Review: Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano

Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano

Publisher: 2013 Simon & Schuester

Pages: 356

Series: Internment Chronicles #1

"On Internment, the floating island in the clouds where 16-year-old Morgan Stockhour lives, getting too close to the edge can lead to madness. Even though Morgan's older brother, Lex, was a Jumper, Morgan vows never to end up like him. She tries her best not to mind that her life is orderly and boring, and if she ever wonders about the ground, and why it is forbidden, she takes solace in best friend Pen and her betrothed, Basil.

Then a murder, the first in a generation, rocks the city. With whispers swirling and fear on the wind, Morgan can no longer stop herself from investigating, especially when she meets Judas. He is the boy being blamed for the murder — betrothed to the victim — but Morgan is convinced of his innocence. Secrets lay at the heart of Internment, but nothing can prepare Morgan for what she will find — or who she will lose."

I first read this novel solely because it was written by Lauren DeStefano who also penned the Chemical Garden Trilogy, which I LOVED. DeStefano is able to create such imaginative worlds that burst out of the pages where they live. Every book she writes is absolutely amazing and Perfect Ruin is no exception. Everything in this book was thought out. The plot, the characters, the cliff hanger. It was all amazing! I ripped through this book in no time at all, that's how good it was. 

Internment is a small floating island in the sky. Because of that, no one knows what is below them on the ground, it is actually illegal to try to find out. Because of the limited space, there are rules and regulations that every citizen must follow. Each person is matched with someone when they are born that will become their spouse when they reach a certain age. This aspect makes me think of the Matched Series by Ally Condie. Except on Internment, everyone knows who they are going to marry from a very early age. Also because of the limited space only a certain amount of people are allowed to live. That means that every female has to wait their turn to have a child. When an elderly person dies, a woman is allowed to get pregnant. Not any other time. This of course causes problems if a woman accidentally gets pregnant, like what happens with Morgan's sister-in-law. Since Internment is covered in restrictions it is no wonder people are going to attempt to leave. Those that try jumping are always pushed back onto land and suffer some form of disability such as blindness. 

The story starts when a young girl is murdered. No one knows what to think of it, especially Morgan. When she meets the boy who is the prime suspect, she believes that he is innocent. This bring ups a whole new question as to who murdered the girl. As Morgan attempts to understand the world she lives on, others are attempting to stop her. At one point she even gets kidnapped by the Prince and Princess. And let me tell you, they are a little messed up in the head. But Morgan is of course a strong girl who will do anything to protect those she loves including her brother and his wife, her best friend, and Basil, her betrothed. 

Though I stated in my review of Matched by Ally Condie, matching up two people to get married is the ultimate form of control and rather sick, I don't think that applies in this book. What I see between Basil and Morgan really is love, despite all else. Even though they have been told that they are meant for each other since they were little, they still actually chose to fall in love with each other. I don't doubt that there will be problems with them in the next book, Morgan will probably start falling for someone else. But I have faith that these two really are meant for each other. 

Okay I want to talk about the ending now. SPOILER ALERT. At the end of the novel, a group of insurgents including Morgan, her brother and his wife, her best friend, and Basil, all get in a ship that was constructed to take them to the ground. Ultimately they succeed and land. The very end is Morgan about to leave the ship. The huge questions are: What is outside the ship? How is everything going to play out? Are they ever going to go back to Internment? I need the sequel now! 

Overall, I thought this was an amazing book! There is absolutely nothing I have to criticism. It was well thought out, interesting, and original! I can't wait for the second installment to his shelves! In the mean time I will bug all of you to go and read Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano!

-Shawnee Smith