Written by: Suzanne Young
Number of pages: 384
Average Rating: 4.32/5 stars
My Rating: 4/5 stars
Published: April 19, 2016
Read in May 2016
Summary according to Goodreads
In a world before The Program Quinlan McKee has spent her life acting as other people. She was a closer, a person hired to play the role of the recently deceased in order to give their families closure. Through this process, Quinn learned to read people and situations, even losing a bit of herself to do so. But she couldn't have guessed how her last case would bring down her entire world.
The only person Quinn trusts is Deacon, her best friend and the love of her life. Except Deacon's been keeping secrets of his own, so Quinn must set out alone to find Arthur Pritchard, the doctor who's been trying to control her life. The journey brings Quinn to Arthur's daughter, Virginia, who tells Quinn the truth about Pritchard's motives. The former closer will start to see that she is the first step to fighting an epidemic.
But Quinlan doesn't want to be a cure. And with all the lies surround her, she realizes she has no one left to rely on but herself, even if she doesn't know who that is anymore.
My Thoughts
I am so happy that I have finished this duology, and even more happy with how it tied into The Program. There is not much I can say in regards to this novel because it is a sequel, however Suzanne Young is amazing at writing characters and setting up a plot. These novels are so easy for me to read and get sucked into, and even though they follow a heavy plot line, there are some funny and romantic moments.
I fell in love with these characters: Quinn for her independence and perseverance, Aaron for his quirks and dependability, and of course Deacon for always following his instincts. None of these characters were perfect, and I was afraid of losing any of them - because the characters would not be the same without the others. It is very rare to find a group of characters that mesh so well together, but these three are great together in these novels.
There were many, many, MANY deaths in this novel, quire a few of which I did not think were necessary. I could be biased because I cared for these characters, however the basic plot of this series is a suicide epidemic. There was so much heartbreak in these 350+ pages, I don't know how I did not end up bawling my eyes out. Between the secrets, the betrayals, and the suicides, it is a wonder that these characters were still standing tall.
My only small issue with this novel, and the only reason I could not give it five stars, was because of the pacing. This story felt slower than this others, and almost as though she was trying to tie up to many ends at once. There were a lot of turns in the story, and I got confused of where it was going. There was a lot of travelling, a lot of meetings, a lot of secrets, and a lot of new characters introduced.
I am not over the last paragraph before the epilogue. Suzanne Young wrote the most amazing passage about love and how being with the person you love is the only home you need. I had to read it a few times over, and it left me speechless. I know that this and other quotes from this novel are going to stick with me for a long time, and that makes a great novel for me.
I am so grateful for both epilogues at the end of this novel. Overall, this is one of my favourite young-adult series, and has been since I first read The Program. I cannot wait to get my hands on The Adjustment, and see what else can happen in this world.
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