Review: The Originals by Cat Patrick

Title: The Originals

Author: Cat Patrick
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Publication date: May 7, 2013

Genre(s): Young Adult (Sci-Fi)

Source: Publisher (HBG Canada)

Format: ARC

Pages: 304

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A riveting new story from Cat Patrick, author of Forgotten and Revived.

17-year-olds Lizzie, Ella, and Betsey Best grew up as identical triplets... until they discovered a shocking family secret. They're actually closer than sisters, they're clones. Hiding from a government agency that would expose them, the Best family appears to consist of a single mother with one daughter named Elizabeth. Lizzie, Ella, and Betsey take turns going to school, attending social engagements, and a group mindset has always been a de facto part of life...

Then Lizzie meets Sean Kelly, a guy who seems to see into her very soul. As their relationship develops, Lizzie realizes that she's not a carbon copy of her sisters; she's an individual with unique dreams and desires, and digging deeper into her background, Lizzie begins to dismantle the delicate balance of an unusual family that only science could have created.

The Originals is the first book I have read by Cat Patrick, and it will also not be the last. In this book, Lizzie, Ella, and Betsey take shifts impersonating Elizabeth. See they are identical in how they look, however they are not identical triplets but clones, from an original. Their mother, a genetic scientist, implanted them in her womb and ran away with them. Now, almost 17 years later, they have been at this for several years. You all wonder why they don't just act as triplets? it is because the top secret project that is them was actually leaked and triplets are looked at with a bit too much interest by the government. 

This book, if it wasn't for the whole cloning, would have been marked as a contemporary. All three girls divide the day three way, Lizze and Ellie divide their school time halfway while Betsey goes to their part time job and night class at the local college. I loved the high school setting, since this is told from Lizzie's POV only, and also that there is none of the cliche high schooler plots, evil cheerleaders or douchey jocks. Actually, "Elizabeth" is part of the cheerleading squad! The story really kicks off when Lizze and Ellie start liking two different guys and have to find a way to be able to date them, even though in everyone else's eyes, they are just one person. Because the girls started becoming impatient and fed up with the way they're living, and also due to a coincidence, they find out that their mother has been lying to them, and hiding a few things that could change their lives. Lizzie starts snooping, while at the same time trying to see Sean without him seeing Ellie with her guy and thinking it's her. I loved the contemporary elements intertwined with the science fiction ones. We have a mystery of what really happened to make their mother leave her work and hide as well as for how long is she planning on keeping them on lockdown. I loved that the girls had the best friendship together, they each were so different and had their own unique personality. I really enjoyed that. 

The plot was pretty fast paced, The Originals is around 300 pages but it felt so short because I was flipping the pages like crazy. Sean isn't just a love interest here but he actually was a big supporter for Lizzie. I appreciated the progression of their relationship and how it didn't feel insta love for me. The plot twist was actually very surprising for me and the ending was even more shocking. It was bittersweet but also very heartbreaking, an ending that made me close the book and just think about it for a minute or two. I would definitely recommend The Originals to Contemporary and Sci-Fi fans, as well as fans of Cat Patrick.