What's Left of Me

**NOTE: I've released this writing for the El Paso Public Library to use in their blogs.**

What’s Left of Me by Kat Zhang

Because of the Hunger Games, Science Fiction, and especially books about Dystopias are very popular right now. Some of the new dystopian novels feel like “read-alikes.” They’re very similar to one another. But What’s Left of Me is so unique and so interesting that it’s certainly a “must read.”

What’s Left of Me takes place in an alternate universe. It’s the United States, but it’s not as we know it. The US was once at war with the rest of the world and now it is a very isolationist country with no contact with other countries. This is interesting, but it’s not the most interesting thing about What’s Left of Me. In this alternate world, you see, everyone is born with two souls.

It’s normal to be born with two souls, each of which is named separately and has their own personality. It’s expected that at around the age of five or so, however, that one personality will become dominant and the other will naturally fade away. This is called “settling” and those who settle are normal while those who do not are considered mentally ill and potentially dangerous. No one knows what happens to the other soul that disappears. It often feels in the story that while it’s considered normal to settle, it’s also very sad that it happens, too.

The main characters are Addie and Eva who share a body. Addie is the dominant soul and Eva was supposed to fade away—but she didn’t. The book is narrated by Eva who watches the world out of Addie’s eyes, conscious, alive, but unable to control anything in the world around her. Eva and Addie have convinced most of the world that Eva is gone. The two soul sisters talk to each other, share dreams, occasionally bicker and always help one another.

Addie and Eva’s secret is revealed by a schoolmate who has also secretly not settled. She has both of her personalities and so does her brother. They get Addie and Eva involved in helping Eva gain more control of their body and her future. As Eva grows stronger, both she and Addie are put into more and more danger.

While many aspects of What’s Left of Me may seem initially confusing, Zhang explains and describes the world in the book well enough that the reader can identify and understand everything. The struggle for identity and fighting the loss of self is a theme that we can all identify with. The characters are likeable and realistic.

This book is the first part in a series, but there isn’t a cliff-hanger at the end. If you’re looking for some new Sci-Fi with a distinctive twist, this book is for you. 

Check out the downloadable eBook at the El Paso Public Library.