In the deep Amazon’s jungle is hidden a laboratory complex called Little Cam in which unethical medical research is being conducted. Pia, a young and exceptional immortal girl, is a product of centuries of biotechnological experimentation. Pia knows nothing but Little Cam as her hometown. She has grown happily and has been kept away from the outside world by scientists. On her seventeenth birthday, Pia finds herself troubled by the urge to discover the world outside of Little Cam and feels drawn by the attractive rainforest that surrounds it. From that day on, things will never be the same.

I enjoyed reading Origin. The author deals with the theme of dystopia quite well. How far ethical genetic engineering can go? She “met en scene” a bunch of scientists who know no limits on achieving their goal. In Origin, the moral principles are baffled. It got me thinking about the danger of certain medical practices that completely ignore value, judgment and ethics to the benefit of science and evolution. Without the fantastic elements, the story is perfectly plausible. This quote from the book “the end justifies the means,” explains quite well their dangerous immortality ideology. The inter- love story (which is not the focus of the storyline in my opinion) was beautifully integrated into the plot. It might be cheesy at times, but well, let’s not forget the age of the protagonists and the context in which they grew up, because it might justify their inexperience with love. I loved the duality between science and fantasy, between Little Cam and the Ioan village tribe, the struggle of Pia’s rationality against irrationality. Origin raises existential questions. I also like the element of nature, its detailed description and its visualization make it so vivid and colourful. Perfect for an escaptionist like me.

It is beautifully written. I adore the poetic and philosophical writing style. It is a fast-paced-book. Easy to read. It never let me down. I devoured it !The book cover is the reason why I bought the book in the first place. I find it interesting, intriguing and mysterious. I like the fact that it is textured. This gives a 3D aspect to the book. It draws you into the deep forest of the Amazon that comes to life.

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