Vitro
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Vitro is a fast-paced, action-packed, science-fiction adventure set on a mysterious island where a ruthless corporation is performing human genetic experimentation. It follows Jessica Khoury's Origin, with a different cast but the same corporate villain. For the first half of the book, the level of violence is fairly low, but, as the plot moves to its climax, it ramps up to a degree that may make some readers uncomfortable, as characters are shot at point-blank range, gassed en masse, instructed to jump off a cliff, and caught in a massive explosion. "Damn" and "hell" are the most prevalent curses, with about a dozen instances each. Sexual content is low, with some mild flirting and a scene in which the villain roughly kisses the protagonist. One character's backstory includes an alcoholic father.
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Vitro is one of the best books I’ve ever read!
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What's the Story?
Summoned by an urgent email from her long-estranged mother, 17-year-old Sophie Crue travels alone to the South Pacific, determined to find out exactly what's going on at the top-secret research facility on Skin Island. She reunites with childhood friend and pilot Jim Julien, who agrees to fly her there, but when the plane mysteriously crashes, they find themselves in a stranger predicament than they ever could have suspected. Obsessed with her research, Sophie's mother never sent her a message and isn't happy to see her. Worse, Sophie has a \"Vitro\" twin named Lux, a genetically enhanced sibling who looks like her but possesses only the most rudimentary memories. Sophie, Jim, and Lux must fight against a ruthless corporation that will stop at nothing to protect its secrets.
Is It Any Good?
VITRO is an interesting follow-up to author Jessica Khoury's Origin, introducing a new set of protagonists but sharing the same corporate antagonist. Once again, human genetic experimentation is running amok in the tropics, and it's up to a band of brave young people to set things right. Sophie, Jim, Lux, and the psychopathic Nicholas all are multidimensional characters, revealing sides of themselves that are not obvious at first. The adult villains are a bit less nuanced, sometimes tipping into melodramatic cliches.
The plot is suspenseful and twisty, but it goes off the rails a bit at the climax, when the violent reversals come too thick and fast. Readers may find the mayhem pushes past the point of credulity, and Vitro ends up a tad diminished from its promising start.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can discuss how genetic experimentation is portrayed in popular media. What are the benefits and dangers of experimenting with the human genome?
Can you think of any instances in which corporations have put profits before the welfare of their customers?
What would be the advantages and disadvantages of an electronic chip that could be planted in people's brains to affect their behavior?
Book Details
- Author: Jessica Khoury
- Genre: Science Fiction
- Topics: Adventures, Friendship, Science and Nature
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Razorbill
- Publication date: January 14, 2014
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 12 - 17
- Number of pages: 384
- Available on: Nook, Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: July 12, 2017
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