This Mortal Coil / This Cruel Design by Emily Suvada ~ Double Book Review
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Hello friends,
I was struggling to think of what to write about for this week and then I remembered I had a couple of book reviews I wanted to repost from my blog before I moved it over to this space. So for this week and next week, I’ll be re-sharing my reviews for the This Mortal Coil Series by Emily Suvada. This week, is my review for the first two books and then next week, I’ll share my review of the final book in the series.
Just a word of warning regarding this series, it features quite heavily a virus that is spreading throughout earths population. I finished the third book a couple months before the Pandemic started and the U.K went into lock down. I don’t think I would have been able to read the series during this time, so if you don’t want stories that feature pandemics or virus spread, then this might not be the series for you right now. But if you don’t mind that while we’re still living in the pandemic, then this is probably the series for you!
Okay so let’s get into the review…
Where do I even begin with these books!? I absolutely loved them both and them so quickly!
If you are interested in Science, Technology and Genetics then this might be just the series for you! It's described as a STEM {Science Technology Engineering Maths} powered Thriller series and it certainly lives up to that description!
When reading this these books, it was no surprise to learn that Emily Suvada has a background in Science as it really comes across and the way STEM is an integral part of the plot of both books and I'm sure also the third, has been brilliantly done. Something else I wasn't surprised to learn is that Emily likes watching Star Trek as the use of technology within the Human body reminded me a bit of the Borg. {Fellow Trekkies will understand!}
Before I share my thoughts on the Series, let me share with you an over view of both books based on the synopsis from the back of both books: {No spoilers}
In the first book, This Mortal Coil we meet Catarina who lives in a world were humans are implanted with technology that can recode their DNA. {think of a tiny mobile phone in your arm running apps} This means that a lot of people have become gene hackers, writing apps and coding to make all sorts of crazy changes to their bodies. Catarina is a gene hacking genius!
However, for all “improvements” and changes that can be made, the human race still dies and illness hasn’t been completed eradicated. When we meet Catarina, a dangerous virus is threatening to kill everyone on the planet and a powerful organisation called Cartaxus is trying to find a vaccine by any means possible, even taking her father, Lachlan Agatta, a world renowned geneticist, leaving her to survive the virus outbreak alone.
Then after being alone for two years, a lone Cartaxus soldier arrives at Catarina's cabin with news that her father has been killed. It's then up to Catarina to try to unlock a vaccine that her father has created.
In the second book, This Cruel Design, we find Catarina at breaking point as she tries to figure out the events of the end of the first book, along with many of the personal revelations she's also confronted with. As things begin to unravel, Catarina also has to figure out who she can really trust.
I was gripped and on edge from the first page of This Mortal Coil to the end of This Cruel Design. I read as much as my poor M.E foggy brain could handle everyday and felt very disappointed when I had no choice but to put it down and stop. If it wasn't for the M.E, I know I would have finished both books within a couple of days, I was just that hooked! Which I was happily surprised about as I don't often read Thrillers, but the STEM influence intrigued me and so I bought both of them, feeling sure I would enjoy them and I wasn't wrong!
Both books had many twists and turns in them, which you'd expect for Thrillers, though I did figure out a few of them either partly or fully, which on one hand, isn't the best but on the other, it felt quite satisfying, especially as there's quite a few technical elements it get your head around.
The gene hacking theme and coding also brought up thoughts of control and freedom of choice over ones own body even if it's of benefit. There was also some discussion of what changes are deemed acceptable, even legal and if gene hacking is okay on your children. This reminded me of topics in the media over the years of "Designer Babies" and whether it's okay to to have control over a baby's DNA and be allowed to make changes, if the technology was available to do so.
This story has been a fascinating read so far and although, Emily Suvada's world/character building and use of technology is done with a similar strength as one of my favourite authors, Veronica Roth, the storyline itself, is definitely unlike anything I've read before.
Have you read This Mortal Coil and This Cruel Design? I'd love to know your thoughts on both books if you have.
Stay Safe. Read a Book.
L x
