A unique and interesting storyline that explores the complexity of human nature. With creepy clones!
With its unique and inventive storyline centering around clones and what it means to be human, Your One & Only was such an interesting, fast-paced book that simultaneously delivered a hefty dose of creepy.
Several hundred years into the future after real humans died out from a plague, the only “people” left are clones. Every few years, the same 9 clones are recreated, and each set of clones are given a number that correlates to their generation. They’re also named after the original human they were cloned from, so the entire world is populated with Samuels, Carsons, Altheas, Hassans, Viktors, Meis, Nylas, and Ingas, and the only thing setting them apart from the others of their namesake is their Gen number. Enter Jack. Not only does he have a strange name and even stranger eye color (blue, when every single clone has brown), he’s the only true human. One single human in a sea of copies.
The whole concept of cloning creeps me out, so I knew from the beginning that this would be a book I’d definitely enjoy. To add to the creep factor, not only were the “people” clones of humans, they were clones of humans where too many traits were removed, too much fussing with the genetic material was involved, and the clones that now populate this new and frightening world are about as far-removed from humans as they can get. The most interesting part of all were the clones who were different - the ones where certain qualities weren’t entirely eliminated, or where certain genes that make humans uniquely human were stronger - so much stronger that they were almost able to identify with Jack and his feelings and emotions.
The characters were all so very interesting, even if things were rather confusing at first. But really - with an entire cast of characters sharing names, there’s bound to be just a little head scratching going on. But as the story unfolded, some of the clones became incredibly easy to pick out of the hordes of others, thanks to their personalities and their “otherness”. There’s also a little bit of romance thrown in that helps to lighten what’s otherwise a heavy and dark storyline, and this is definitely a story that needs even the tiniest bit of hope just to counterbalance the utter feeling of hopelessness that this book gives off in waves. I mean, humanity is gone. Wiped out, and creepy clones have replaced them so a hopeless feeling is exactly what I wanted and exactly what I was happily given.
Bottom line - I loved this book. I loved the creep factor with the clones, I loved the feeling of despair I got over the loss of humanity, and I loved the human element involved and how the complexity of human nature isn’t something that can be recreated in a lab. Your One & Only was one of the strangest and creepiest books I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading, and I’ll definitely be on the lookout for anything else from this author.
*Free copy provided by BookishFirst in exchange for my honest opinion.
Several hundred years into the future after real humans died out from a plague, the only “people” left are clones. Every few years, the same 9 clones are recreated, and each set of clones are given a number that correlates to their generation. They’re also named after the original human they were cloned from, so the entire world is populated with Samuels, Carsons, Altheas, Hassans, Viktors, Meis, Nylas, and Ingas, and the only thing setting them apart from the others of their namesake is their Gen number. Enter Jack. Not only does he have a strange name and even stranger eye color (blue, when every single clone has brown), he’s the only true human. One single human in a sea of copies.
The whole concept of cloning creeps me out, so I knew from the beginning that this would be a book I’d definitely enjoy. To add to the creep factor, not only were the “people” clones of humans, they were clones of humans where too many traits were removed, too much fussing with the genetic material was involved, and the clones that now populate this new and frightening world are about as far-removed from humans as they can get. The most interesting part of all were the clones who were different - the ones where certain qualities weren’t entirely eliminated, or where certain genes that make humans uniquely human were stronger - so much stronger that they were almost able to identify with Jack and his feelings and emotions.
The characters were all so very interesting, even if things were rather confusing at first. But really - with an entire cast of characters sharing names, there’s bound to be just a little head scratching going on. But as the story unfolded, some of the clones became incredibly easy to pick out of the hordes of others, thanks to their personalities and their “otherness”. There’s also a little bit of romance thrown in that helps to lighten what’s otherwise a heavy and dark storyline, and this is definitely a story that needs even the tiniest bit of hope just to counterbalance the utter feeling of hopelessness that this book gives off in waves. I mean, humanity is gone. Wiped out, and creepy clones have replaced them so a hopeless feeling is exactly what I wanted and exactly what I was happily given.
Bottom line - I loved this book. I loved the creep factor with the clones, I loved the feeling of despair I got over the loss of humanity, and I loved the human element involved and how the complexity of human nature isn’t something that can be recreated in a lab. Your One & Only was one of the strangest and creepiest books I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading, and I’ll definitely be on the lookout for anything else from this author.
*Free copy provided by BookishFirst in exchange for my honest opinion.