BOOK REVIEW: EVE by ANNA CAREY

Title:  EVE
Author:  ANNA CAREY
Publisher: HarperTeen/Harper Collins
Page/Format:  ebook ARC 336pages
Acquired: From HarperTeen via NetGalley


RATING:   3.5 out of 5 STARS

Goodreads Description:

The year is 2032, sixteen years after a deadly virus—and the vaccine intended to protect against it—wiped out most of the earth’s population. The night before eighteen-year-old Eve’s graduation from her all-girls school she discovers what really happens to new graduates, and the horrifying fate that awaits her.

Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust...and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.

REVIEW:

EVE has received very mixed responses from bloggers - but I only read the reviews of others once I had finished reading it myself.  I am happy to say that I did enjoy it and look forward to the sequel Once.

Carey takes us on an adventure journey that focuses primarily on Eve - an orphan that has been housed in a "School" and who grows up with the knowledge that (in a nut shell) men and boys are evil dirty minded and vulgar humans that should never be trusted. The only man to trust is the King.  The world succumbed to a plague that wiped out 98% of the population and the King is on a mission to re-populate the earth starting with the City of Sand - the place where all the girls are striving to be after they graduate.

Eve learns of a different version of life to what she has been brain washed into believing as reality.  She escapes and embarks on a mission to reach Califia - the only known sanctuary for those not wanting to be under the rule of the King.  Along her travels she is tested physically and emotionally time and again as she scavenges for food and places to hide so she is not found by Soldiers and taken to the City of Sand.

Eve comes across Arden, a fellow School attendee that had escaped before her.  Arden is a hardened soul who has a resentment for Eve and is not ashamed to act on it. Their friendship changes along the way and are forced to make hard decisions for the safety of each other.

Caleb brings Eve and Arden into his world of boy orphans living in dugouts.  Here we meet some adorable characters that will hopefully make an appearance in Once - just so we know what happened with them! We also meet Leif - the maybe villain/possible future hero - I'm not decided on him yet - I think he has a chance to do good!

Eve has learnt all her life at School that boys and the emotions they wield upon girls are evil.  They only want one thing....and this knowledge makes it hard for Eve to not just trust Caleb - but to get her head around the feelings that have surfaced within her towards Caleb.  Is absolutely EVERYTHING she knew to be true a big fat lie?? Is it OK to be drawn to Caleb or is this one of man's powers of manipulation?

One the run and possibly in love.....Eve must survive and make it to Califia for a shot of any future.  Though the character of Eve sometimes needs a darn good slap - it is realising that she is up against a lifetime of brain washing and no knowledge of the "real world" that makes me stop and think - "Hey....she probably feels like a foreigner in a city where she can't speak the same language!".

ENJOY!

MARISSA