Only Ever Yours
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4.2 • 105 Ratings
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- £3.99
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- £3.99
Publisher Description
freida and isabel have been best friends their whole lives. Now, aged sixteen and in their final year at the School, they expect to be selected as companions - wives to wealthy and powerful men.
The alternative - life as a concubine - is too horrible to contemplate.
But as the intensity of the final year takes hold, the pressure to be perfect mounts. isabel starts to self-destruct, putting her beauty - her only asset - in peril.
And then into this sealed female environment, the boys arrive, eager to choose a bride.
freida must fight for her future - even if it means betraying the only friend, the only love, she has ever known...
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In the dystopian society of Irish author O'Neill's harrowing debut, freida is a 16-year-old "eve," manufactured by genetic engineers and raised to serve men. The eves (whose individual names are never capitalized in the book, unlike those of men) spend 16 years learning how to avoid "Unacceptable Emotions" such as anger and to scrupulously maintain their appearance, all in the hopes of catching the eye of one of 10 Inheritants, "the very men for whom were created." O'Neill's novel spans the months leading up to the ceremony when freida and her fellow eves will be divided into three groups: companions (akin to wives), concubines, and chastities. Competition, cruelty, and self-critique thrive at freida's school ("We may be perfectly designed, but really our eyes are too close together and our thighs are too big"), yet she can't quite stamp out her skepticism toward the system and her sympathy for herself, her peers, and especially her best friend, isabel. Terrifying and heartbreaking, O'Neill's story reads like an heir to Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale and M.T. Anderson's Feed, and, like those books, it's sure to be discussed for years to come. Ages 13 up.
Customer Reviews
A truly amazing book
This book will have you screaming, crying and smiling all within a single chapter. I first read this book when I was about fourteen and now re-reading it at twenty I’m truly understanding how scary it is. It has brilliant twists and turns and deals with O’Neill deals with some dark themes with perfect execution. It’s a must read for everyone.
A book you’ll never forget
I didn’t enjoy this book- in fact many times I wanted to hurl it at the wall, yet I could not put it down, I was gripped. This look into the future is haunting, really taking issues we face now and amplifying them into a society where females are merely objects. It is disturbing and infuriating to read, especially as a young woman, yet I think everyone should read it. Despite the way the girls are treated throughout from start to finish I still hoped deep down for better, yet the harsh reality is that by treating people in this way there is no happy ending. I am struggling to put my feelings into words, I strongly urge you to read it. I will honestly never forget it, and I think that is the true sign of a good writer.
Amazing
Really good, I'm sure I read it years ago but possibly an early version? Regardless - this is a must read for fans of Fahrenheit 451, Brave New World, Uglies, Hunger Games etc, a fantastic, compelling novel with engaging writing and a believable dystopian future. I really enjoyed it, 10/10 recommend.