Origin

Full review on Reader's Dialogue: [...]

I was captivated by this book from the very first pages. The first thing that struck me was the richness of description. There's such music in it! Besides for using sensory images to bring the scene to life, the way each detail is described brings such life to the picture - "depositing dew" - with a sense of movement and vivacity. And that continues throughout the whole book. Everything Pia experiences has this quality of descriptive aliveness. Part of it is that she gets to see so many things for the first time when she finally leaves Little Cam and ventures out into the rainforest, so her descriptions are full and fresh. Which makes for great heartthrob scenes between her and Eio!

The premise of Origin is really unique, and amazingly thoroughly followed through. Every step of the explanation makes sense, and it's unfolded throughout the story so that it feels organic to the tale but still gives all the necessary detail. I love how there's a bit of native folklore mixed into the science. The scientific process seems like a really good explanation for the phenomenon, but when the magic gets introduced, it lends a sense of the supernatural, just the right amount, the perfect touch to sort of humanize Pia instead of having her be completely a scientific specimen.

The whole story is a gripping mystery as Pia starts to realize that Little Cam is not the perfect place she always thought it was. The suspense and tension builds thrillingly as the evil minds are slowly revealed, little by tiny detail. And then, once it all explodes and the action starts, it's a nail-biting ride! Every half a page, the tide turns and the other side has the upper hand. And then there are all the unexpected things each character does in the thick of battle.

Especially what Pia does. The ending of the book is one shocking turn of events after another, and I never would have guessed how it would turn out. I'm not going to give anything away here, but I'll just say that whether the ending is a typically happy ending or not, it definitely is satisfying. Especially the last line! (Excluding the epilogue. I don't quite get the point of the epilogue.)

I was just blown away by the intense emotion in Origin, from all the characters - Pia and her struggle with herself and her choices, but also Eio and his father, and Dr. Fields, and even Pia's mother, to some extent. Add to that a top-notch thriller and an extremely well-crafted plot, and you've got a winner!

Hahaha! Okay, sorry for that opening, but I just watched the trailer for the book and saw what they think Eio looks like. He's like 26 in that clip! He's almost 18 in the book. LOL.

Moving on...

I'd seen this book cover around, and it's pretty darn intriguing. A jungle scene, with the cutout of a woman's figure. The summary grabbed my attention even more. When my friend read it and told me I had to do the same, I was sold.

I was really surprised with the concept of this story. I mean, how original and brilliant is that? I was also happy to see that it was a standalone book. (I'm getting kind of tired of seemingly ALL YA books being turned into series. Present company excluded, of course).

The book is a fair length, about 300 pages on Newt. And it was good. But for some reason, it kind of dragged for me in the begging. It felt like forever for me to the halfway mark. Once there, though, the rest sprinted by.

The thing I loved most about this book were the characters. They came to life and were all so completely different. Her cold mother, the vivacious Mrs. Fields, her bi-polar Uncle Paolo, her meek father. And the gentle yet fierce Eio and conflicted yet driven Pia. I was impressed with the amount of active characters Khoury had in her story. I was able to keep them all straight, though, and they all had distinct personalities and purposes.

Pia lives in a converted greenhouse, and while that would completely AWESOME to have, they are in the middle of the the store jungle and I had a hard time believing that she wasn't boiling to death all the time. I did believe, though, the subtle personality and thought process change that Pia was going through as she analyzed her desires and purposes in life. The introduction of Mrs. Field's and Eio shook up her world, challenged everything she believed in and thought was right. And she made wrong decisions when it was important for her to make the right ones. But that made her human, something she'd been struggling with.

Plenty of action, and secrets, and disturbing Wickam tests, I really enjoyed this book that examined the motivation of the human heart with our sometimes, not so wholesome desires.

I've been looking forward to reading this book for a few months now and was very excited to see that my library had it! Origin is a story like no other I've ever read. Pia was created within a compound and has lived her entire life there. She isn't allowed to learn about the outside world. And, most importantly, she's the only immortal human being ever created. She can feel pain but has never bled. She can recite the scientific names of all of the plants and animals in the surrounding jungle but can't name a single country. The idea of being raised in such ignorance by everyone around her made me anxious while reading. I hate the thought of people being purposefully kept in the dark like that.

Eio . . . oh, Eio. The first time she found him in the jungle he'd stolen my heart as well. He was just so sweet to her . . Well, usually. She needed someone to act normal around her after being surrounded by scientists who call her nothing but perfect, always. Eio is a sort of balance to that as he tries to show her that there is more to life and more that she can appreciate. I loved how he was one with the jungle.

The entire conspiracy around the place was amazingly captivating. I never guessed where it was going, either, and was figuring it all out right alongside Pia. I loved that; I couldn't even expect when the answers were coming.

I'd recommend this book even for people who aren't typically into things like this! It's a great YA read.

This book can be very easily summed up: great idea, less than perfect execution. The concept of evil genetic engineering is rich, even if the science behind it in the novel is a little fantastical and implausible. An evil corporation funds an off the grid genetic engineering project where all is sacrificed to science and "progress". That has the makings of a great horror or Dystopian novel. However, the lack of emotional pay-off and pedestrian plot keep this book from being great. I pretty much correctly guessed about the plot developments.

