The Gardener Review

Author: S.A. Bodeen

Release Date: May 25, 2010

Pages: 240 (ARC)

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Most Appropriate For Ages: 12+
Where I Got It: For review from ATWT

Mason has never known his father, but longs to. All he has of him is a DVD of a man whose face is never seen, reading a children’s book. One day, on a whim, he plays the DVD for a group of comatose teens at the nursing home where his mother works. One of them, a beautiful girl, responds. Mason learns she is part of an experiment intended to render teenagers into autotrophs—genetically engineered, self-sustaining life-forms who don’t need food or water to survive. And before he knows it, Mason is on the run with the girl, and wanted, dead or alive, by the mysterious mastermind of this horrible plan, who is simply called the Gardener. Will Mason be forced to destroy the thing he’s longed for most?
 ----------------------------------------
The Gardener is an action-packed thrill ride but comes with a message and leaves you thinking.

The concept is beyond intriguing. It sounds like a dystopia or a sci-fi, but really its not either. I'd describe it closer to speculative fiction. But it's really interesting. It brings up questions about the world's food supply and what really goes on behind closed doors. It also moves at a really fast pace.

The main character, Mason, is easy to relate to and sympathize with. I didn't really love anyone, but I didn't dislike anyone either. The romance was really believable.

The writing was decent, and the storytelling was really good. I'm definitely interested in S.A. Bodeen's other novels.

I really enjoyed the sweet ending. Overall, I liked it and would recommend it.