Genesis Girl by Jennifer BardsleyMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. Let me first say from the description I wasn't really sure I'd like this book. I was intrigued though and took a chance, I'm glad I did. This was a very quick read and the story was very interesting.
Genesis Girl follows Blanca, a girl who has been cloistered from technology for her entire life. She lives at Tabula Rasa, an exlusive school for Vestal children. Vestals have been sheltered from social media for most if not their entire lives, no photos posted to the internet, they've never surfed the web, they are essentialy pure of technology and lead very private lives. For this reason they are sold to the highest bidder upon graduation to advertise whatever the newest product on the market at a major company because Vestals are trustworthy and free of the prejudice caused by social media. Vestals were created after cell phones, wi-fi, and bluetooth caused a brain cancer epidemic and a man named Barbelo Nemo decided to create a cult like environment with lead lined walls where the children would be free of such dangers. The rest of the world adapted to various forms of chip technology to get their tech fix.
In Blanca's case, a Virus or an internet junkie takes her picture the day before graduation ruining her internet purity. He posts her photo on his blog and instead of ruining her chances a good bid, she takes the top bid, however instead of going to work for a company to advertise its products she becomes personal companion or Geisha to Calum McNeal. Blanca steals the show and is sold for the hightest price at her harvesting. Cal purchased Blanca to help heal the wounds between him and his son Seth, the very Virus that cause Blanca to take a less traditional route after graduation. Blasnca would normally never have anything to do with a Virus, but she must do as she is told. Blanca begins to seduce Seth and begins to develop real feelings for him. As she gets to know Cal she discovers that he wants her to make her own decisions, which is not something she is accustomed or really permitted to do under Vestal guidlines, she is supposed to do what she is told and follow the rules. When asked to make her own decisions and do what makes her happy she has a complete mental breakdown. Cal and Seth try to break through to her but they are unsuccessful, they must give her instructions as a Vestal would expect. Enter Miss Lydia, a Vestal mentor, she cozies up to Cal and helps guide Cal and Blanca through the strangeness that is Vestal life and politics She begins an advertising campaign for Cal's energy company and begins to "date" a Vestal boy. She is the picture of Vestal perfection and happiness, until she begins to uncover that Lydia isn't what she seems though, then neither is Cal or Seth. Blanca soon learns that maybe making her own decisions might not be that bad and that the "outside" world might not be as bad as she's been led to believe. In order to save her own life and the life of a friend, she must use the technology she was raised to never use and think for herself.
Overall I really enjoyed this book. I liked the original story and plot. I didn't like that Blanca was a brainwashed robot, but that was kind of the point. She overcomes that as she discovers that Vestal life isn't everything she was raised to believe. I'm interested to see what the next book in the story brings. This book stands on its own and closes off nicely. This kept me interested until the very end.
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