The Scarlet Letter meets Minority Report in bestselling author Sophie Jordan's chilling new novel about a teenage girl who is ostracized when her genetic test proves she's destined to become a murderer.
When Davy Hamilton's tests come back positive for Homicidal Tendency Syndrome (HTS)-aka the kill gene-she loses everything. Her boyfriend ditches her, her parents are scared of her, and she can forget about her bright future at Juilliard. Davy doesn't feel any different, but genes don't lie. One day she will kill someone.
Only Sean, a fellow HTS carrier, can relate to her new life. Davy wants to trust him; maybe he's not as dangerous as he seems. Or maybe Davy is just as deadly.
The first in a two-book series, Uninvited tackles intriguing questions about free will, identity, and human nature. Steeped in New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan's trademark mix of gripping action and breathless romance, this suspenseful tale is perfect for fans of James Patterson, Michelle Hodkin, and Lisa McMann.
***
Uninvited reminds me of The Program by Suzanne Young. Probably because the whole HTS program reminds me of the teenage suicide epidemic -- except, of course, Uninvited is more about killing others rather than killing themselves. The concept of the kill gene is what intrigues me. I've heard a lot about notorious serial killers having a special type of gene in their body that makes them kill. And it takes the scientific theory to a new level too. The tests for one's tendency for killing, the disdainful eyes that those carriers receive... it's like a perfect storm brewing.
Davy is one of the carriers -- one that doesn't even look like a killer. Her life is destroyed, her friends betray her, her future with Juilliard is practically vanished, and she's forced to stay in a school that she hardly belongs to. But she's so strong through all these. If I were in her position I might just freak out. But she sucks it. It's really admirable. And it's really hard to imagine that she will kill at her own will one day (at least, that's what the government says).
Like The Program, the book swings my emotions like no tomorrow. Actually there's nothing especially surprising or uncommon happened to Davy. You know, being betrayed, being called a killer, being stripped of their human rights, etc. But for some reason I really can't stand her being treated like that. Especially the whole her-friends-betray-her part. You have no idea how much I want to hit Tori and Zac in the face when they are being nasty to Davy (perhaps I have a soft spot for those who are treated wrongly by their friends). It's surprising that I can feel strong emotions like that, when I'm turning into a zombie because of those stacks of textbooks on my desk.
Uninvited is quite an interesting book, especially with some of the unexpected twists which brings the story to a new level (I'm not going to reveal too much because it's spoiler!). It might not be the best book I've ever read, but it's surely worth a try.
Rating: 7.5/10
