Theme Week: Wither by Lauren DeStephano

A teen fights to escape the wealthy family who kidnapped her to produce their heirs in this first book in the riveting, New York Times bestselling dystopian young adult trilogy reminiscent of The Handmaid’s Tale. This special 15th anniversary edition features a brand-new look!

Rhine Ellery has four years left to live. A botched effort to create a perfect humanity has left all males with a lifespan of twenty-five years, and all females with one of twenty—and the world has fallen into a state of panic. Geneticists seek a miracle antidote, desperate orphans crowd the population, crime and poverty have skyrocketed, and girls are kidnapped off the streets and forced to serve as wives and bear children for the scions of the rich and powerful.

Despite her every precaution, Rhine is kidnapped and forced to become a bride. Kept under tight guard, and tossed into a glittering world of illusion, Rhine is given wealth and luxury beyond anything she’s ever dreamed. Her every need is met…every need except freedom. With the help of sweet, caring Gabriel—a servant in the manor—Rhine will do anything it takes to escape, go home, and reunite with her twin brother.

But Florida is a long way from Manhattan; her father-in-law, a scientist from the perfect, healthy “first generation” who is obsessed with finding a cure for this early death, is watching her every move and hoarding corpses in the basement; and her husband, Linden, is a far cry from the monster she imagined him to be. But in a world that continues to decay, and with only four years left to fight for, is there any room for someone like Rhine to choose her own path?

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“A gilded cage is still a cage — even if the bars are made of roses.”

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Pre-Reading Thoughts
I’ve always been fascinated by dystopias that wear beauty like a disguise. The premise of Wither sounded like The Handmaid’s Tale meets Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette — all pastel tragedy and quiet rage. I was curious whether it would lean more toward melodrama or a thoughtful look at control, privilege, and survival.

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Post-Reading
As I thought...
DeStefano doesn’t waste time. We’re thrown straight into Rhine’s abduction, and that urgency sets the tone for the entire novel. The writing balances delicate aesthetics with deep unease — everything glittering, perfumed, and poisonous.

It surprised me by...
Humanising everyone trapped in the system, even those complicit in it. Linden isn’t the cartoon villain Rhine expects, and that ambiguity makes her rebellion more complicated and interesting. There’s also a haunting, almost fairytale atmosphere that keeps the horror beautiful — and that’s a tricky balance to pull off.

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🎵 Music Pairing
Featured Song: “Control” — Halsey
Vibe Album: Born to Die — Lana Del Rey
Artist Recommendation: BANKS (for that silky defiance and mournful edge)

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Vibe Check

• Colour Palette: White lace, wilted roses, and copper blood

• Soundtrack: Creaking floorboards under soft piano

• Season: Late autumn — when beauty turns brittle

• Mood: Defiance in silk gloves

• Scent: Perfume over decay

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Tarot Pull: The High Priestess (reversed) — Secrets without power are just prisons.
In the upright position, the High Priestess holds hidden knowledge and quiet control. Reversed, she becomes a symbol of isolation, silenced intuition, and truths twisted against her. It’s Rhine’s struggle exactly: she sees everything, understands too much, but must bide her time until she can act.

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For fans of: The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood) & Never Let Me Go (film)