Birthmarked by Caragh M. O'Brien

Genre: Dystopian

Hardcover: 361 Pages

Published: March 30, 2010

Series: Birthmarked

            1. Birthmarked

            2. Prized

            3. Promised

Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

             In the future, in a world baked dry by the harsh sun, there are those who live inside the walled Enclave and those, like sixteen-year-old Gaia Stone, who live outside. Following in her mother's footsteps Gaia has become a midwife, delivering babies in the world outside the wall and handing a quota over to be "advanced" into the privileged society of the Enclave. Gaia has always believed this is her duty, until the night her mother and father are arrested by the very people they so loyally serve. Now Gaia is forced to question everything she has been taught, but her choice is simple: enter the world of the Enclave to rescue her parents, or die trying.

My Review:

            A future world which is divided between who lives inside the wall, and those--like 16 year old Gaia Stone--who live outside. Gaia was trained to be a midwife by her mother, and it's now her job to "advance" a certain number of infants from the poverty into the walled world. Gaia has been an obedient citizen, but when she learns some terrible secrets about the Enclave, Gaia is determined to find out more and protect the ones she loves. 

            The Enclave seemed like they had the best of intentions but at times they seem just plain evil. If the midwives didn't fill their monthly quota of infants then bad things would happen to their families. As Gaia learns these horrible secrets she discovers she's not the only child and her parents have been keep it a secret. She is determined to find out more and ventures inside the wall. There she is caught and then gets help from Captain Leon Grey--the son of the man who runs the Enclave. As Leon and Gaia team up they discover the real reason why the Enclave wants the monthly quota of infants and what they really intend to do with Gaia.

            A dystopian novel is simply nothing without a well executed imaginative world-gone-wrong. However, Gaia's world is one of the best I have read so far, high up there with James Dashner's, 'The Maze Runner' and  Suzzane Collin's,  'The Hunger Games.' There is plenty of action, drama, narrow escapes, and just the right amount of romance to keep you entertained.