Title: Breeder
Author: Casey Hays
Series: Arrow's Flight, #1
Genres: Dystopian
Publication/Year: The Grumpy Dragon • 2014
Page Numbers: 355
Synopsis from Goodreads:
"God does all these things to a man--twice, even three times--to turn back his soul from the pit, that the light of life may shine down on him." ~ Job 33:29-30My Rating: ★★★★.5
Beyond the Village, nothing exists . . . except devastation. A war waged by men and their hateful weapons long ago made it so, and my people--the women of the Village-- are the only survivors. This is what our history lessons teach us, and this is what we are to believe. But I am sixteen now . . . and I question everything. The Archer has spoken, but I have no desire to heed his command. I long for more.
In a world demolished by war and ruled by the hands of Fate, individual choices have become obsolete. Essentially, there is only one requirement: Bow the knee to the wisdom of the Council without question. Many of the women in the Village have acquiesced to this mandate, including some of Kate's closest friends. But Kate longs for something more; she hears the call of another life. On the day of her sixteenth birthday celebration, the reality of what this means invades her with a vengeance, and she is forced to contend with her own moral conscience. Kate's destiny has always been the Pit--the life of the breeder--which she is expected to embrace without complaint. Her rebel's heart, however, refuses to comply with Fate's demand, and what she finds in the Pit draws her one step closer to learning the truth about herself and the Village. And it changes the course of her destiny for all eternity."
My Thoughts:
Can you imagine living in a feminist world? Becoming a tool instead of a person? A world where everything you were taught was lie? A world where men were held captive for one thing? I can't, but in this enthralling story we meet a protagonist that lives in such a world.
Sixteen year old Kate lives in a village full of only women that allow their astrological sign, the Archer and Fate determine their whole life. On Kate's sixteenth birthday, the day she's always dreaded, her celebration ensues. It's the day she becomes a Breeder. She refuses to take part and follow suit but as no one has choice she's forced to The Pit.
What is a breeder? A breeder is a job given to a sixteen year old girl to help keep the population growing by mating with men for the rest of her life. Mates are chosen by Mona, their twisted leader. As a sixteen year old this is sort of a right of passage into womanhood.
Even though their are no men in the village, Mona and a few others go out to kidnap men from other villages. Why are there no men? The council believes that men caused the fall of humanity.
Despite what Kate was taught about men when she met her mate Ian her view changed. They slowly built a friendship that turned into love. As Kate and Ian talk more she begins to learn that maybe there is more to life than the village taught her.
I love that Kate and Ian's love wasn't instalove. I love how Kate stood by her own belief and wanted to live her own life. I hated Mona the whole story and couldn't be happier with how it ended. I loved the writing style and first person point of view. I love the scriptures at the beginning of each chapter.
Overall Conclusion:
Casey Hays has a great series on the rise and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a great dystopian world that's different. The copy I received also had a sneak peek at book 2 and man oh man. Can't wait to find out more about Eden (Ian's village).
Have you read this book?