Paper Soul

The Similars is a novel that questions the ethics of clones and the rights they have once created. The protagonist, Emma, is returning to school after a summer of loss. Her best friend, Oliver, took his life and she is shattered. Once at school she is forced to acclimate to school, friends and the new students which are clones.

The storyline is quite interesting although predictable in the outcome. Emma suffers from depression and anxiety due to the loss of her mother, guilty from that experience and her best friend's death. Yet, the story doesn't really go into her mental health and only does a superficial job. I wish Hanover would have expanded on how Emma felt and experienced situations and people more. Giving a more dimensional feel of Emma and making her unique. She attends a school for gifted students and has a high standard for academic achievement. She is in the highest percentage of her class and therefore is in a society that can make you or break you. But for all the book smart she may possess, she lacks the common sense and gets herself into situations I feel she should know better than to get into.

Hanover introduces conflict and suspense but does not fully let them develop. This lack of development also extends to the characters, which are not fully matured due to the number of experiences they are rushed through. I feel that Hanover introduces situations to fill voids but does not truly connect them to the storyline or plot. In a few instances I was left wondering why things were added and why was it not more fleshed out.