Review: Bumped by Megan McCafferty

Bumped by Megan McCafferty

Release Date: April 26 2011
Publisher: HarperCollins

Pages: 336
Source: ebook from Publisher via NetGalley
Interest: Dystopian
Buy the Book: Amazon | Book Depository

When a virus makes everyone over the age of eighteen infertile, would-be parents are forced to pay teen girls to conceive and give birth to their children, making teens the most prized members of society.

Sixteen-year-old identical twins Melody and Harmony were separated at birth and had never met until the day Harmony shows up on Melody’s doorstep. Until now, the twins have followed completely opposite paths. Melody has scored an enviable conception contract with a couple called the Jaydens. While they are searching for the perfect partner for Melody to bump with, she is fighting her attraction to her best friend Zen, who is way too short for the job.

Harmony has spent her whole life in religious Goodside, preparing to be a wife and mother. She believes her calling is to bring Melody back to Goodside and convince her that “pregging” for profit is a sin. But Harmony has secrets of her own that she is running from.

When Melody is finally matched with the world-famous, genetically flawless Jondoe, both girls’ lives are changed forever. A case of mistaken identity takes them on a journey neither could have ever imagined, one that makes Melody and Harmony realize they have so much more than just DNA in common.

This book is really quite comical at times, with the tshirts printed with sayings like Born to Breed and songs with lyrics that go You're knocked up. Ready to pop. Due to drop. The whole book is such a satirical look at what could happen if things were taken to the extreme when a virus takes away the ability to procreate over the age of 18.

I do think that this is an interesting look at what could possibly happen if ever a virus existed that could render people infertile. I could so easily see people starting to get pregnant for profit. I mean we have surrogates now that generally do it to help barren families, with some exceptions of those who do it for money. Yet I could totally see it getting out of control in the future when fertile teens were getting fewer and far between.

I absolutely loved the fact that the story was written from a set of identical twins viewpoints. I think the alternating chapters is brilliant and written so craftily. Considering one sister grew up in a religious society where you a matched and mated at an early age to create God's children and the other grew up in a highly technological society that allows their teens to procreate for profit. They are so completely opposite and yet they share a few traits that make them some of the most endearing characters.

I love how Melody seems a little distant to the idea of bumping, even though she is signed up to bump for profit. She seems to want to question things and as the story progresses you can see her mind whirling with the thoughts of having the choice to bump or not. I really think Harmony made Melody finally see clearly that things don't have to be black or white, that there can be grey area and maybe they can have choices in their lives instead of being pushed down the roads chosen for them.

After the cliffhanger ending, I cannot wait to see what happens to Harmony and Melody in the next novel. What life will the choose - the one laid out before them, or will they stand up and take the path less taken? 

If you think you need to hear more about this book - hop on over to Candace's Book Blog to read an amazing interview that she did with Megan McCafferty!