In similar novels it annoys me how the main characters are always breaking the rules from the start and then they are surprised when there are consequences. I instantly fell in love with Eve! She is so sweet and real and not at all like your typical dystopian teen protagonist. It didn’t detract from my enjoyment overall though. Having said that, a few of the inventions and scenarios did stretch my imagination a bit too far, making it confusing and less believable. They manage to throw it all together to create something new and original, which is impressive. Not just Disney but from sci-fi too, taking inspiration from the likes of Avatar and Doctor Who. The world that Giovanna and Tom have created is vast and it borrows from lots of different places. Only this time instead of living in a kingdom and being required to continue the royal blood line she is in the middle of dystopian London and is expected to literally reboot humanity! It’s very strange but it works! It’s like a Disney movie! Eve is the princess, sitting in the highest room of the tallest tower with maids (the Mothers) tending to her every need, tasked with choosing her ideal partner from a group of carefully selected appropriate men. To be honest, I found the story line weird at first. However, when the meetings with the Potentials don’t go to plan, she begins to question everything she knows, with the support of her closest friend. She is relatively at ease with the task and she looks forward to bearing the responsibilities ahead.

It is down to Eve to choose the best match. These are boys that have been specially selected for their compatibility, breeding qualities and preparedness for a life dedicated to repopulating Earth. We join Eve when she is 16, and she is getting ready to meet her three Potentials. She is named Eve and she is destined to be the saviour of humanity.

That is until miracle happens a girl is born.

A generation of men is living on the brink of extinction in the freezing flood waters of a planet ravaged by climate change.

Eve of Man is definitely my most anticipated book of the year so when I was granted an early review copy it felt like all my Christmases had come at once, and my goodness it did not disappoint! I don’t know what I expected when Tom and Gi teased an announcement earlier this year, but it certainly wasn’t that they had written a book together, and especially not that it would be the first in a trilogy of YA dystopian novels based on gender. I was not obliged to write or share this review and they have no influence over the content of the post. The publisher Michael Joseph sent me a free advance copy of this book through NetGalley to review. Featured Image: A picture of the authors and book cover on a cityscape background, with the authors’ names at the top.

Giovanna fletcher eve of man