Bumped by Megan McCafferty

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

When a virus makes everyone over the age of eighteen infertile, would-be parents pay teen girls to conceive and give birth to their children, making teens the most prized members of society. Girls sport fake baby bumps and the school cafeteria stocks folic-acid-infused food.

Sixteen-year-old identical twins Melody and Harmony were separated at birth and have never met until the day Harmony shows up on Melody’s doorstep. Up to now, the twins have followed completely opposite paths. Melody has scored an enviable conception contract with a couple called the Jaydens. While they are searching for the perfect partner for Melody to bump with, she is fighting her attraction to her best friend, Zen, who is way too short for the job.

Harmony has spent her whole life in Goodside, a religious community, preparing to be a wife and mother. She believes her calling is to convince Melody that pregging for profit is a sin. But Harmony has secrets of her own that she is running from.

When Melody is finally matched with the world-famous, genetically flawless Jondoe, both girls’ lives are changed forever. A case of mistaken identity takes them on a journey neither could have ever imagined, one that makes Melody and Harmony realize they have so much more than just DNA in common.

From New York Times bestselling author Megan McCafferty comes a strikingly original look at friendship, love, and sisterhood—in a future that is eerily believable.

Review:

After reading Megan McCafferty’s Jessica Darling series, I was eager to read more by her. Therefore, when Bumped, her new dystopian, landed in my hands, I was excited beyond words. Luckily enough, Megan has made her “official” YA debut with a quite the bang, as Bumped is compelling, enthralling, and full of twists and turns that will leave nearly any reader on the edge of their seat, dying to know what will happen next.

The main aspect that originally drew me to Bumped was the premise. The idea of teenagers completely embracing the idea of pregnancy and all the wealth and power it brought them seemed startling yet something that could unquestionably happen in the future. The execution turned out to be purely brilliant, because not only did Megan McCafferty fully flesh out this idea, but also she brought so much than just that to the table. You see, Bumped is so much more than just a “teen pregnancy” novel; instead, it is a book about embracing yourself, overcoming society’s perceptions on how you should or should not be. It is about being strong when all you want is to be a weak fledging, about becoming the best person you can be- someone you admire as well as like- and that makes it all the more valuable, in my opinion.

Tying into this, the main characters in Bumped were the ones fighting these standards of this dystopian society. For one, there’s Harmony, a girl whose always lived in a world where signing a fertility contract a must have, but the thing is Harmony doesn’t really want this. She wants to be able to date her best friend/crush; more importantly, she wants to be normal, making her relatable to the fullest potential. Then, there was Melody, her twin sister. She's a girl who has grown up in Godside where religion is everything. Nerveless, just like Harmony, Melody wants so much more than what she's given. However, what I loved most about these characters was that they were average- they made mistakes, but they learned from them; they did not know where they were going or whom they wanted, but they knew they would find out eventually; they were bratty and annoying at times, but who is not? Their imperfections are what made them perfect in my eyes, and I think most others will agree with me on this.

I also have to add that I loved the secondary characters in this. From Zen to Jondoe, nearly all secondary characters were developed fully to bring not only more heart to the novel but some big laughs as well.

Lastly, Megan McCafferty’s writing and world building in this is simply fabulous. Her writing truly captured the voice of a teen as well as brought the world and its characters to life. However, I have to admit I was still left with several questions about everything, but I’m sure they will be answered in the sequel.

Well worth a read, Bumped is a novel I will definitely be recommending come its release.

Grade: B+

Bumped will be released April 26, 2011!

Source: HarperCollins via Netgalley- thanks!

In additon, be sure to check out the video below, in which Megan talks about Bumped.