(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review).
(This review may contain spoilers).
I have some mixed feelings about this book. I really liked the idea behind it… but I found it got very bogged down in too much unnecessary detail. I’d probably give this book 2.5 stars out of 5… but not quite 3.
The concept of two scientists creating the first two of an entirely new race was a really interesting one. I did like seeing the contrast between Adam before his metamorphosis and after. It was also good to see that there conflicts between him and Eve due to the incestuous nature of their relationship.
I felt that there was a lot of telling rather than showing going on in this book. While there were some details given about certain things, I felt that it read more like a book filled with big scientific words. I struggled to understand a lot that was going on… and I thought that the relationship between Adam and Eve and their parents was particularly weird, especially when their parents appeared naked.
It was interesting to read about Eden being condensed down and how that all worked. It was also good to see that Adam and Eve formed attachments to their pets and how their genetics worked with the animals.
I did feel that there wasn’t much shown in the way of relationships. I was being told how the characters felt, but the relationships with the children later on really didn’t come across as very realistic. I felt that the sets of twins were just treated as extras, rather than developed into being characters in their own right.
I did find it interesting to see how Adam and Eve interacted with Linda, although there was too much telling rather than showing there, too. I felt there was very little foreshadowing, which made it harder for me to be fully engaged in this book.
There was a lot of potential, but I really struggled to empathise with the characters and there was too much in the way of science I didn’t understand. There was very little tension or conflict in the book.
As it stands, I won’t be reading the sequel.
Ink of Blood 