Review: Fever

Fever by Lauren DeStefano

Book: ★★★★★
Cover:  ★★★★☆

• Reading level: Ages 14 and up
• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers (February 21, 2012

 Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion, but they’re still in danger. Outside, they find a world even more disquieting than the one they left behind.

 Determined to get to Manhattan and find Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan, the two press forward, amid threats of being captured again…or worse.
    
 The road they are on is long and perilous—and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and men die at age twenty-five, time is precious. In this sequel to Lauren DeStefano’s harrowing Wither, Rhine must decide if freedom is worth the price—now that she has more to lose than ever.

 After reading Fever (multiple times), naturally I was super excited to read Fever. This book certainly did not disappoint. Like Wither, Fever is absolutely, heart-breakingly beautiful. I felt like I was reading a long poem. While this book is definitely darker than Wither, it would not have felt right if it wasn't. With most books in a series, to me it seems like the books are completely separate. While I usually like that, in this case, I would not have. Wither and Fever feel like what they are, sister books. They go together perfectly, like two heartbeats. I cannot wait until the last installment of the trilogy, to see where it takes the story.

 Fever is much more frightening than Wither. In Wither, you knew there was danger, but it was easy to ignore because Rhine was sleeping in between silk sheets, being waited on, and had her husband wrapped around her finger. In Fever, Rhine is thrown out into the real world, and things aren't exactly as Rhine remembers them. You can feel the tension rising and shifting; this was one of those books that makes your heart beat a little bit faster.

 You really see the characters start to grow and change during Fever. Rhine is put under incredible pressure, having to keep herself, Gabriel, and Maddie (a little girl they meet along the way) alive. Gabriel is accustomed to life in the mansion, so he's not of much help. I like that, because it's something you don't see very often. Usually, the girl is the weak one, the damsel in distress, relying almost completely on a boy, the only thing that can make her life complete. But in this book, you see Rhine become the stronger one, the one getting things done. It's actually not so much of Rhine leading as the two leaning on each other to survive which made it so much more believable.

 The supporting characters are part of what makes this book fantastic. All of them are so realistic it's scary. Many new characters popped up, and every single one of them were deliciously intriguing. Some of my favorites include Claire, the kind and funny head of an orphanage; The Madame, a character that is not, well, nice, but you love to... kind of hater her?; and finally, Silas, a sexy orphan who gives Rhine his guidance and seems like he will play a big part in the next book. I really cannot describe to you how real these characters seem; I've never read anything like it in a book. I think that the characters in this book make it shine like the star that it is.

 Overall, a scarily beautiful, elegant books that will set your hair on end and enchant you with every word. If you haven't read Wither, the first book, or have and just haven't gotten around to Fever, I reccomend you do so now. You definitely won't regret it.