The Haven by Carol Lynch Williams (review)

The Haven is a hospital and school where Shiloh and her friends are protected from the hostile forces outside and from the Disease that occasionally infects them, forcing doctors to remove an infected lung or leg or skin graft—or at least that’s what the residents, young children and teens called Terminals, have been told. The rebellious Gideon, however, tells Shiloh the truth—they are actually clones, manufactured in a lab and kept healthy until their Receivers need a transplant—and urges her to join his escape plot. Meanwhile, the girl from whom Shiloh is cloned has died, and her family wants Shiloh freed to replace her. Now Shiloh must decide if she can stay at the Haven, knowing the terrifying and dangerous truth, or if she dares to risk her life for freedom, her friends, and the possibility of family. Readers familiar with Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go will find this novel a pale imitation, and fans of clone-centered science fiction will likely deduce its primary reveal from its very premise. Still, Shiloh emerges as a compelling character, as she fights a deeply entrenched desire to obey authority for the sake of her freedom and the lives of those she cares about. Even readers who guess the truth early on will get caught up in her emotional journey: her sense of betrayal, her fears of getting caught, and her hesitation to risk any connection with the reckless Gideon. The moral compass of the story points unwaveringly toward life and liberty for the clones, making this a solid recommendation for those who like their science fiction with clear heroes and villains as well as fans of clone-perspective stories like Farmer’s The House of the Scorpion (BCCB 2/02) and Pearson’s The Adoration of Jenna Fox (BCCB 4/08).