"If there is a design that underpins us, Catarina,then it is cold, it is violent, and it is cruel."One of the biggest surprises that I read in 2018 was Emily Suvada's debut novel This Mortal Coil. I've shouted about this book countless times and shoved it in the hands of many of my friends so they too could have their hearts broken experience this amazing book for themselves. My Twitter mentions are full of people screaming at me, and it brings me immense joy like the Slytherin that I am. Suffice to say that I was anxious & terrified to see what is in store next for the characters that I have come to love would be a drastic understatement.
Just when you thought everything was over, the story seems to have only just begun. The plot thickens for our group: this is a solid continuation of the series and the story is plotted intricately well. Reading the overarching storyline of the series is like a play broken down into three acts, and Suvada plotted it very well.
For those of you that have already read This Mortal Coil, you already know what to expect from Suvada's writing. The stakes have been raised and I was on the edge of my seat while reading, devouring every word as I tried to piece together what the heck was going on. I didn't know who to trust and honestly my heart couldn't take it.
I will admit that this book took a bit of time for me to settle into. I first tried to read this one shortly after publication as a This Mortal Squad buddy read, but I fell behind on the first day and waited a couple of months for my expectations to calm tf down. I picked it up again for another group read in January with Sam & Soph because I forced the series on them and now they wanted to read it with me. Huzzah! Same thing kind of happened... we all just kind of didn't prioritize reading it for about a month. But once we did find the time to all sit and read together through the first few chapters we were hooked. Even though this book has a bit slower of a start, it still brings the chapterly (is that a word? it is now) revelations and WTF bombs and the slower pacing at the beginning is worth it.
My favorite part of this installment in the trilogy is the exploration of the relationship between Leoben and Cat. Suvada is masterful with character development, and she does an excellent job in this book to bring more life and mystery to each of the characters. Everyone's shrouded in mystery and secrets. Everyone's past is a bit blurry. And I trust no one. (But I really want a t-shirt with a squid on it.)
At its core, This Cruel Design lies at a crossroads where Cat tries to figure out what makes her her and where the ethical line to genehacking and modifications lie. I love the ethical and moral dilemma of technology and science, so I really appreciated how this kind of takes center stage in the book.
"You are not your face, Catarina. You are not this body, either. I could take either of them from you, theoretically, and you would still exist. You don't have blood in your hair or broken fingernails. You don't have any hair at all. The entirety of you weighs a little over four pounds."Cat is very much torn between who she believes herself to be and the person of her past that she cannot remember, and the plot is centered on that uncertainty. On whether or not the ends ever justify the means.
"If you drive a car, you don't become a car. You're always just the driver. Don't buy into the vehicle of your own flesh."
Overall, while the pacing of This Cruel Design was a bit slower for me to get into this was an amazing read that lived up to the glory of the first book. The stakes have been raised and our characters are all trying to do what they feel is right; right or wrong are both justified here and makes the reader question their loyalties. I absolutely love this series and will continue to shove it at everyone who will listen to me. THIS WILL BE MY LEGACY!