Review: Replication: The Jason Experiment by Jill Williamson

Book Description via Goodreads:

Hardcover, 301 pages

December 27, 2011, Zondervan

When Your Life Is Not Your Own

Martyr---otherwise known as Jason 3:3---is one of hundreds of clones kept in a remote facility called Jason Farms. Told that he has been created to save humanity, Martyr has just one wish before he is scheduled to 'expire' in less than a month. To see the sky.

Abby Goyer may have just moved to Alaska, but she has a feeling something strange is going on at the farm where her father works. But even this smart, confident girl could never have imagined what lies beneath a simple barn. Or what would happen when a mysterious boy shows up at her door, asking about the stars.

As the reality of the Jason Experiment comes to light, Martyr is caught between two futures---the one for which he was produced and the one Abby believes God created him to have. Time is running out, and Martyr must decide if a life with Abby is worth leaving everything he's ever known.

Source: Candice & Zondervan! (Thank you!!)

My Thoughts:

Abby Goyer was what I would describe as the closest to perfect: nice, intelligent, pretty and rich. But throughout the book, she kept her feet on the ground and went out of her way to help out other people. Her mother died of cancer and she only had her dad now, who is always busy with work and comes home late. With her cat, Einstein, her friend Kylee and her friend/somewhat suitor who was crushing on her, JD Kane, she adjusted to Alaska fairly well. But her state of almost perfection was about to be ruined because she was about to meet Martyr, a boy from the underground laboratory where her dad worked.

J:3:3 aka Martyr was one of the 50+ clones living in Jason Farms. He was a nice guy with a natural sweetness, protectiveness and concern for everyone. In fact, he got his nickname from his constant attempts to protect the Brokens – the weak close who were unable to protect themselves – from the bullies Iron Man and Fido. His dedication to his friends and brothers, particularly to Baby and Hummer, two of the Brokens, was admirable. But the bad news of his life was that he was about to expire in a few weeks. His last wish was to see the sky before he expires. So when he got the chance to escape, he took it.

Life as a clone was hard especially when their life was not their own. They were used for scientific purposes. They were fed a different kind and flavor of reality – they had no knowledge of real life and the truth beyond the laboratory. For every Jason, their purpose was to expire and to help save the people on the outside world.

After Martyr escaped Jason Farms, he met Abby. At first, Abby was not sure what to make of him but she believed the possibility of his existence since her father was a molecular biologist involved in human cloning activities in the past. Abby kept him away from her father and helped him understand life outside the laboratory. Martyr was a very intriguing and endearing character. He was naturally curious, filled with questions about everything around him. He had a longing for a purpose especially after finding out about Abby’s God. His innocence combined with his curious nature led to funny moments like when he tried to imitate the way Abby prayed before eating. He said ‘thank you, sir’ in the end. It was really intriguing for me to know Martyr’s thoughts. He asked many questions such as why the sky is black during the night, how a baby got in the stomach, what love is and what a wife is. His innocence and purity mixed well with the humor.

Well-written, unpredictable, suspense, and simply addicting, I was not able to put Replication down. Replication blew me away with its humor, twists and turns and a blooming romance. This will keep readers entertained and engrossed. I highly recommend this to science fiction readers! Don’t miss out on this gripping novel!

Rating:

Also, there's an on-going giveaway for Replication! We included it in Dystopian Domination 2. Join the contest here.