IT is clear this novel is a debut and I got the feeling that it was a senior project for an English major: a great concept that needs a lot of editing and polish but succeeds as a first draft. The romance is very light. The oaths sworn copied from any number of young adult novels. It's stale. There are a lot of editing mistakes in basic sentence structure or spelling. Most unforgivable in my view is a small detail about the sister of a secondary character. This character supposedly suffered from cerebral palsy and this condition was deteriorating. This seemed odd to me so I did Google it and indeed that disease is not degenerative. If I could quickly Google that fact, why could a paid editor? I know it's a small detail but it shows lack of caring.

I could see some younger teens enjoying this book, but I don't see much crossover appeal for adults. In fact an avid teen reader has probably read better than this.

There were things that I really enjoyed about Origin, but there were things that I didn't enjoy. I loved that the book was set in the the store. The description of the the store was lush and beautiful. I really enjoyed that aspect of the book. I also found the scientist compound to be well developed and like that setting, I could totally picture it. Sadly I didn't like Pia as much I wish I could. I like for my characters to have some sort of flaw and Pia's flaw was that she didn't really have one. She is constantly told that she is perfect and the arrogance that came from it annoyed me. Other people don't respect her and her allowance of that treatment annoyed me. She is also very naive and I felt that it took her too long to discover the truth. At the same time, I found her feelings about immortality to be interesting and I enjoyed that aspect. I liked Eio at time. He seemed smart unlike the other villagers that just believed whatever the scientist told them. I hated the relationship that came from it. I found it to be unrealistic and definitely too insta-love. The plot was also really slow and predictable. I really wish that the premise had been executed differently. There was a lot of promise in this book, but it fell a bit short. I think that part of my disappointment might have been that this was promoted as a Breathless Read, so I expected it to be fantastic. It was an okay read, but be warned that it is slow and much isn't revealed till the end.

Pia is the hope for humankind’s future – she has perfect memory, razor-sharp reflexes, and superhuman speed and endurance. Her skin is unable to be penetrated or burned, and her bones cannot be broken. Every day Pia was told by her creators that she was perfect, yet the one thing she wants more than anything is the right to join the Imortis Team to create immortals like herself. That goal is just out of her reach. When she finally is just finger lengths away from her dream, she questions the morality of the scientific work, and must make the decision to run, or stay and live her dream.
I had never read a really interesting science fiction mixed with a little reality kind of book before. Well here it is. This whole book revolves around Pia and her drive to make more Immortals like herself, so she doesn’t have to live out her days watching her friends die, and be left alone. Origin’s story questions science, the morality around it, and the risks that must be taken to achieve your goals. I recommend this book if you enjoy excitement and unpredictability because those are what this book is made of. After the story is set up, new things start coming to light that were hinted at in the beginning. That’s what made me want to keep reading this book, to find out the secrets that were hiding. Immortality is a concept that is probably a real goal in the scientific world, and this is a cool fictional representation of it. I imagine Corpus as a real group right now that could be hiding somewhere that we don’t know about. I enjoy thinking about these kinds of things, and Origin was interesting to me because of that.
“I’m told that the day I was born, Uncle Paolo held me against his white lab coat and whispered, “She is perfect.” Sixteen years later, they’re still repeating the word. Every day I hear it, from the scientists or the guards, from my mother or from my Aunt Brigid. Perfect.
They say other things too. That there are no others like me, at least not yet. That I am the pinnacle of mankind, a goddess born of mortal flesh. You are immortal, Pia, and you are perfect, they say.
But as I follow Uncle Paolo to the laboratory, my bootlaces trailing in the mud and my hands clutching a struggling sparrow, the last thing I feel is perfect.
Outside the compound, the jungle is more restless than usual. The wind, lightly scented with orchids, prowls through the kapoks and palms as if searching for something it lost. The air is so damp that drops of water appear, almost magically, on my skin and on Uncle Paolo’s pepper-gray hair. When we pass through the garden, the heavy-hanging passion flowers and spiky heliconias brush against my legs, depositing dew onto the tops of my boots. Water is everywhere, just like every other day in the rainforest. But today it feels colder—less refreshing and more invasive.
Today is a testing day. They are called the Wickham tests, and they only come every few months, often by surprise. When I awoke in my glass-walled bedroom this morning, I expected the usual: reciting genus and species lists to Uncle Antonio, comparing algae specimens under microscopes with Uncle Jakob, followed, perhaps, by a long swim in the pool. But instead, I was greeted by Mother, who informed me that Uncle Paolo had decided to hold a test. She then breezed out the door and left me scrambling to get ready. I didn’t even have a chance to tie my shoelaces.
Hardly ten minutes later, here I am,” (Khoury, 1).
This is my favorite quote even though it is literally the first page of the book. It sets up close to everything for the rest of the story and shows how innocent Pia seems, with her little knowledge of the outside world.

I really enjoyed this book and the characters in it. It was captivating and I could not put my book down once I started reading it.

The setting was completely unique. I really love the fact that it was set in the rainforest, a little science lab hidden away from the world, and the world hidden from it.

Pia, the main character, is immortal and the only one of her kind. She wants to become a scientist, and follow in the footsteps of everyone she was raised with. She wants to learn the key to what made her immortal, but learning it will come at a cost. She's waiting for the day that there will be others like her, including Mr. Perfect who is also immortal.

