Birthmarked

February 15, 2010
In her first YA novel, O'Brien creates a dystopian future in which to explore complex issues of morality and survival. In a world rocked by climate change, the Enclave is a much-needed bastion of civilization, and many of those who live outside its walls serve it in one fashion or another. As a midwife apprenticed to her mother, 16-year-old Gaia Stone is expected, like any other midwife, to bring the first three babies she delivers each month to the Enclave to satisfy its demands for new citizens. When her parents are taken for questioning by the Enclave, Gaia takes over for her mother, even though she's not entirely comfortable following orders unquestioningly anymore. Her quest to track down and save her parents leads her into the Enclave itself, where she befriends the handsome Captain Grey, a man with his own secrets, and discovers the unsettling truths behind the Enclave's need for children. Though predictable in places and unconvincing in others, this science fiction adventure is a brisk and sometimes provocative read, thanks to solid pacing, a resourceful heroine, and a few surprise twists. Ages 12–up.

May 1, 2010
Gr 7-10-In a dystopian world of the future, apprentice midwife Gaia, who has served the Enclave faithfully along with her parents, is thrust suddenly into a crisis. She delivers her first baby independently of her midwife mother and takes it to the Enclave inside the Wall as the first of her monthly quota of three newborns. Then her parents are arrested and she learns that they will soon be executed. Gaia springs into action and smuggles herself into the Enclave to rescue them. What follows is an exciting, almost breakneck adventure, as Gaia tries to discover what information the Enclave wants from her and her mother and tries to save both of them from prison. Along the way there is a mildly romantic turn to the story as Gaia develops a friendship and attraction to one of the soldiers, a man with a mysterious past. This world is one in which a small society, composed of an elite inside the Wall and a subservient class outside, is completely cut off from knowledge of anyone or anything outside of its borders. The rulers are authoritarian and mysterious and resemble a monarchy rather than the strictly ideological communitarian system in Lois Lowry's "The Giver" (Houghton, 1993). The cliff-hanger ending sets up the action for a sequel. Readers who enjoy adventures with a strong heroine standing up to authority against the odds will enjoy this compelling tale."Sue Giffard, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, New York City"

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2010
Grades 9-12 Its been 300 years since Lake Michigan became Unlake Michigan; the cool age is only hazily known to residents of Wharfton, a small village that sits alongside the walled city of the Enclave. Gaia is 16 and works in Western Sector Three with her mother delivering babies, advancing the first three per month to live a better life inside the city. Its a wrenching routine Gaia doesnt question until her parents are mysteriously arrested by Enclave authorities. Gaias rescue attempt is fraught with perilthe burn scar on her face marks her as a freak who would never be allowed into the Enclaves exclusive gene pooland soon she herself is tossed into a cell with other female physicians. Although the setup suggests speculative fiction, OBriens concerns are corporeal; her impulsive and spirited heroine (who even resists, yes, romance) is the kind readers adore. The facts behind inbreeding and the numerous birthing scenes will give this an added appeal to science-minded teens. Continual revelations push this toward an ending that hints at more to come.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2010
As apprentice to her midwife mother, Gaia is expected to "advance" a quota of babies for adoption into the Enclave. When her parents are taken for questioning about the adoptions, Gaia and a rebel soldier challenge the Enclave's authority. With high tension and higher stakes, this dystopian thriller projects a bleak future, but one in which individual choices do have great power.

(Copyright 2010 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)