Birthmarked by Caragh M O'Brien

Synopsis: In the future, in a world baked dry by the harsh sun, there are those who live inside the wall and those, like sixteen-year-old midwife, Gaia Stone, who live outside. Gaia has always believed it is her duty, with her mother, to hand over a small quota of babies to the Enclave. But when Gaia’s mother and father are arrested by the very people they so dutifully serve, Gaia is forced to question everything she has been taught to believe. Gaia’s choice is now simple: enter the world of the Enclave to rescue her parents, or die trying.

Review: I was pleasantly surprised by this dystopian novel. I thought the story was original and enjoyed the setting. I also thought the premise was believable, something that I could see happening. I mean, don’t we currently have CPS, a government agency that steps in and takes kids away from their family if they feel the child is being abused/neglected. Is it really that farfetched to see the way a system like that could spiral out of control?

Anyway, I liked our main character Gaia a lot. While she was somewhat ignorant of what was going on around her at first, she was intelligent and was quick to see the flaws in the system. Not only that but she saw the flaws and wanted to make a change. I like that she doesn’t give up, no matter what situation she finds herself in. She’s a fighter. I admit, I was a little disappointed on the romance front. It was really subtle and I’m still not sure what motivated our leading man. I would have liked more time with them together and even though they are in some pretty serious situations maybe a little more light-heartedness. They were both so serious, it was hard to feel them falling in love, if that’s even what happened.

Definitely a fun read, I look forward to reading the rest of the series. I hope Gaia is able to find her brothers!

Reading Order:
Book One: Birthmarked
Book 1.5: Tortured
Book Two: Prized
Book Three: Promised