Never having left the compound in the seventeen years of her life, one night she is able to escape under the fence and she meets a boy who changes everything. The romance starts out slow between the two, but it does eventually heat up. Pia will have to either accept knowing that Eio and her would only be able to have a short life together due to him being mortal, or waiting years and years for mister perfect immortal to come along.

This story really is captivating. I'm quite sad that there won't be a sequel because it does leave you wondering what happens to everyone after the story ends.

I won this book from a blogger giveaway.

Origin by Jessica Khoury is about Pia, the perfect girl who has been created immortal and who is destined to take over the scientific team who wants to create a new race of immortals. She has been raised in Little Cambridge, which is in the middle of some kind of tropical rainforest setting, but she's never been outside of its walls. One night she creeps into the jungle and meets a boy. She never realized there was life other than what she's experienced and she starts to question everything. This book is her journey on finding some answers.

What I liked: I liked the descriptions of the forest, the village in the forest, other natives and their language. I liked Uncle Antonio and Aunt Harriet, who were probably the best characters and the most three dimensional of the lot. Khoury brings up some interesting ethical issues.

Why this book was a letdown for me: the science makes no sense to me. These people are supposedly scientists but none of their "experiments" follow any sort of scientific method I've ever known. Apparently these people and Pia herself are supposed to be highly intelligent. I work in a laboratory setting and the individuals there (who are graduate students) are way more intelligent than these people. Where are the controls? What are the experiments? What are they testing really? These tests that they are giving Pia are just regurgitation of facts. Sure, she's good at memorization, but she seems not very bright otherwise. I know she's sheltered, but she just seems really slow in general. Not to mention how tired I am of the trope of the evil scientists who have no morals and who are only in it for glory and money from the evil, shadowy corporation. Really? Then there's the insta-love that takes place, which I won't get into, but that seems very groan worthy. And I won't talk about the Wickham tests, but they're ridiculous-- you'll have to read it to figure out what they are.

Overall, a beautifully described setting, but with overall lackluster characters and terrible science-- a disappointment.

South Carolina is best-known for its “beach reads,” like Nicholas Sparks’ coastal romances and Pat Conroy’s lowcountry epics.

But a 23-year-old novelist in Columbia, SC–Jessica Khoury, who is of Syrian and Scottish descent–is quickly changing the state’s literary reputation.

Khoury is the Michael Crichton of young-adult fiction: she infuses high-concept thrillers with the dark side of scientific and technological progress. Her debut novel ORIGIN was published in 2012 to widespread acclaim, spawning additional books set in the same fictional universe, this year’s VITRO and the forthcoming KALAHARI.

In ORIGIN, 17-year-old Pia is “perfect” in every quantifiable way: her senses and reflexes are heightened, her skin is impenetrable, and most importantly…she will never die, thanks to a century-long effort by scientists to imbue human DNA with the near-magical properties of a rare flower (echoes of 2013′s THE PEOPLE IN THE TREES).

At a secret the storeian laboratory known as “Little Cambridge,” Pia’s mentors have taught her everything they know about biology and genetics, preparing Pia for the day when she joins them as a scientist in their mission to perfect humanity.

But they haven’t told Pia anything about the world beyond her corner of the rainforest, or about the costs of making her immortal.

Why? And what happens when she breaks out of the lab?

You’ll have to read ORIGIN. Trust me, it won’t take you long…the book is impossible to put down.

Initially, I was intrigued by the premise of this book, and overall it was a satisfying read. The setting was vibrant, interesting, mysterious, and quite tangible. I could smell the flowers and hear the thunder and feel the cool glass walls of Pia's home in Little Cam.

Pia was likewise vibrant; a smart girl loaded with curiosity. Her family of scientists continually told her she was perfect and did their best to keep her in line, doing the things that THEY wanted her to do. I loved that Pia tried her best to please them, but also held true to her own personal convictions throughout the book.

I loved this story and I enjoyed the way each character - and the relationships - developed. My main complaint is that there are some plot devices which just did not make sense. I know, it's fantasy, but people behaving as scientists just would NOT do some of the things that were done in this book. Had these things been better planned, I probably would bump my review up another star.

Even so, I really liked the book and recommend it to everyone.

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: An unknown and secluded compound holds the secret to immortality in the world's largest jungle. Perfection has come, but at what price?

Opening Sentence: I'm told that the day I was born, Uncle Paolo held me against his white lab coat and whispered, "She is perfect."

The Review:

Origin by Jessica Khoury is a part of Penguin's Breathless Reads. Khoury has created a world within the jungles of the the store rain forest, holding secrets beyond our imagination. I was excited to receive this book, not only for the gorgeous cover, but for what the synopsis has promised the reader. The the store is a large place, and to have a secret lab within it? Amazing! Origin screams science fiction and dystopia, and I couldn't wait to start reading it.

Deep within the the store is a secret laboratory called Little Cam. Little Cam is a compound that self-sustains enough resources to minimize outside contact. Little Cam holds one of the best kept secrets known to man - Pia. Pia is an immortal, perfect in every way. Years of scientific study has brought her to life, and she has perfected human flaw in so many ways. The scientists within Little Cam still need to test Pia, ensuring perfection to carry on the research as well as to mimic immortality to future subjects to come.

In the middle of the the store, a flower contains the elixir of Pia's immortality and perfection. What they don't take into account is human emotion. Pia longs to be outside of the electric fences of Little Cam and away from isolation, and on a special night, she finally gets her wish. Once outside of the compound, she learns the truths that the the store has to offer and the ugly lies that is the center of her universe.

