Review: Bumped by Megan McCafferty

Bumped by Megan McCafferty

Published: April 26th 2011

Review: BUMPED is the first book in a long while that has lived up to my expectations, I read it in it's entirety over a weekend which is very unusual for me. It's a captivating book set 35 years in the future where teenagers are idolized due to a virus that causes infertility in anyone over the age of eighteen. The chapters are shared amongst Harmony and Melody, identical twins who are meeting for the very first time having grown up in very different worlds - Harmony in a religious sect that has a board of judges decide upon the marriage partners for girls as young as thirteen and Melody, a technological teenager whose parents have preened her for a six figure surrogacy in her late high school years while they holiday in Africa with the birth as collateral. 

Both worlds are shocking and utterly riveting to read about but the one that strikes the most fear in me is the religious side of things because these events are happening in our day and age and I'm sure anyone with a soft heart for religion will be slightly disheartened at the points this novel stabs at regularly. My only hope is that the opposing world consisting of paid teen surrogacy is never brought to life as I feel that would lead to the end of our days living happily on earth. 

While it wasn't a major hinderance, I wish a couple things were altered: 

• A better explanation of the infertility virus and how it came to be 
• A lessening of some of the more cringe worthy words, think high school Health Class
• The major cliffhanger at the end, sure it'll make me buy the next book but that's just too far away to think about! 

Megan McCafferty proclaims this is her first attempt at the Young Adult genre even though she authored the wildly funny Jessica Darling series. Unfortunately for fans she take a few steps away from contemporary getting closer to dystopia more than anything else but I'm sure her addictive writing style will win over fans alike. I know, I was hooked within the first few pages. 

P.S I have learnt something about myself while writing this review, I will never be able to accurately spell the word SURROGACY without a second glance!

FOUR OUT OF FIVE STARS