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"Most people called them 'hybrids.' Rose's father David called it a 'condition.' An illness, a disease. For forty-one days out of every six weeks, she looked human, For that terrible, final day, she was--nothing. Not human, at any rate, not sane either. Her normal self --her human self--had no control over what she did. She was a creature of pure magic, and she was programmed to kill. She was fifteen years old. And she was a monster"--
About the author
Helena Coggan has wanted to write stories since she was six, and before that, she wanted to live in one. The Reaction is her second novel. She lives in London with her family.
Summary
In the explosive follow-up to The Catalyst, Rose Elmsworth faces a looming war as the world crumbles around her and shocking secrets come to light.
Fifteen-year-old Rose Elmsworth is alone. Her father, David, has been imprisoned, and a death sentence is almost certain. She has been rejected by the Department, the amoral law-enforcement agency she was groomed for since birth, and lives in fear of the terrible secret that, if exposed, will destroy her. Around Rose, the world is changing. The laws that have maintained peace between those with magic and those without are breaking down, and two rival militias are preparing to fight a war that seems imminent and promises to be devastating. As darker elements of her father’s past emerge, Rose realizes that the rules of good and evil — rules she’s always believed wholeheartedly — will not protect her anymore. In a world of monsters, how long can trust, loyalty, and justice survive? And how much will Rose herself have to change to stay alive? Teen author Helena Coggan weaves a story of power, family, and magic in the thrilling sequel to her first novel.
Additional text
Coggan proves that she is an up-and-coming force in the fantasy genre. Hand to fans of the first entry, or those looking for a new action-fantasy series.
—School Library Journal
The series is a good example of the genre and it appears that kids who read the first book were excited about the second. If this fits your student readers’ interests, I think it would be a good buy.
—School Library Connection Online
Exciting.
—Kirkus Reviews