Pia was raised in seclusion, only knowing her mother, father, and the scientists of Little Cam that is her family. She is the only young habitant of the compound, and is the only one who everyone constantly observes. I feel that there was a lot going against Pia, living her life under a microscope, waiting for the hope of perfection to be taken away. I admired who she was, and what she became. Pia was strong willed, and maybe naive at times, but I couldn't blame her for that. She matured as best as she could, with the parents and guardians that she had.

There are so many wonderful supporting characters, some that I absolutely loved and some that I loved to hate! I won't give out specifics to limit spoilers, but I will say that every scientist has a flaw. Aside from Pia, Khoury really showcased humanity and the flaws that are brought by our morals and emotions. I enjoyed how Khoury had the characters deal with topics as serious as morality, scientific research, and the decisions that someone inexperienced might make. I enjoyed the somewhat dark nature of the story as well as the balance that Khoury brought to the story.

I loved how Origin took place in the the store. There are so many wonders and secrets within the real the store that it translated beautifully onto paper. Khoury took creative license creating her own version of the the store, but with adding realistic elements. Khoury's world was detailed, allowing my imagination to step foot into the the store. I mean, I was there. I could hear the sounds, I could smell the fresh air, and I could easily have lived in Little Cam as much as Pia did.

It was fascinating to see how Khoury created her world, taken after a real place, and manipulate and change it to cater to her story. I adored the balance of good and evil that she placed within Origin, and I really loved the spectrum of characters that she included. While I may not have emotionally connected to every single aspect of Origin, I still feel that this was a great read.

FTC Advisory: Razorbill/Penguin provided me with a copy of Origin. No goody bags, sponsorships, "material connections," or bribes were exchanged for my review.

Origin is about Immortal Pia, a girl born from generations and generations of taking this immortal serum from the Elysia flower, and she is the first--and only--truly immortal being. But when she finds out how she came that way, but meeting natives in the outside world and learning secrets from the inside, the truth may haunt her for eternity.
I'll admit, I was a little hesitant to start this. I'm not usually a big Science Fiction person, but I was sure surprised with this. Pia, even though being immortal and dubbed as perfect she still is human. She still has feelings, and we get a good glimpse of that as the story progresses. This book is very intriguing and gets you thinking!

Origin as a stand alone was amazing! The only issue was the convenient Love interest. But all in all it was a fresh new take on what it is to be immortal and what you are willing to live with. It's also a great coming of age book. Full of twist turns and revelations. As pia deals with her immortality and living inside glass walls.

Now this as a companion book with Vitro is another thing. I think that if the ending of origin would have gone a different way. That author Jessica Khoury could have made a series unlike any other. And I also think it would have blown a lot of minds out of the water.

"*I received a copy of this book for free to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own."

Wow, what a great book!! Pia was just amazing, really enjoyed learning about the the store jungle and the world from her perspective :) My fave character was definitely Dr. Fields aka Dr. Klutz. The whole book was amazing and totally DID NOT see the end the way it turned out but really was a GREAT ending!! There's a heart pounding scene with an anaconda, a creepy scene with killer ants, and Pia's pet jaguar was wonderful. Also liked the Roosevelt rat, Sneeze the kitten, and other jungle animals mentioned in the story. Such a great clean YA book and an amazing debut, I definitely recommend this one to all YA book lovers!

Origin is told through the eyes of a science experiment, a girl who was bred to be immortal. Through her eyes we see her discover the truth about the world she inhabits, much like we did in the movie "The Truman Show" when Truman discovered that the world he was in wasn't really real...The story has some powerful points to make about ethics of biotechnology, and there are some terrific descriptions of rain forest life, a few action scenes that are well-scripted. I would have liked this book more if it were more meaty, and less simple in the narration, but I guess the target audience is a little younger and more female than I am.

Overall, this was a good read. Some good ideas, and some decent execution.

ORIGIN is a science fiction novel that appears to be a standalone. Say it with me ya'll: YES! I love a good, standalone sci fi novel and I am still craving them. Thus I am very happy that they seem to be becoming more popular in the young adult section. (Or at least the publishers are pushing the genre more.)

Pia is a spoiled brat living in Little Cam, a small laboratory hidden deep in the the store. She has reason to be spoiled. The scientists tell her she's perfect, the best at everything she does, although they work to keep her ignorant of the outside world. They also make her pass Wickham tests, and we all know something named after the cad from PRIDE & PREJUDICE can't be good. Pia is minimally curious about the outside world until a new scientist comes to Little Cam. Aunt Harriet is glamorous, flirtatious, and less inclined to keep secrets from Pia.

Just as Pia's curiosity is aroused, she discovers a hole in the fence and leaves the compound for the first time in her life. There she meets Eio and his people, the Ai'oa. Suddenly becoming a scientist isn't Pia's only goal. But she can't give up her original dream - because she's immortal and wants to create other immortals to live with.

When I started ORIGIN, I only meant to read a few chapters while waiting for my toenail polish to dry. I ended up finishing the book. I mean, obviously the scientists are up to no good, but I loved waiting to see how Pia would figure it out. I thought the relationship between Pia and Eio was well done too. Both grew up as outsiders - Pia being the youngest person around and immortal; Eio being half white - and they're both instantly attracted to someone who is more like them than anyone they've ever known. They do, however, spend time together before doing anything really crazy.

