The Final Orchard

November 4, 2024
Rivera’s claustrophobic debut reads like a bleak, adult take on the YA dystopian formula. Geneticist Rosio Arata sinks into despair after her daughter is killed in a car accident—until she’s contacted by reclusive industrialist Edric Easton, who claims to have a way to bring her daughter back to life. But first, he wants her help using the revolutionary DNA sequencing process she developed to create clones from which his company can strip parts as needed for wealthy clients. Rosio tentatively agrees. Meanwhile, in the Helix Colony bunker deep underground, 16-year-old Ever trains alongside numerous other teens in preparation for the day when they’ll be called to return to the surface to battle the synthetic Forms who rebelled and destroyed civilization. But strange occurrences in the colony lead Ever to question everything she’s been taught. As these two stories intertwine, they paint a terrifying picture of a dystopian society on the brink of climate collapse. Though the twist is familiar and easily guessed, Rivera pulls no punches in crafting a stark and brutal condemnation of greed, exploitation, and corporate ambition. The pervasive sense of desperation may turn off readers who like their dystopias to come with at least a sliver of hope, but there are a lot of meaty ideas here.