Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews

Humans, now extinct, used their DNA to create Vispera's nine clone models, and subsequent generations eliminated human diseases and defects; the choice to create Jack, 17, genetically human, gray-eyed, with asthma, is a troubling and intriguing mystery to Althea-310.Gestated in tanks and born 10 years apart, each 10-member generation of the nine models appears identical. (After centuries of genetic manipulation, racial characteristics vary among models, but all have brown eyes.) Rarely, minor differences affect individual appearance, like the tiny scar on her wrist that Althea-310 covers. She wonders how Jack, barred from their games and ceremonies, can bear life without the constant presence and comfort of nine identical siblings. She intervenes when the Carsons bully him, and she provokes widespread ire when she breaks with her sisters to choose a Hassan instead of a Carson at the Pairing Ceremony. Though Jack's poetry and music disturb her, she resists her sisters' attempts to comfort her with their touch. When he's blamed for acts of vandalism that threaten Vispera, she risks everything to defend him. Uncovering secrets of Vispera's past, they discover Jack may be the key to its future. Complex issues play out in fast-paced action without oversimplification. Conformity's benefits are real. But even if giving rein to unfettered individuality can cause harm, singularity just might be a precondition to empathy.Like the works of Ursula K. LeGuin, inside this lyrically written, suspenseful tale is a deeply humane thematic core. (Science fiction. 14-18)

ALA Booklist

In a world filled with clones, Jack is the only true human left. Humanity died hundreds of years ago in a slow plague, leaving only the clones behind to carry on human existence. Over the years, the clones have perfected their genes, moving further away from humanity's imperfections. But if they really are perfect, why did they create Jack? While Jack yearns for acceptance, Althea-310, one of 10 Altheas in her generation, struggles with the feeling that she's different from her sisters, and her fascination with Jack doesn't help. As Althea and Jack's connection grows stronger, so does the threat to their lives. What will happen if they do the unthinkable and fall in love? Told from both Althea's and Jack's points of view, Finlay's thought-provoking tale explores conformity, individuality, and what it means to be human. Although it takes time for the story to kick into high gear, the unique premise should keep readers enthralled. With imaginative, vivid world building, this should appeal to fans of Lauren Oliver's Replica (2016).

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

Humans, now extinct, used their DNA to create Vispera's nine clone models, and subsequent generations eliminated human diseases and defects; the choice to create Jack, 17, genetically human, gray-eyed, with asthma, is a troubling and intriguing mystery to Althea-310.Gestated in tanks and born 10 years apart, each 10-member generation of the nine models appears identical. (After centuries of genetic manipulation, racial characteristics vary among models, but all have brown eyes.) Rarely, minor differences affect individual appearance, like the tiny scar on her wrist that Althea-310 covers. She wonders how Jack, barred from their games and ceremonies, can bear life without the constant presence and comfort of nine identical siblings. She intervenes when the Carsons bully him, and she provokes widespread ire when she breaks with her sisters to choose a Hassan instead of a Carson at the Pairing Ceremony. Though Jack's poetry and music disturb her, she resists her sisters' attempts to comfort her with their touch. When he's blamed for acts of vandalism that threaten Vispera, she risks everything to defend him. Uncovering secrets of Vispera's past, they discover Jack may be the key to its future. Complex issues play out in fast-paced action without oversimplification. Conformity's benefits are real. But even if giving rein to unfettered individuality can cause harm, singularity just might be a precondition to empathy.Like the works of Ursula K. LeGuin, inside this lyrically written, suspenseful tale is a deeply humane thematic core. (Science fiction. 14-18)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Finlay's fine debut novel is a dystopian story about a future society gone terribly wrong due to irresponsible cloning. Long after the death of the human race from the Slow Plague, a series of nine models of clones are all that is left resembling humanity-save Jack, the only human boy alive in the world. But the generation of clones who raised Jack failed to integrate him with clones his own age. After a life of painful isolation, Jack finds there are dangerous fissures in the clones' culture-some cracks he has caused but others that arise from generations of genetic manipulation. Finlay introduces a second protagonist in Althea, a clone who develops an affinity for Jack that she doesn't understand and which threatens the collective harmony of her community. In this consistently well-structured world, Finlay weighs the cost of conformity verses rebellion, and the narrative's gracefully restrained style amplifies the story's profound underlying emotions. Ages 14-up. Agent: Adam Schear, DeFiore and Co. (Feb.)