I also liked the subtle exploration of colonization, racism, and classism in ORIGIN. The scientists treat the native Ai'oa as stupid and ignorant and take over part of their land. Meanwhile, the Ai'oa are just as intelligent and any other people and know quite a bit more about the local flora than the scientists since they've been living with it for centuries. Pia learns things Little Cam never dreamed of because she bothers to get to know people.

ORIGIN is the anchor title of the Fall 2012 Breathless Reads campaign and I think Penguin made a great choice. I was breathless while reading Jessica Khoury's debut novel. ORIGIN will appeal to sci fi and romance fans, and the immortal angle might draw some paranormal fans into the SF fold.

Origin by Jessica Khoury was an intriguing and original story set in a setting that had me completely captured.

I was super annoyed with Pia for most of the book because she was such a spoiled brat and she complained all the time and I literally just wanted someone to give her a good kick in the butt. But at the same time, Jessica Khoury built up the setting and the characters so well that I totally understood why Pia was such a spoiled brat. It's like being an only child of 50 parents. She always gets what she wants and I kind of admire Jessica Khoury for creating a character that annoying. Granted, Pia did grow a lot in Origin. She found out a lot of secrets that made her second guess everything she knew and she finally learned how to stand up for herself, which I really admired.

I loved finding out the mysteries the jungle held as Pia did, not to mention all the secrets in Little Cam. I was shocked by many of the events in Origin - betrayal, lies, death, murder - there's a lot of sadness and hurt and betrayal in Little Cam and I really felt for Pia having to go through it all.

While the romance in Origin could be seen as a bit insta-lovey, I could totally understand their instant attraction. I thought Pia and Eio were made for each other - they both don't quite fit anywhere and I just thought they really worked together.

I'm going to warn you animal lovers now, there is definitely a moment of very upsetting cat death in Origin. I sobbed and sobbed and sobbed. It definitely broke my heart.

But I really liked the story of Origin. Some parts of the story dragged a bit, but I loved the idea of a science compound in the middle of the jungle experimenting with immortality and I thought Jessica Khoury did a great job at building up the mystery. I was rooting for Pia the whole way to stand up for what she knew was right and I loved what followed after.

And, strangely enough, I think (although I can't say for sure) that Origin is a standalone, which is definitely refreshing. And even if it's not, the ending of Origin is perfectly done and I closed the book feeling satisfied and vindicated.

Although Origin was not without its flaws, I thought it was an excellent debut and I'll definitely be reading more from Jessica Khoury. Origin was full of intriguing secrets and upsetting truths and characters that you can't help but root for.

I was intrigued by the plot description. A story about an immortal girl that takes place in the the store rain forest? Sounds pretty unique. However, what potentially could have been a book that set itself apart from the recent onslaught of teen fantasy/dystopia love stories ended up being pretty run of the mill. However, that said, I still enjoyed reading it and Khoury has some lovely descriptive imagery to really bring the setting of this story alive. That was the highlight of the book for me. As others have mentioned though, I thought the characters were fairly one-dimensional and the plot a bit slow.

Over the years I've learned that what really makes a great book is great character development. When an author is able to create characters that feel like real people. You don't always have to like them (I found Pia annoying pretty much throughout the entire book) or even relate to them - but great character depth and development will drive you to keep reading nonetheless. Origin was lacking that. I didn't feel anything for the characters. I was more interested in the premise of the story and intrigued about how the whole immortality thing would play out (and sadly, even the plot turned out to be a little bit of a let down).

I found the romance to be a major disappointment. Super lame. Like every other so-so teen book being written nowadays. There was no zest in their relationship.
Wow. Beautiful, perfect, amazing, super-human girl falls in love with handsome, mysterious, hot-bodied boy - did I mention he has these amazing blue eyes?? Ooh la la. Tell me more!
-_- Actually, please stop.

Nearly every time Pia and Eio were together I gagged at their starry-eyed, lovey-dovey annoyingness. Dude, why does Eio even like Pia? She's beautiful. She's perfect. They ran into each other and she had a jaguar. Umm. Okay? Still not seeing how that adds up to this super intense eternal love...

Okay, enough complaining about the romance part! It just wasn't my thing.

Overall, decent book. I don't love it. I don't hate it. I enjoyed it while I was reading, but probably won't remember it. Origin makes for a quick read, with a fairly unique focus, but lackluster characters and action. Ho-hum. I suppose if you're feeling bored and are looking for something light and fluffy with a side of jungle you should check this book out.

First off, this book is a sweetly told story about a young girl, Pia, dealing with expectations and her own emotions/wants that start to conflict more and more with what is expected of her. Pia is 17 years old but has not had the opportunity to lead anything close to a normal life and spends the few years she has had hidden away in the the store rain forest. She is the first immortal human and has the hope of joining the elite Immortis team to help create others like her, others that she will live for eternity alongside. Along the way she is given tests, the Wickham tests, that she must pass in order to prove that she is ready to learn the secrets of catalyst and is strong enough to be a member of the team.

