Modern-Day Dystopia Featuring Human Clones | Replica Duology by Lauren Oliver

Welcome to my book review for the Replica duology by Lauren Oliver.

“On very still nights sometimes we can hear them chanting, calling for us to die.” -Lauren Oliver, Replica

Synopsis:

Replica and Ringer follow the stories of Lyra and Gemma.

Lyra has spent her life in the Haven Institute, a secretive facility home to human clones and strict rules. When Lyra and another replica called 72 narrowly survive an attack on the institute, they launch into the outside world to learn more about what it means to be a replica in a world of original humans.

Gemma’s suburban adolescence leaves much to be desired, but after a kidnapping attempt reveals that Gemma’s father is connected to the Haven Institute, she takes off to Florida to learn more. She and Lyra’s paths cross in unexpected ways, and both find answers they might not want to hear.

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Review:

When I first heard of Replica prior to its release in 2016, one crucial aspect intrigued me: the format. The entire story from Lyra’s POV occupies one half of the book, and when you physically flip the book over, you get the entire story from Gemma’s POV. This gives the reader a choice to read each perspective one at a time, alternate POVs between chapters (this is how I read them), or alternate POVs in a non-linear fashion.

Having these options adds refreshing variety to the standard dual-POV format found in many books. I personally found enjoyment in the tactile aspect of flipping over Replica to switch between Lyra and Gemma’s stories. However, I must mention that I read Ringer as an ebook, and the ebook format is more fiddley. There are hyperlinks at the end of each chapter to the other POV, so you still get a similar effect, but the reading experience is not as smooth.

One last note on the format: There are points in both books when Lyra and Gemma’s paths cross, and you will read the same scene twice from each girl’s POV. I’ve seen some criticism that this makes the story repetitive and boring, but I wholeheartedly disagree with this take. Sure, a few lines of dialogue repeat here and there. However, Oliver keeps the repeated scenes interesting by giving each girl an entirely different inner world that reshapes the experience. The girls notice different things in their surroundings, interpret different meanings in the repeated dialogue, and share different information about themselves. I found the repeated scenes to be a highlight, rather than a detriment, to the overall story.

As for the plot itself, both Replica and Ringer bring action-packed thrills with twists around every corner. There is nary a dull moment as the characters are whisked around, forced to make difficult decisions, and search for the truth about themselves and the Haven Institute.

This duology is quite the page-turner, and its fast pace will appeal to many readers. It has a dystopian feel while set in the modern day, with sci-fi elements that keep you wanting more.

“If everyone believed they were monsters, shouldn’t they at least be allowed to have teeth?” -Lauren Oliver, Ringer

Throughout Gemma and Lyra’s story, both girls grapple with what it means to be human, a replica, or a monster. I am a fan of two other stories that explore similar themes (The Diabolic by S.J. Kincaid and The Hunchback of Notre-Dame by Victor Hugo), and the Replica duology holds up among these works. Oliver fits a shockingly nuanced exploration of this topic throughout the action, giving the story some refreshing depth as the discussion continues to complicate and unfold.

That being said, there were other topics present in the Replica duology that were not handled as well. My biggest issue was the way that fatphobia is discussed. Gemma is larger than other girls in the story, and this is often brought up through her constant degradation of her own body.

Hear me out: I am so in favor of exploring internalized fatphobia through a character who struggles with negative body image. However, for this angle to work, Lyra’s opinions about body image would have to contrast with Gemma’s in a way that highlights their differences. While we do hear Lyra’s positive opinions about Gemma’s body, she also thinks some truly disgusting thoughts about other fat characters, leaving any potential for a nuanced discussion of fatphobia behind in the dust. I would advise you to stay away from Replica if negative portrayals of bodies and body image will disturb you.

My other, smaller critique of the Replica duology is the frequent, uncomfortable… thirsting? The protagonists are both teenage girls, which may be the reason this was included, but I am instantly adding both Replica and Ringer to my incredibly long list of “Books That Would Be Just as Good, If Not Better, Without the Romance”. If every boy/girl pairing in this duology were strictly platonic instead, there would be no effect on the plot.

Recommendation & Rating:

Overall, I enjoyed the heart-pumping action of the Replica duology, but I wanted more depth in the characters and themes. I would recommend these books to anyone looking for an entertaining read with a unique concept, or anyone hoping to dip their toes into the sci-fi or dystopian genres while remaining in a familiar setting.

“A strange and baffling truth: that the people we’re supposed to know best can turn out to be strangers, and that near strangers can feel so much like home.” -Lauren Oliver, Replica

My ratings:

Replica: ★★★✬☆ 3.5 stars

Ringer: ★★★☆☆ 3 stars

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Thank you for reading my Replica duology review. To read more of my book reviews, check out my Book Reviews page.

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