Mark II (review)

Losing a best friend at thirteen is almost too much for Phil to endure, and dealing with the "physically improved" clone of Mark makes it better and worse at the same time. It's better because socializing the new Mark distracts Phil from his heartbreak, worse because, other than sharing Mark's memories, the wide-eyed and cheerful clone is worlds different from the sarcastic, wheelchair-using Mark that Phil knew from before. In addition to the clone, Phil must also contend with Mark's family, who are each responding in different ways: Mark's mother is fiercely determined to regain the son she lost, Mark's father is defeated and depressed, and Mark's younger sister, Lauren, rejects the clone outright. Before everyone can settle into their new lives, a terrible tragedy shakes up their worlds again. As an ethical exploration of cloning and a philosophical examination of what gives a human his or her identity, the book succeeds admirably. Unfortunately, the too-abundant plot twists result in a complicated story that almost overwhelms its own intent: once Lauren dies (and is, of course, also cloned), thoughtful readers will find that the emotional depth and intensity of the first half of the novel is lost under the weight of B-movie red herrings and surprises. Although the final unveiling of what actually happened to the first Mark will shock some readers, the mystery elements of the book are not as well developed as the genetic debate that drives the story. In spite of these issues, however, this is still a powerful novel about love, loss, and the intractability of human longing for what is known and familiar.