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Please Note: I received an advance copy of this novel from Edelweiss and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.
Synopsis (from Goodreads):
TESTING DAY IS COMING.
The Genetic Wars that turned most of the planet into a wasteland are over. The so-called “dregs” (DNA regulars) and superpowered Supergenics now live separately from each other—the Supergenics in the shiny towers of Jupitar City; the dregs across the river in the squat concrete buildings of the boroughs. But some dreg parents bear Supergenic children; under repressive laws, they must be sent to live with their own kind.
THEY ARE GEN M.
To find these special few, every teen faces Testing Day. When her turn comes, socially isolated Caitlin Feral is determined to Manifest powers like the heroes in the comic book propaganda she loves. If she fails, she faces a lifetime of loneliness and drudgery in the boroughs.
How much is Caitlin willing to sacrifice to be a supergirl?
When she uncovers dark secrets, does she dare start another war to reveal the truth?
And…who will pay the price?
Find out in Generation Manifestation
Review:
It's been a while since I've read a dystopian YA novel. And the dystopian world of Generation Manifestation is pretty bleak! Several books have explored the idea of what it would be like if super-heroes were real. But, most don't go down such a dark road. Would people with superpowers be selfless and work to protect others? Or, would they simply pull a Loki and take over?
This book encompasses many elements of The Hunger Games, Divergent, and the X-Men. What ties it all together is the main character, Caitlin, and her two friends, Bradie and Normand. I enjoyed the world-building, characters, and the story. There were a lot of twisty surprises in the story that kept me guessing, and made this a page-turner.
What I Liked:
World-Building:
Generation Manifestation is set in a world where there are Supergenic people with various supernatural powers, and Dregs who do not. It's a bleak world where the supergenics, who should be heroes, are more like the oppressors. While they do protect the Dregs from mutated animals, the price they set is too high. Supergenics get to live in a utopian city, while the Dregs get, well, the dregs. They live a life of subsistence and dream of one day manifesting into a supergenic. The Dregs' society is organized by the Protectorate. This is a police force made up of Dregs who are talented athletes. They are superhuman, but without the superpowers. They also seem to have a power trip and are feared among the Dregs.
The author put much thought into how the society of this world would function. Once a child manifests, they are whisked away to Jupiter City to (presumably) have a wonderful life as a Supergenic. If you don't manifest be age sixteen, you are considered a Dreg. Dregs are then put on a career track for menial jobs such as farm worker, garbage collector, techie, etc. Some Dregs who are very fit, are recruited into the Protectorate. This is the only path where regular people get a chance at a better life.
Characters:
Caitlin, the main character has desperately wanted to be a Supergenic all her life. Kids are tested once a year, and if by the time they're sixteen, if they don't "manifest", they are considered dregs. When she starts trying out vocational jobs, like farmer, and protector, she realizes just how much privilege the protectors have, and is instantly seduced. This is so understandable, since she has lived in poverty and near starvation for most of her life. And being a protector is as close to being a Supergenic as she'll ever get. But there's also a big price to pay when you have to enforce brutal laws...
Bradie is another proctor recruit, and he and Caitilin are instantly attracted to each other. Bradie's older brother is already a protector, so it's natural for Bradie to walk in his brother's footsteps. But Bradie also has a deep resentment for the Protectorate. Can he start a revolution and still keep the love of his brother?
Normand is a boy at Caitlin's school how seems rather strange. He mutters to himself, and is obsessed with technology. Caitlin starts to hang out with him when he shows her a massive (and illegal) comic book collection. He understands Caitlins obsession with becoming a supergenic. And he encourages her to use her artistic skills to help him write a comic book. Normand is a very complicated character, with lots of secrets. It was fun to find out there is so much more to his character beyond nerdy tech bro.
Story:
While the world-building reminded me a lot of the Hunger Games, I could also so influences of Divergent and the X-Men in the story. I think the story is about finding your own way to be a super human. Whether that is by being lucky enough to have superpowers, or just embracing each opportunity, the characters are living fast. With such an authoritarian regime, it's no wonder.
The story itself is obviously the start of a multi-book series. We get a lot of backstory about how the Protectorate came to be, and how their society is set up. I liked that Caitlin is a morally complicated character. She is not perfect, and has to own up to the fact that while Bradie is incredibly handsome, it Normand who actually gets her. She fluctuated between using Normand, and actually becoming his friend.
I do wish that some of Caitlin's other relationships, such as with her mother and brother, could have been addressed. Near the beginning of the story, the mom kicks Caitlin out. And then we never hear from her family again. Maybe this is something that will be part of the next book in the series? I hope so.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Release Date: September 14th, 2021
Author: Steven Bereznai
Publisher: Jambor
Genre: YA Dystopian Novel
Page Length: 248 Pages
Source: Edelweiss
Format: E-Book
Recommendation: A fun, YA dystopian novel. The twists and turns of the story made this a highly entertaining book.
