Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano {Book Review}

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Today, I'm reviewing Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano. I have read (and semi-enjoyed) her Chemical Garden trilogy, which was why I picked up this book in the first place.To start off with, let me just say, this book is way better than the Chemical Garden books (Wither, Fever, Sever). The world is so much more interesting, the characters are more realistic, the romance is more believable, and the writing is much better.

I just want to say that I love this cover. I know that that's not something I usually talk about, but with the kinds of covers that are usually found on YA books nowadays, something that's subtle, a little mysterious, not a collection of clip art, and that doesn't have a giant teen face/feet is kind of refreshing. I also like the colors. The dark background with the white design is so pretty, and the red dress is eye catching, but it doesn't pull away from the subtlety of the cover. I know you can't really judge a book by it's cover (actually, if it's a YA book, you sort of can), but this one is giving a good first impression.

Summary from Amazon.com

Morgan Stockhour knows getting too close to the edge of Internment, the floating city in the clouds where she lives, can lead to madness. Even though her older brother, Lex, was a Jumper, Morgan vows never to end up like him. If she ever wonders about the ground, and why it is forbidden, she takes solace in her best friend, Pen, and in Basil, the boy she’s engaged to marry.

Then a murder, the first in a generation, rocks the city. With whispers swirling and fear on the wind, Morgan can no longer stop herself from investigating, especially once she meets Judas. Betrothed to the victim, he is the boy being blamed for the murder, but Morgan is convinced of his innocence. Secrets lay at the heart of Internment, but nothing can prepare Morgan for what she will find—or whom she will lose.

My Review

The characters in this book were a bit of a mixed bag. There were some really good ones, and some who felt completely flat. Morgan, the main character, did feel nicely fleshed out, as did Pen, her best friend, and Amy, a young girl she befriends. Others, like Basil (her betrothed), Thomas (Pen's betrothed), and Lex (her brother) felt much more one sided to me.

The plot was great. I thought the worldbuilding was really good, it felt so believable. Even a having different words for everyday items, which usually bothers me, seemed normal. I liked the premise quite a bit, and the general progression of the plot made sense to me, though I disliked the ending. I know that all teen storied now have to be trilogies, but I don't like it. I think that a book, whether or not it's part of a series, should be a story in it's own right. This book ends on a cliffhanger, which is something that really irritates me.

The writing was good. I really don't like present tense writing, but I've gotten used to it, and it wasn't too noticeable here. I was really happy about two common teen lit features which were not in this book. First of all, it was narrated solely by one person. I know this shouldn't be a big deal, but I've gotten kind of tired of all the teen books narrated by a girl and her love interest. Also, there isn't a love triangle. There is the perfect opportunity for one: She is engaged to marry Basil, and has been since birth, but then she meets mysterious Judas. But the author didn't go for it! Basil, the "safe guy" who Morgan has known forever, ends up really being the perfect guy for her. I really hope this potential love triangle doesn't get played out in future books.

Who Should Read This Book?

I would recommend this book to lovers of YA dystopian fiction. And I don't mean the Hunger Games style obviously dysfunctional governments, but more the Giver type of subtly (but fatally) flawed utopias. Actually, the world Perfect Ruin had quite a bit in common with the world of The Giver.