Children of Eden book review

Well, well, well. This is surprising. A book by Joey Graceffa. Wow. This would definitely be more dramatic in a video, but okay.

Joey Graceffa, who until recently I only knew as a YouTuber, wrote a book. And I have to say, it’s definitely not what I expected. I mean, I went in with the bar set low and boy was it tromped. Seeing as the book is about Earth, does that count as a pun? Never mind. Let me tell you what I thought about this book.

As I said earlier, I didn’t really have high hopes for this book. Better to not expect anything then to be disappointed. But Children of Eden didn’t disappoint.

The book follows a girl, Rowan, who happens to be born at a time when second children are a crime. The earth is dead. Most of it, anyway. And those who survived now live in this technologically advanced city called Eden. But in order to conserve resources until the earth is healed again, citizens are only allowed to have one child. Which is a problem for Rowan, because she’s a second child.

Thankfully, Rowan is born into a privileged household and her parents can afford to hide her. Her brother, Ash is the lucky one. He’s allowed to attend school and venture into the world without risk. Rowan can’t, because she doesn’t have the technology that all citizens of Eden have. And she can’t get one because she would be immediately marked as a second child and killed or tortured. We’re not sure.

One day, Rowan is informed that she’ll soon be able to see the world, but with a new family. It is that same day that Rowan sneaks out of the house, and her life ultimately changes. She meets new people, experiences Eden for the first time, and is also found out as a second child and hunted. It is that night that everything begins. And before long, we find Rowan questioning the truth about Eden and its elite. Was the earth really destroyed? Why were second children hunted? Why was she special? Why was there a segregation between the rich and the poor? Why, in fact, were people poor in Eden if the resources were for everyone?

In finding the answers to those questions, she meets more friends, experiences new heights of danger, understands pain, loss and anger. She finds that there is more to Eden, the earth, and even humans than is known.

I was definitely impressed by the book. The writing style, the action, the humor, and even the subtle hints every now and then. Joey did a really great job with this book. Enticing scenes, vivid descriptions and weird curse words help make this a quite enjoyable read.

I’m not much of a Sci-fi fan, but this book did justice to Utopias and their relationship with nature. It did almost feel like The Giver in a way, with the secluded city, but in its own right. Joey manages to tell a story that isn’t entirely new, but with not enough old stuff to bug it down.

I definitely recommend this book. It was an exciting read, and I can’t wait to see what happens in the second book in the series, Elites of Eden. There’s some explaining to do, like Rowan’s other self? And whatever it is that happened right before that. It was quite a haze.

Thank you so much for reading this review. Also, make sure to subscribe using the button below the page so you don’t miss new posts. If you have any questions, leave them in the comments section, and I’ll answer them as soon as I can. Till next time, have fun reading!