Pia has always had her mind set on joining the team and making more like her but her heart becomes separated from her mind one fateful night when she enters the jungle in secret. While exploring the jungle she has been unable to touch for so many years, she runs into a boy her age named Eio that takes her breath away. He is so exotic to her and she can't help but be swept away by his charm, protectiveness, beliefs, and strong moral compass. Pia has only known her way of life with the scientists but Eio shows her that there are better ways to live. He always refers the camp that Pia lives in as a cage and Pia a bird that has been in her cage so long she no longer realizes it is a prison, even when she tastes freedom. They start to fall in love but Pia is naive, believing that she can live in two worlds, one with Eio and one in the camp with the scientists. Two dreams rage a war inside her mind. The dream to make immortals and finally fit in or the dream to be with Eio the boy who she accidentally let steal her heart.

As Pia discovers that her little camp may not be as good as she believes it to be, she can not turn her back on it even with Eio and others urging her to leave and escape before it is too late. Khoury correctly betrays how very much Pia is just a human girl, not wanting to believe in the darkness in people and not being able to make up her mind on two very important matters. The author also illustrates the bitter sweetness Pia feels about being in love with Eio and every detail in this book is filled with such richness that every time you pick it up you are instantly flown to the green the store jungle. This story is so fast paced and before you know it, you become wrapped up in the adventurers of the perfect Pia who both her and ourselves come to realize is just as imperfect as all of us. This story is about legacy, love, and finding what you are willing to fight and die for.

This book deals with something mankind has been obsessed with since the beginning of time. Being immortal. Jessica Khoury beautifully takes this age old desire to live forever and spins a tale of what humans are capable of doing to reach a "greater good". What horrors we are able to do to each other with the mindset that "the ends always justify the means". Throughout this novel I found myself pondering the questions, What would I do for immortality? How far would I be willing to go in order to save a loved one?

I would recommend this book to all of my friends and I have re-read it twice already. It is the kind of book that even when you re-read it, it still somehow takes your breath away and your heart beats in sync with the characters. Some of the plot is predictable but Khoury has such talent with the written word that even when I had guessed what was going to happen next it was better in every aspect than I was expecting it to be. I always look for books that can transport me into their world and this book did just that.

ORIGIN by Jessica Khoury is a beautifully written book. It's clear from the first page that Khoury did her research on the plants and animals, the weather and customs of the jungle. Unfortunately, for a book whose plot should have been gripping, the tension gets lost in the beauty and character development. The last third flew by in the action and revelation that I expected from the entire book. Don't get me wrong! I very much enjoyed the descriptions and the character development, but I just wish it had been mixed with more balanced pacing. The story itself was solid and, as I said, well written. The ending did turn a bit more fantasy than science fiction, in my opinion, though I'm sure others will disagree with me.

I think the thing that bothered me the most about the book, as many other reviewers have mentioned, is the instalove. It was almost Romeo and Juliet-esque. I mean, the entire book took place over about a week and by the last chapter they were declaring their unending love. I'm pretty lax on this usually, but in ORIGIN it was the Mary Sue of all instaloves. She'd never met a boy her own age before, she was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen... Badabing badaboom.

I will add that some people have addressed the subject of animal cruelty. Yes, it is quite prevalent. From chapter one you are introduced to the kind of experiments that happen in Little Cam. They are shocking, they are disturbing, but on the whole I felt they were necessary to the plot. Khoury was not gratuitous with her cruelty.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and I believe that others will, too. I listed it at four stars, but I wish I could have given it three-and-a-half for the instalove. A lot of people must not mind that, though, since it's pretty prevalent in YA. I probably won't reread this book, but I do look forward to seeing what Khoury writes next.

This book had it all! Romance, sci-fi, mystery, and a futuristic story. It was great and I love the main character is AWESOME!!!!!! There is tons of suspense... anyone who likes ALTERED, WHAT'S LEFT OF ME, DIVERGENT OR THE HUNGER GAMES IS SURE TO LOVE THIS ONE! My only complaint *°and this might have spoilers to people who have not read it EXIT THIS REVIEW....*°

>was that they did not explain the village as much as I would have liked.... it sounds magical, but it could have been described in more detail so I really could "see" what Pia was seeing.

As I finish reading I am left sitting here thinking over the questions and views of humanity that the story raised. This is definitely one that will stick with me and will continue to make me think for days to come. While the story was original it covered the basic premise of good and evil and what man is willing to do to achieve his goals, morality be damned. I wish I could be more eloquent, but my head is still trying to wrap itself fully around the story.

Looking for something different? You found it! This book is filled with twists and turns, characters you'll love, and characters you'll hate. It's all the good stuff, in one story. It's about scientists who are at a secret location, trying to figure out human immortality. I don't want to put any spoilers out there for those who haven't read this, so that's all I'll say about the premise... but it's awesome. The storyline is well thought out, and the book is well written. I'll definitely read more by this author if it comes along!!!

enjoyed this book. It was more sci-fi than anything else, which I don't always like, but I did like this one.

I think it was the fact that I liked Pia so much. She was just a great character. All her life she grew up hearing how perfect she was yet you could tell that she knew something wasn't quite right. For being immortal and so perfect, she had a heart that was real and emotions that were real. I liked Eio too although I feel that their relationship was a little quick.

The only thing that I didn't like was that the story and reason of how Pia became immortal, and how others tried to become immortal was a little confusing to me. I got it by the end, but at the time when the story was told, and when she figured it out, I was lost.

But overall, great novel by a debut author. I look forward to reading more by Jessica Khoury.

