Aberrant by Ruth Silver
Title: Aberrant
Author: Ruth Silver
Publication Date: April 28th 2013 (paperback)
Genre: YA Dystopian
Blurb
In the future Dystopian society of Cabal, the government instills equality
for all and offers its citizens the perfect system. There is food, shelter and
jobs for everyone. The one requirement is to follow the rules without
question, including the government's match in marriage and "The Day of
the Chosen", a lottery that randomly selects families to conceive children as
natural means hasn't existed in generations. Following her eighteenth birthday,
Olivia Parker accepts her requirement to marry her childhood best friend, Joshua
Warren, and is eager to start her work assignment and new life when it all comes
abruptly to an end as she's arrested and thrown in prison. The only crime
committed, her existence. Olivia is unlike the rest of the world born not from
"The Day of the Chosen." The truth haunts the government and puts her life
in grave danger as one simple fact would destroy the perfect
system.
With Joshua's help, Olivia breaks free of prison and is forced on the run. Together they set out to find the promised rebel town in search of a new home and new life together. Their situation seems less than promising as they reach the town of Haven. New rules and customs must be adhered to in order to stay. Leaving would mean most certain death in the large expanse of the Gravelands. Time is running out as the government mounts an attack to destroy Olivia and bury her secret with her. Thrown into a world unlike their own, they must quickly adapt to survive.
With Joshua's help, Olivia breaks free of prison and is forced on the run. Together they set out to find the promised rebel town in search of a new home and new life together. Their situation seems less than promising as they reach the town of Haven. New rules and customs must be adhered to in order to stay. Leaving would mean most certain death in the large expanse of the Gravelands. Time is running out as the government mounts an attack to destroy Olivia and bury her secret with her. Thrown into a world unlike their own, they must quickly adapt to survive.
Excerpt
Joshua and I
both headed out of the council hall with Jacqueline leading the way. The line
of young men had barely dwindled. I avoided their stare, their curiosity as
they slowly proceeded forward, giving the attendant their name. I wondered how
they knew about me and more importantly what they knew. Jacqueline walked a few
feet ahead of us, giving us privacy to talk. I silently thanked her for still
respecting us and our wishes. She was probably the only one in Haven who liked
us. I didn’t know if I should be relieved or angered by the recent news. I
could feel the whispers, like tingles against bare skin as we walked further
from council hall and rounded the corner. I was grateful to be out of sight
from all those curious stares. "I guess we should consider ourselves
lucky," I remarked. I didn't feel lucky. I tried to sound upbeat, but
everything was quickly falling apart around us.
Joshua scoffed at the idea.
"Lucky? I wouldn't go that far," he emphasized. "This is
how it starts. Eventually, they'll make it a crime for us to see one
another." He sounded disgusted.
"They sort of already
are," I remarked, trying to understand the council's decision. "I
think they just want to make sure I'm protected." Though I didn't quite
understand how setting me up to meet multiple bachelors was any form of
protection. It seemed as if they only wanted to keep Joshua away from me. The
one person I could trust, implicitly. I knew the rules were different because I
was different. They didn’t seem particularly bothered by Joshua having a girl
in his room. It didn’t seem fair.
"Seems like they don't
really care what we think at all," Joshua retorted as we headed into our
building. "Were you okay last night? I worried when Landon escorted you
out of the dormitory."
I walked slowly up the stairs,
Jacqueline just a few feet ahead of us. "Aside from being locked in a room
with no windows." I sighed. "At least they're giving me freedom from
the tech center and a real bed. I should be grateful," I mocked. I didn't
feel grateful, but I knew his mother at least tried to make it easier for me.
As soon as we crested the top stair, I froze in place. The building shook with
an alarming intensity as the first drone flew low overhead. The downstairs
chandelier swayed and I held onto Joshua's arm and my eyes widened in terror.
"What do you think is going on?" I asked watching the movement grow
stronger as vibrations echoed through the dormitory. A nearby painting affixed
to the wall crashed to the floor, the glass breaking. I could feel the ground
quake beneath my feet as Joshua grabbed my hand, refusing to let go.
"We're
being attacked." It wasn't a question. Together, we jogged briskly down
the hall toward our rooms. I didn't know how much time we had. All I knew was
the government was here, and they were searching for me!
Interview
What was the hardest part of writing Aberrant?
The hardest part was writing the characters suffering. I know that they will get through the pain - physical or emotional - and it will make them stronger, but it's still hard to torture your favorite character.
Where did the idea for Aberrant come from?
The idea of Aberrant came from both my imagination and personal experience. The story developed out of choices that we have and that each of us make. I wanted to delve into those choices and imagine a world where they weren't given to us but expected of us.
Who was your favorite character to write in Aberrant?
I had the most fun with writing Olivia. She's full of so many mixed emotions and traits that we're always learning something about who she is. She's not complacent. She has a mind of her own and likes to explore the world around her. She's curious by nature and it has the tendency to get her into trouble. She's complex, which makes her three-dimensional, but also incredibly caring and supportive of those she loves.
Why did you decide on making Aberrant into a series?
I felt like I had a huge story to tell. Something that would span across hundreds of thousands of words. That may not seem like a lot but when sending your novel to agents and publishers, there's a certain word count they're looking for in new authors and in young adult/new adult titles. The only way to properly tell the story, was to turn it into a trilogy.
Do you have the second and third book planned already?
Without getting into any specifics, yes! The next book, Moirai, will be available sometime in 2014. The first draft was finished last December but with the edits and some significant changes in Aberrant, I need to make the story flow a little smoother.
About the Author
Ruth Silver is the best-selling author of Aberrant. The Young Adult/New Adult Romantic Dystopian Adventure, Aberrant is the first in a trilogy, released April 17th, 2013. Silver first began writing poetry as a teenager and reading heaps of fan fiction in her free time. She attended Northern Illinois University in 2001 and graduated with a Bachelor’s in Communication. While in college she spent much of her free time writing with friends she met online and penning her first novel, Deuces are Wild, which she self-published in 2004. Her favorite class was Creative Writing senior year where she often handed in assignments longer than the professor required because she loved to write and always wanted to finish her stories. Her love of writing, led her on an adventure in 2007 to Melbourne, Australia. Silver enjoys reading YA/NA novels and sharing her favorite books with other readers. She also enjoys photography, traveling and of most of all writing.
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