Title:  Imitation
Author: Heather Hildenbrand
Publisher/Year: Alloy entertainment 7/29/14
Length: 227
Series: Clone Chronicles #1

Overview

Everyone is exactly like me. There is no one like me.

Ven wrestles with these contradicting truths every day. A clone of wealthy eighteen-year-old Raven Rogen, Ven knows everything about the girl she was created to serve: the clothes she wears, the boys she loves, the friends she loves to hate. Yet she’s never met the Authentic Raven face-to-face. Imitations like Ven only get to leave the lab when they’re needed—to replace a dead Authentic, donate an organ, or complete a specific mission. And Raven has neverneeded Ven . . . until now.

When there is an attack on Raven’s life, Ven is thrust into the real world, posing as Raven to draw out the people who tried to harm her. But as Ven dives deeper into Raven’s world, she begins to question everything she was ever told. She exists for Raven, but is she prepared to sacrifice herself for a girl she’s never met?

My Thoughts

So i got a copy of this book through NetGalley, one of my favorite ARC locales and i’m happy to say that this was a good one to stumble upon.  I’m a sucker for good dystopia and good cover art, of which this has both.

So as the summary above says, we meet Ven who’s living in Twig City – a place where clones are being produced for the rich and well to do in the world.  For what reasons they’ll be needed and when, no one knows.  Only that you have to learn to adapt the EXACT mannerisms etc of the person that you’ve been cloned from so that you’re ready when the time comes.  It’s just that point in time that Ven is called, and for what she’s going to do – it’s something that she’s never expected.

Where we go in this story is expected yes, but a nice journey never the less.  What throws me, which means it was well written is that you don’t know who the good guys are and who the bad guys are, yet you know that there are a few that you’re rooting for.  You also don’t know what the next twist is going to be or who the next familiar face is going to be coming along.  that’s something that Ven has to deal with on a regular basis, especially when she learns that her father (Raven’s at least) is the true creator of Imitations, and it’s creepy enough as is.

Ven learned that her purpose is to draw out the person who’s trying to attack Raven, but between you and I – i still don’t know that i believe that anyone was after her – at least anyone that wasn’t led by her father.  We’ll see i suppose.  Ven comes into a world that has bodyguards, boys and friends that are all a bit vapid and painful to be around, except for Linc – who you want to be her love interest, and someone that she can’t be with.

Ven learns that she’s surrounded by the ‘Authentics’ that are the basis for her friends in Twig City and that makes her feel a little better, but if only it were that easy too.  She’s seeing things go down in a way that’s unsafe.  She herself is targeted, and for being a Product, not being Raven, so that makes things even more complicated.  All the while, we know that we can trust her father, and some of her friends.

So what we get in this interesting first story is about as deep as you can expect with YA and Dystopia, as well as a little bit of romance and teen angst.  A few bits of ‘I Love You’s’ mixed in and still a lot of questions.  Who’s on whom’s payroll, who knows more than they are letting on and still…..who can you trust.

We’re taken to an interesting community of folks as this story progresses, and an even more dynamic cast of characters.  I can only hope that the job that Ven has to do is worth the risk and something that she can come back from….intact.  So, that being said, i’m going to track down the next installment and see what these guys can get into next.