How can I describe this book? WOW! Fantastic story. It was exciting, edge of your seat action, and romantic. There were so very many characters in this story that I just loved like Uncle Antonio, Aunt Harriett, Ami..........just to name a few. The conclusion of the story really did a great job in tying all the levels of the story together in a believable way. Great job on the first novel Jessica!!!

Deep within the the store rain forest, groups of scientist have created something impossible. Strikingly beautiful and vibrant with life Pia, is the only one of her kind. With skin unable to break, Pia can never bleed and never die, she is immortal. But immortality is hard to bear alone. Knowing that everyone you know and love will one day die, drives Pia to become a scientist herself, and discover the secret to immorality and with that knowledge develop a race of immortals, and a Perfect immortal man of her own. Secluded within the small and secretive scientific community, Pia is completely unaware of the outside world. A world she hears about in whispers and sees through her glass house.
On the night of her seventeenth birthday, Pia discovers a hole in the electric fence that cages her, and escapes into the jungle. There she discovers a native village, and a boy Eio. Together they search for the truth about Pia's origin, and what the scientist are really hiding in their secret laboratory. Their discovery uncovers some shocking truths and the consequences of seeking immorality no matter the costs.
Filled with beautiful scenery and endearing characters, Jessica Khoury first novel provides a shocking storyline that is thought provoking and emotionally intense, readers will not want to put down Origin.
Recommended for readers age 12-17.
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Origin caught my interest from the cover to the ending. I knew that any story in the Rainforest would be worth reading. Discovering a way to create immortality while engaging with an ancient tribe held me spellbound. I read this all the way from Georgia to Louisiana, rapidly flipping from one page to the next. My only complaint would be the "all too convenient" meeting of these two societies - don't want to give too much away! A very entertaining read! Well done, Jessica Khoury!

Following the age-old adage "just because you can, doesn't mean you should", Origin is a unique story that proves our most basic instincts of survival, love and compassion are worth fighting for.

This unique story was so much fun to read! Set in the jungle, the small scientific community of Little Cam gives birth to Pia, a perfect immortal girl. On the cusp of her 17th birthday, Pia's life is forever changed by a boy names Eio and the freedom he represents.

Pia is a typical teenager in so many ways. Curious and always questioning, Pia places her trust in the community that has raised her. She has no access to the outside world and doesn't know what exists outside the electric fence that fortifies her prison. When her inquiries lead to more questions than answers she finds out that things aren't what they appear to be.

Unable to resist the temptation of the jungle, Pia meets Eio, a native villager who has ties to Little Cam. Eio is not the Mr. Perfect Pia had in mind but love isn't about to let these two go. It's their sweet first love that really gives the book an endearing quality. Eio's Tarzan to Pia's Jane.

Pia has to learn some hard lessons and heartbreak becomes inevitable. The author poses some real ethical dilemmas between science and morality and it definitely makes you think. Her descriptions bring the jungle to life.

Movie rights have already been picked up for the book. I think this would make a great movie!

If you looking for something YA that's outside the box and not the typical dystopian theme, this one is a great one! Much better than Matched!

Jessica Khoury is married to a former colleague of mine, so I was very excited to finally get my hands on this book. I'm not a fan of YA fiction but I heard many good things about Origin and I wanted to see what the buzz was about.

What I got was a mixed bag. Khoury's writing style is very lush and vivid, and she really brings the jungle to life. As is typical of female-centric YA fiction, the story is very emotive and driven by the characters' feelings and passions. However, since I'm not an emotionally volatile teenage girl, I found my attention waning as the story dragged along, but things finally got kicking in the last quarter of the book.

Origin is unfortunately a victim of the "insta-love" virus, and Pia's love interest, a perpetually-shirtless jungle hunk with a heart of gold, is a bit bland and simplistic. The rest of the characters fare little better. In the world of Origin, scientists=bad, tribal people=good. I found its treatment of scientists and and science in general to be rather offensive. This is clearly a book written for white suburban readers, and the vibrant jungle natives are everything the cold, calculating scientists are not.

The action finally picks up in the last 100 pages, and it's quite a ruckus. As for "The Big Secret," well, I saw it coming, and the rest of the revelations ranged from "hmm, whaddya know" to "ummm...seriously?" But as I said before, this is a book driven by emotion and passion, and I don't think the target audience would be too picky about these things.

Origin is brilliantly written but has way more heart than brains. It was a fun, breezy read that is perfect for tween girls with innocent ideas about the world and love. And even if you're not, you can still enjoy it. Just don't look at it under a microscope.

Absolutely loved this book! I got so sucked into the story I canceled my Sunday plans so I could stay home and keep reading. I just had to know how things end for Pia and Eio, and I wasn't disappointed. I also had to know what the big secret of Little Cam was, and I wasn't disappointed there either. You know it's going to be something bad, but I wasn't expecting it to be so horrific. This is definitely on my list of highly recommended reads. It deals with issues you wouldn't want too young a mind exposed to, but middle school up should be safe.

This book was enticing from the very beginning!

It has an original plot that kept me on my toes as I read. It surprised me at every turn, as I was not expecting certain outlooks on the science in the story.

The characters were tangible in both description and emotions. They had very human doubts and emotional pain.

The writing was very good and entertaining.

The way the author incorporated the scientific aspect without making it seem to heavy was very smart.

