ARC Review: The Similars by Rebecca Hanover

Title: The Similars (The Similars #1)
Author: Rebecca Hanover
Genre: Science Fiction 
Source: NetGalley and BookExpo 2018
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: January 1st 2019

Summary: 

When six clones join Emmaline’s prestigious boarding school, she must confront the heartbreak of seeing her dead best friend’s face each day in class. The Similars are all anyone can talk about at the elite Darkwood Academy. Who are these six clones? What are the odds that all of them would be Darkwood students? Who is the madman who broke the law to create them? Emma couldn't care less. Her best friend, Oliver, died over the summer and all she can think about is how to get through her junior year without him. Then she comes face-to-heartbreaking-face with Levi—Oliver's exact DNA replica and one of the Similars. Emma wants nothing to do with the Similars, but she keeps getting pulled deeper and deeper into their clique, uncovering dark truths about the clones and her prestigious school along the way. But no one can be trusted…not even the boy she is falling for who has Oliver's face. 

***Trigger Warning: Mentions of Suicide***

The Similars is a perfect way to start off 2019! Set in the near future The Similars is a perfect example of scientific advantages that the human race has made so far and how it could go so wrong. From start to finish The Similars had me captivated with its uniqueness and twists and turns. The Similars is perfect for fans of science fiction and psychological thrill rides. This book messed with my head in the most perfect of ways. 

Emma's best friend Oliver had committed suicide during summer break, devastating Emma. Returning to Darkwood Academy, an elite boarding school for brilliant teens is torture for her. This year is different though, not only does Emma have to face the year with out her best friend by her side but it is also the first year that the Headmaster is allowing clones to be admitted as students. In a lab mistake sixteen years ago after the cloning process was created six teens from Darkwood Academy where cloned from their cord blood and now those clones are attending Darkwood. The sixth teen though? Emma's best friend Oliver. Levi, Oliver's clone someone that Emma wants to hate desperately but must work with to figure out the grand scheme behind the Similar's suddenly being allowed at Darkwood, the mystery behind their upbringing and who is not who they claim to be.

(I don't think my summary did any of this book justice but it has been a few days and my mind is still thoroughly screwed with and I can barley form coherent thoughts on the matter.) 

I loved the world building in this. Essentially there really isn't much world building considering it doesn't take place too far into the future. Some sci-fi books are pretty heavy on world building that it takes away from the plot. I am glad The Similars didn't fall into that. I really enjoyed reading about the scientific advantages that have been made and the technological advances. It gave The Similars a scary real vibe. Scientist can already clone animals so this book isn't a far reach into the future in the slightest! 

I really enjoyed Emma's character. She was really easy to relate to. Her actions towards Levi int he beginning of the novel are understandable as time goes on and we see how she mourns Oliver and that Levi is a constant reminder of what she lost. I was a little standoffish initially about Emma falling for Levi for the fact that he is Oliver's exact DNA code. Though they are different people it is still Oliver if in the end. (If that made any sense at all.) But Emma was able to distinguish the difference between her best friend and the boy she is falling for.  The romance also didn't take up the whole plot of The Similars, it was there but I didn't slow or make the plot halt. 

In the end I am super excited to see what the sequel of The Similars is going to have install considering how it ended. Hanover's debut was simply amazing and will be a book that I will be pushing on everyone.