Revived
Author: Cat Patrick
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (May 1, 2012)
ISBN-10: 0316094625
ISBN-13: 978-0316094627
Publisher’s blurb: As a little girl, Daisy Appleby was killed in a school bus crash. Moments after the accident, she was brought back to life.
A secret government agency has developed a drug called Revive that can bring people back from the dead, and Daisy Appleby, a test subject, has been Revived five times in fifteen years. Daisy takes extraordinary risks, knowing that she can beat death, but each new death also means a new name, a new city, and a new life. When she meets Matt McKean, Daisy begins to question the moral implications of Revive, and as she discovers the agency’s true goals, she realizes she’s at the center of something much larger — and more sinister — than she ever imagined.
****************************************************************
Daisy has just died for the fifth time, this time from a bee sting (she’s allergic). Now she hand her “parents” Mason and Cassie, have to move yet again – this time to Omaha. Once they get to the dreaded city, Daisy is surprised to find she actually makes a home and a life there, far better than what she left behind.
Daisy is all too human and can be exasperating at times like most teens, I loved how Daisy grew with the story. Absolutely wonderful character building as well as story. Daisy’s growth from shy, outcast teen who moves from town to town, always changing her name and identity to protect her secret is very real. At first, she is almost robotic, otherworldly until she dies again and her pseudo family and she have to move yet again. In her new life, she begins to come out of her shell and make friends. Suddenly, the life she’s taken very much for granted becomes important to her. Relationships, friendships have meaning and depth. Her friendship with a cancer-stricken girl, Audrey seems to shape her soul as the budding relationship with her friend’s brother Matt begins to shape her heart. Her new found relationships and reality also have her questioning. What REALLY happened on that bus that killed all those young children including Daisy all those years ago? Was it an accident or something more sinister? Was the genius behind Revive a savior or a mass murderer? More importantly, would Daisy ever have a real life?
The mysterious and increasingly sinister “God” behind the Revive project is an interesting villain. Mason and Cassie, the caretakers/handlers/parent substitutes for Daisy are interesting as well, though Cassie’s non-character seems lacking until you figure out what’s going on at the end of the book. Then her non-personality makes perfect sense.
Lovers of strong female characters as well as science fiction will find this book fascinating. Daisy’s search for the truth, her brave quest to save her friends and others is one to keep you turning the pages. She learns about herself, about Revive and the fact that there isn’t one all-encompassing panacea or cure-all for life. An incredible story of mystery, science, power and the journey of self-discovery we all must make at one point or another in our lives. Revived is highly readable and enjoyable.
Disclosure: A free copy of this book was furnished by the publisher for review via NetGalley, but providing a copy did not guarantee a review. This information is provided per the regulations of the Federal Trade Commission. Thoughts and opinions are that of the reviewer.