Also I loved the fact that the book stands alone, it doesn't need a series to be epic and memorable.

Overall, such an amazing book, I definitely will be following this author to her next book!

Dear Aunt Harriet or should I say Jessica Khoury,
Not going to lie, started reading this and felt like it for was a much younger reader. Best for 12-15 years of age but the truth is a good book, is a good book and my husband and I really enjoyed it. I know anyone at any age will.
Thank you for writing such a fun book that made me cry bunches. I really enjoyed it!
Keep writing.

Reading through Origin, I was completely enveloped into another world. Great read for both men and women. A perfect balance of science, adventure, and romance. Having just read the Hunger Games, I was longing for the next adventure - this book did not disappoint. Thank you, Jessica Khoury, for providing this experience. I cannot wait to read your next book!

I was drawn in from the first chapter. The characters were so unique and this was not just another YA knock off of other writers. I really enjoyed this book and will definitely read her other book Vitro.

Brillant Amazing Romantic Syfi Action Book
This book was really good i had no idea what the big secret test was, the book was creepy but not to the complete x rated creepy. it was a book that i was glad that i read.

I was so looking forward to reading this book. Pia was born in a secret lab deep in the jungle of the the store. She's born perfect. She doesn't get sick, her skin is like that of Superman - can't be pinched by needles, she doesn't grow old-er, she is super smart and she is soon to become a scientist to help make others like herself and help create the perfect new race.

There is also Eio, a boy from a nearby village who Pia meets one night when she escapes the lab and ventures into the jungle. They fall in love and he urges Pia to leave the lab and run away with him.

For me, the concept of immortality is a very interesting one. Unfortunately, the book is very simple and kind of black and white to read.

A few points are:
1) It is never fully explained how Pia was made. She has a father and a mother but, was she born naturally? Was she a normal baby? Did she grow up like regular kids do or kind of like that movie Splice?
2) It looks like everyone who lives in this lab/facility called Little Cam has been there since they were... 15? How is that?
3) Pia is supposed to be this super smart girl but her reasoning and dialogue seem pretty dumb to me.
4) There is a secret room where Pia is forbidden to go... why?
5) Others who tried to escape where "discouraged" from ever doing so... What is really going on in Little Cam?

I never really found out what Little Cam is about. Why or who people were chosen to live there, why you couldn't ever leave, what kind of lab or experiments were taking place... oh! I just didn't find any sense to the story other than bring Pia and Eio together, create a love story and give it a happy ending.

I guess the dialogue between Pia and Eio is dull because English is Eio's second language. But for God's sake! Did it have to be that dragging and boring?

I didn't feel any momentum rising in the book. I didn't feel any sense of adventure either (as the book is cataloged under `adventure'). I didn't feel any type of connection to Pia or anybody else.

What I liked: I liked the general idea of the book and the ending. It was very interesting discovering where Pia's perfection came from!

In the intriguing, mysterious thriller, Origin, author Jessica Khoury takes readers to a secluded camp, Little Cam: a camp run by mad scientists trying to uncover the most desirable secret of mankind, immortality. Located in the midst of a jungle, Little Cam is the home of the only immortal known to man, Pia. Having been born and raised in Little Cam, Pia knows nothing of the outside world, specifically, past the camps’ walls; all of her knowledge has come from strictly selected texts that contain, “No maps. No radios. No photographs” (Khoury 24). Being immortal, Pia has impenetrable skin with enhanced senses and sharpened reflexes. With a dream of becoming a scientist (along with her family) and discovering the secrets of her origin, Pia fully embraces their ways, until she begins to disagree with the harmful tests that are being performed. Being young and seventeen, curiosity for the outside world begins to slowly corrupt Pia’s sensible mind, and with the harsh tests bearing down on her, it creates a mixture of rebellion within Pia that begins to change her views of Little Cam and motivate her to speed the process of learning her origin. Finding her rebelliousness taking over, she finds herself outside of Little Cam, in the jungle, where she meets Eio, a local boy from the Ai’oan tribe. There she learns very little, however, just enough information about her origin to completely shake her world. Determined to uncover the over-abundance of lies that she had been previously cocooned in, Pia finds that her origin may be even more darker -deadlier- than she thought.
Initially reading the book, I had imagined it would be the overly-cliche, fictional story, with the entire plot being ransacked by the overrated idea of “love,” as well as having the the most used theme that “love is everlasting.” However, I was entirely surprised and extremely delighted to find that the theme of the book was that one cannot put complete trust in what one is being taught, but rather expand one’s horizons and challenge the new ideas presented. In fact, the simplicity of love in this novel truly enriched the entire plot, highlighting the protagonist and keeping the reader on their toes. I truly enjoyed the development of Pia throughout the book, as she transformed from someone who simply believed everything that she was told, to becoming questioning and self-discovering. Khoury’s style of combining different types of fiction, from love, fantasy, thriller, horror, and mystery, truly complimented one another, which I found to be most distinguishable part of this book. I would highly recommend Origin to avid readers who enjoy a wide variety of fictional genres. Additionally, I would recommend this novel to teenagers, specifically those in high school, as this book expresses the dangers of simply absorbing information that may not be entirely accurate, such as fake news. And, as being those with a closer relationship to technology than any other previous generation, I think that this book truly has a valuable lesson of not just accepting what is taught or read, but rather challenging it and learning off of one’s experiences.