that said, BETA does end in an unbelievable cliff-hanger that was quite the jaw-dropper. That was one thing I never would have seen coming. I was so flabbergasted with shock that I can’t even get mad at Rachel Cohn for leaving me with a ton of questions unanswered. This is how you write a cliffhanger. The ending makes you crave for the second book as soon as possible.
BETA is a memorable book that jump starts a new series. You will not forget this book, and you will want to read its sequel almost immediately. Rachel Cohn proves with BETA that she can write more than contemporary fiction.
When I hear Rachel Cohn, I think of angsty but funny contemporary novels – and, of course, collaborations with David Levithan. So, it is not all surprising that I would be skeptical at the news that she was coming out with a science fiction novel. But Cohn proves to everyone that she is a capable writer of writing outside of the genre she is known for. BETA by Rachel Cohn is a compelling read that is a great addition to the science fiction young adult genre.
Elysia’s character was quite charming. Emerged at sixteen, Elysia still has quite to learn even if she has a programmed chip that gives her the basic information that she needs to survive in Demesne. Unused to slang and sarcasm, some of Elysia’s early interactions with the other humans are quite funny. Her character’s naivete could easily have come across as annoying, but because Cohn is such a skillful writer, Elysia is an endearing and funny character.
I love the concept of cloning that makes up the world of Demesne. In Demesne, clones were created from recently deceased bodies to use as servants on this luxury island. Clones are thought to have no soul and their sole purpose is to serve. I love the little details that Cohn has incorporated into the story from the fleur de lis tattoos that mark each clone to the different cloning terminology that they all use. These details in BETA by Rachel Cohn really make the world-building as a whole rich and captivating.
Okay, I wasn’t the biggest fan of the romance in BETA. Is it really necessary? I hate that love and romance became the catalyst that made Elysia realize what she is capable of. I feel like she could have learned this on her own. Furthermore, Cohn makes it quite obvious that there will be a love triangle in this series from very early in the novel. Love triangles are usually a no-no for me, but because the novel isn’t centric around the romance, I let it slide this time. I hope that in the future books, the romance does not trump the real issues at hand: clones’ rights.
Predictable? Quite obviously so. Unfortunately, some of the major shockers of BETA were so obvious from the beginning. However, it is so easy for readers to overlook this factor because the journey getting there is just so much more fun. With that said, BETA does end in an unbelievable cliff-hanger that was quite the jaw-dropper. That was one thing I never would have seen coming. I was so flabbergasted with shock that I can’t even get mad at Rachel Cohn for leaving me with a ton of questions unanswered. This is how you write a cliffhanger. The ending makes you crave for the second book as soon as possible.
BETA is a memorable book that jump starts a new series. You will not forget this book, and you will want to read its sequel almost immediately. Rachel Cohn proves with BETA that she can write more than contemporary fiction.