Wither or Not

Sat down yesterday and picked up the next book in the pile. One of my students, Ashley, read it for a reading minute and it sounded like a winner. The title is Wither by Lauren Destefano. It is about a society in which they have cured all diseases. Only one problem, the children born to that generation are only living to the ages of 20 and 25 depending on whether they are boys or girls. Rhine and Rowan are twin 16 year olds. They are trying to survive after the death of their parents. Rhine is kidnapped one day and sold to a man who wants new brides for his son. He is trying to cure the virus. Rhine becomes one of 3 sister wives to the man's son Linden. Linden is kind of clueless to how his father has found these 'brides'. Rhine's only wish is to escape the mansion and try and find her way back to her brother. She meets a house servant named Gabriel who she is more and more drawn to. Life in the mansion is perilous, what happens to the people who die, why aren't the wives allowed off their floor of the mansion, and what happens to the babies born? This was a great, fast, one afternoon read. It was creepy, and interesting and set up an interesting love triangle. This is the first in a trilogy, so I'm looking forward to reading the next one. I enjoyed the setting of the novel, a world where only North America is left... or is it?