Discussion: Thoughts on Book 3 of The Chemical Garden Series by Lauren DeStefano
This post is part of the Catch Wither Fever Read-Along event hosted by myself and Jessie at The Daily Bookmark.
*Spoiler Warning* This post is a discussion for myself and others to speculate on what we think might happen in Book 3 of Lauren DeStefano’s The Chemical Garden series. If you haven’t read both Wither and Fever, this post will definitely contain spoilers, so you might want to refrain from going any further.
Hi everyone! The Catch Wither Fever Read-Along is winding down, and I thought I’d write another discussion post where we can all share our thoughts on what might happen in Book 3 of The Chemical Garden series! So please, share your thoughts on the topics I mention, and anything else that you might think will happen (or won’t happen) in Book 3!
Discussion Topic #1: The State of the World
As a lot of us have stated in our reviews and discussions of Wither and Fever, we’re not really sure what’s going on in the rest of the world (that is, other than North America). In Wither, we’re told that a third World War has happened in the past, and it destroyed “all but North America, the continent with the most advanced technology,” and that “the damage was so catastrophic that all that remains of the rest of the world is ocean and uninhabitable islands so tiny that they can’t even be seen from space” (page 55). I also seem to remember something about a few people in Rhine’s world thinking that there might be other people out there, on one of those islands, that could help them cure the virus.
I’m wondering if, in Book 3, we’re going to find out that there are others out there. Maybe the rest of the world wasn’t actually blown to pieces. Or maybe it was, but there are still survivors living on those little islands. I don’t know if this is something that will even be expanded on in Book 3, but to me it seems like it might explain what a lot of us feel to be a pretty unlikely situation. What do you guys think?
Discussion Topic #2: A Cure
So Vaughn has been trying to find a cure for the virus throughout both books, and we know that Rhine’s parents were also looking for a cure when they were alive. But other than that, these books really haven’t moved forward with any hopes of any cure.
However, I think Rhine’s eyes might have something to do with it. In Fever, Rhine has a memory of a time when she was supposed to be asleep in bed, and her parents come in and she hears her dad say, “Perhaps we should have told them from the start” (page 256). I think this may be a hint that Rowan and Rhine are somehow immune. And I think it has to do with their eyes since their parents were geneticists or something similar, and Vaughn does the horrible stuff to her eyes (that will not be mentioned further, please, because I am getting creeped out just thinking about it now since I have a stupid eye phobia), so I think he may know that their eyes hold the key. Or there’s something in their genes that makes them immune that also makes their eyes two different colors.
Or there’s the possibility that this story will end with no cure. I mean, the fact that these stories focus on Rhine and her escape and everything makes me wonder if there even will be a cure. But there’s got to be a cure, right? What do you guys think?
Discussion Topic #3: Team Gabriel Vs. Team Linden
This is definitely not an easy love triangle. I know that some people are very set on which team they’re rooting for, but for me, I’m still just not sure. Gabriel, while we got to know him a bit more in Fever, just isn’t a very fleshed-out character to me. And I’m not very happy with Linden about the whole getting-a-13-year-old-girl-pregnant thing, but he really was naive about everything else. And Gabriel’s still in New York as far as we know, plus he’s just not taking to the whole freedom thing as well as Rhine hoped. But, as Jessie at The Daily Bookmark pointed out, Rhine might be just feeling love towards Linden simply because of the whole Stockholm Syndrome thing.
So who are you guys rooting for? Or who do you think Rhine will end up with, regardless of who you hope she’ll end up with? Or do you think she won’t end up with either?
Let’s get a discussion going! Leave a comment, or write your own discussion post and leave a link in the comments! I want to know what you guys think will happen in Book 3! Also, don’t forget – if you’ve written a review of Wither and/or Fever or a discussion post on Wither and/or Fever in the past 4 weeks, you can enter our $15 gift card giveaway! Simply enter the link to your review or discussion post as the required entry, and then you can earn extra entries! The giveaway ends tomorrow (Saturday, April 14th)!
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fakesteph
April 13, 2012 at 12:06 pmThis discussion makes me want to read Fever… I think (having only read book 1) that there are other people out there surviving in the world, that Rhine's parents found a cure and were killed BECAUSE they found a cure. I hope Rhine ends up alone. Or finds someone worth being with.
Andrea @ The Overstuffed Bookcase
April 16, 2012 at 12:12 amAhhh, I like that idea that Rhine's parents were killed because they found a cure! That would be a cool twist! And yeah, I'm just thinking Linden and Gabriel aren't really great catches. But it may be too late to introduce a new character. Oh, wait – there was another guy introduced in Fever – Silas – maybe he's a better candidate! He's got his flaws, but I think he may just be the best choice…
Bittner
April 15, 2012 at 1:30 pm1) I like the idea that there is more to the world that the people are just unaware of. 2) I have no idea, but I think that is a very sound theory. 3) Team Gabriel all the way! I do think Rhine had Stockholm Syndrome and also Gabe has red hair! Why doesn't anyone else factor that in!?!
Andrea @ The Overstuffed Bookcase
April 16, 2012 at 12:14 amBecause not everyone loves the redheads like you! ;) He just isn't a very fleshed-out character, even in the second book. So all that he really has going for him is that he went with Rhine, and that he has red hair. So… ;)
Anonymous
July 6, 2012 at 8:25 pmWait…..Gabe has red hair????! well missed that. I just want to know what Vaughn did to Rhines eyes. Its sad thats its a book because I would love to punch Vaughn in the face.
Andrea @ The Overstuffed Bookcase
July 8, 2012 at 4:50 pmI thought he had brown hair, myself, and I looked it up, and apparently when you first meet Gabriel, he is described as having "coppery" hair or something like that. But in Fever his hair is described as brown… And yeah, I think most readers would like to punch Vaughn in the face! ;) Thanks for stopping by!