Pure by Julianna Baggott

Before Pressia lived a normal life, although because she was 6 when the Detonations happened she doesn't remember it. Now what wasn't completely destroyed by the nuclear Detonations has been transformed into something else. Those who survived are called Wretches and they are usually fused with some object, animal (beasts), land (dusts) or each other (groupies). Pressia was holding her doll at the time and now the doll's head is her hand; her grandfather has a handheld fan fused in his throat. Survival is becoming increasingly difficult and if you reach the age of 16, the OSR takes you. Pressia's birthday is just a few days away and grandfather has been helping her prepare to hide and escape.

There are a select few who did survive the blasts without becoming fused. The Pures live under the Dome in a controlled environment, waiting and preparing for the day they can reenter the world. Partridge is a Pure. His father is one of the leaders who helped design the Dome. He has never been close with his father and lately things are getting worse. His brother committed suicide not long ago and his mother died in the blast. But Partridge is starting to suspect that she may have survived and he wants to find away out of the Dome to find her.

Is it really possible to escape and survive outside the Dome? What fate awaits Pressia and Partridge? What brings their worlds together? How did society and the world even come to this? Would you be one of the wretched or the Pure?

Why I picked up the book: Our Roosevelt HS book club picked it. The butterflies on the front and back covers are beautiful.

Why I finished it: While I don't normally choose dystopian, I couldn't put it down. I'd find myself reading 80 pages or more in a sitting. Now I want to read Fused and find out what happens next.

I'd give it to: Older teen and adult readers who like science fiction dystopian and apocalyptic stories. Readers who like "The Host", "Hunger Games", "Divergent", or "The Maze Runner".

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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