Birthmarked - (Birthmarked Trilogy) by Caragh M O'Brien (Paperback)

About the Book

IN THE ENCLAVE, YOUR SCARS SET YOU APART, and the newly born will change the future.

Sixteen-year-old Gaia Stone and her mother faithfully deliver their quota of three infants every month. But when Gaia's mother is brutally taken away by the very people she serves, Gaia must question whether the Enclave deserves such loyalty. A stunning adventure brought to life by a memorable heroine, this dystopian debut will have readers racing all the way to the dramatic finish.

Book Synopsis

In the future, in a world baked dry by the harsh sun, there are those who live inside the wall and those, like sixteen-year-old midwife, Gaia Stone, who live outside. Gaia has always believed it is her duty, with her mother, to hand over a small quota of babies to the Enclave. But when Gaia's mother and father are arrested by the very people they so dutifully serve, Gaia is forced to question everything she has been taught to believe. Gaia's choice is now simple: enter the world of the Enclave to rescue her parents, or die trying.

Review Quotes

"Readers who enjoy adventures with a strong heroine standing up to authority against the odds will enjoy this compelling tale." --School Library Journal

"A wonderful addition to the dystopian genre." --TeensReadToo.com

"Reminiscent of both 1984 and a Brave New World, this gripping page-turner is a perfect intro to futuristic, dystopian fiction . . . Readers accompany the novel's inspiring heroine on an undertaking brimming with danger, intrigue, and romance." --Education.com

"O'Brien's . . . impulsive and spirited heroine . . . is the kind readers adore." --Booklist

"This science fiction adventure is a brisk and sometimes provocative read, thanks to solid pacing, a resourceful heroine, and a few surprise twists." --Publishers Weekly

"Well-written and fast-paced." --VOYA

"In grand dystopic tradition." --Kirkus Reviews

"It was a very good book that made me think." --Abby, age 12

"I love dystopian futures. Birthmarked is great dystopian future." --Sam, age 16

About the Author

Since earning an MA in the Writing Seminars at Johns Hopkins University, Caragh M. O'Brien has been a high school teacher, an author of romance novels, and now a novelist for teens. Her novels Birthmarked and Prized were named YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults. Birthmarked was also a Junior Library Guild Selection and chosen for the ALA 2011 Amelia Bloomer List.