Review on Sever by Lauren DeStefano

This book had tons of surprises and revelations, so I wouldn't read this if you don't want to spoil anything!

Things revealed:  Madame is Rose's mother!  I didn't see that coming.  I mean, we know she was somehow connected to Vaughn, but still...shocker.  Vaughn took Rose at the age of 11, telling her her parents were killed while telling her parents she was killed.  This was after Madame refused an engagement.  Great for Linden, but wow, Vaughn is a total jerk.

Vaughn has an awesome brother, Reed.  He takes in Rhine while she heals.  He's kind of a crazy inventor/tinkerer.  He and Cecily don't get along at first, but he comes around.  Speaking of her, she got pregnant again only 1 month after having Bowen.

Vaughn's first son's name was Bowen.

Rose's child was malformed.  Jenna was also said to have a malformed uterus.

Plus, the biggest thing of all is the "virus" only exists in the continental US.  Vaughn (and Rowan, who he's been studying, surprise!) has a lab in Hawaii, where people live normally.  He's got Rowan snowed, and Rowan has been working with him willingly.

I'm glad that we finally got to meet and know Rowan.  The bond between him and Rhine is completely real.  When Rhine learns the truth about her parents, that she and Rowan were created experimentally and treated a bit like Linden, he's there for her and he understands completely.  Cecily starts to become paranoid about Vaughn, for good reason, and Linden finally grows some balls and stands up to him.  He promises Rhine he'll never get his hands on her and makes a similar promise to Cecily.  Cecily, in about her 4th month, has a violent miscarriage and almost dies.  I didn't realize how much she meant to me and this series until this moment.  Linden in totally devoted to her.  Even though this is after he takes off Rhine's ring for an annulment, he still wants her around in the hospital.  (Btw, I thought Rhine showed incredible character when she chose not to kiss Linden and further lead him on.  She easily could have because she does have love for him.  She realizes, though, that it won't ever be the way it was for him and Rose, or even him and Cecily.  When Cecily returns to Reed's, he teaches her to use a gun.  I knew this moment was significant, so more on that in a bit.  After all is revealed to Rhine, she is torn.  She wants to hope for the cure, but she hates that Vaughn is the one to finish her parents' work.  She agrees to cooperate with Vaughn because he has Gabriel under sedation at the mansion.  So, everyone is now trapped there again:  Linden, Cecily, Bowen, Rhine, and Rowan.  At an eerie "family" dinner, Vaughn asserts himself about the twins remaining under his thumb always, and Bowen and Linden too.  Cecily knows she's done for.  She gets increasingly paranoid, as she should.

The big moment of shock happens when Reed gets his junky airplane to function.  Rhine and Cecily talk Linden into going with them on the first flight.  Vaughn comes to the property just in time to see the fateful landing.  Linden, who was sitting in front, and who just heard the truth about the cure from Rhine, has been fatally injured.  His death causes everyone to go berserk in their own way.  Vaughn even shows his human side and buries him in the orange grove.  Eventually, Rhine and Vaughn end up at the graveside.  Unexpectedly, Cecily fires the gun that Madame gave her (surprise!), killing him.  You go, Cecily!  I was so proud of her in that moment.  Vengeance for Rose and Jenna and the baby and everyone he ever experimented on against their will.

Rhine and Rowan continue their treatments, and eventually their friends are eligible to receive the cure as well.  Rhine turns 21 happily with Gabriel with her.  It's implied that Cecily and Silas get together, which I find unlikely.  Gabriel's love for Rhine is absolute; they share a sweet moment when he tells her he loved her since the moment he first stole that atlas for her, but I just don't know how much passion she feels for him.  Oh well.  I'm so glad this group survived.  Sad about Linden, but at least Cecily will live to see Bowen grow up.

We can assume that eventually the cure will be more widespread and the US will rejoin the world, but I don't mind that DeStefano left us wondering about that.

Excellent series of books!