Book Review: The Declaration by Gemma Malley

This book was one that I bought with some money I received for Christmas. I'd been thinking about buying this book for a while and I know they say not to judge a book by its cover but the minute I saw the re-release version I snapped it up as quick as I could. (I pretty much despised the original cover).

Okay so The Declaration is a dystopian novel set in the year 2140. In this world, people have stopped dying. Whilst scientists looked for cures to the worlds big diseases like cancer they released the drugs they developed could also put a stop to ageing. They named the drug longevity.

As a result people were no longer allowed to have children unless they opted out of taking the drug they called it a life for a life. But there were those who still wanted to have Children it is stated that in some countries these children are simply 'put down' but in this country they are sent to Surplus halls were they are trained and beaten into submission to become a diligent work force for the people who are known as Legals in order to repent for the sins of their parents who are sent to prison.

Anna is a Pending Surplus who lives at Grange Hall and is coming to the end of her training before she is sent to work for a Legal, the House Matron tells her that she could become a valuable asset should she continue to follow the rules and 'know her place'. She hates her parents and deems them selfish for the crimes they committed she feels she deserves the life she has been dealt and doesn't challenge anything that is expected of her. Her orderly life however is soon thrown in to chaos when she is charged with looking after a new surplus by the name of Peter. He claims that he knows her parents and that everything she has ever been told is a lie. His plan is to escape and take her with him to her parents. He wants Anna to leave her existence as a Surplus behind her and escape with him back to the outside world. If she accepts her life will constantly be in danger as people try to track her down where is they find she could be simply sent home or she could be killed.

It would be safer for all involved in she stayed put at Grange Hall and lived the life that was planned for her by the authorities. But Anna is soon forced to make a decision but will she listen to her heart and go with Peter in search of her parents or will she stay safe in the grey dark corridors of Grange Hall destined to be a slave for life.

The Declaration is and eerie book that kept me gripped until I finished which was around 5:30 am it was a gripping tale that spoke of the importance of family and love and raised ethical questions of would be write to live in a world where everyone lives forever and no one is born.

Malley's writing makes the book especially creepy as she makes you believe that this is an event that could happen what with it being set in the not too distant future.

As with all YA novels of the day there is the romance, the peril the good guys and the bad guys. And who could forget the pre-requisite twist that every book has to keep the reader hooked. It has certainly hooked me and I will be buying the sequel very soon.

If you’re looking for an exciting new dystopian novel but you've read the like of Divergent and The Hunger Games this is the book for you. It has been out longer than those two but hasn't yet received the recognition it so clearly deserves.

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