Birthmarked

Written by Caragh M. O'Brien

Narrated by Carla Mercer-Meyer

In the future, in a world baked dry by the harsh sun, there are those who live inside the wall and those, like sixteen-year-old midwife, Gaia Stone, who live outside. Gaia has always believed it is her duty, with her mother, to hand over a small quota of babies to the Enclave. But when Gaia's mother and father are arrested by the very people they so dutifully serve, Gaia is forced to question everything she has been taught to believe. Gaia's choice is now simple: enter the world of the Enclave to rescue her parents, or die trying.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Dec 31, 2012
• ISBN: 9781452681382

Caragh M. O'Brien

Caragh M. O’Brien is the author of the BIRTHMARKED trilogy and THE VAULT OF DREAMERS trilogy. Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Ms. O’Brien was educated at Williams College and earned her MA in the Writing Seminars from Johns Hopkins University. Her young adult science fiction has been honored by the YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults, the Amelia Bloomer Award, the Junior Library Guild, and numerous state reading lists. A former high school English teacher, she now writes young adult novels full time from her home in rural Connecticut.

Reviews for Birthmarked

[mariahsidhe · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Birthmarked hit upon many different keys of society and made me think, always a good thing in a book. I really felt for Gaia when she began to realize that the way her society did things was wrong and watched as her entire world fell apart. I've never been so interested in a book that held babies as a main component but I just couldn't seem to be able to put this book down until I had finished it. I am very glad for how the book ends and wonder what is in store for the next book in the series. As well as the fate of her new-found love.

[sassy_seshat_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A little slow to pick up, but another dytopia story well worth the read. It ends like the giver, but fortunately it is a series, so we aren't left wondering what happens for long.

[empress8411 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Set in a future earth, where water is scarce and supplies limited, Gaia lives on the outside of the Enclave. As a midwife, she is bound to take a quota of the babies she delivers and give them as tribute to the people inside. But it isn’t until her parents disappear and she goes searching for them, that she learns why. I won’t spoil the story here, but I will say, this was a decent read, neither bad nor good. The world-building is an intriguing blend of science fiction, with some living in primitive style and some living in high tech wonder. The idea of women forced to surrender their children gives the story an emotional edge. But the characters lacked depth, often one-dimensional, and the plot seemed contrived and forced at points. I finished the book and it end feeds directly into the next in the trilogy. But I wasn’t hooked enough to read the next of the series. Readers of Young Adult fiction will enjoy this, as it has a similar premise (strong female protagonist fighting evil to save family) as many of the most popular YA books.

[maureene87 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This one suffered a lot from my being Done with dystopias and girls with scars and people who should have realized how silly their society is a long time ago. I could see someone else liking it a lot, but at the moment it just wasn’t my cup of tea. [Apr. 2011]

[a.happy.booker · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I didn't like that it ended with a cliffhanger but otherwise this was an excellent dystopian! Full review to come.

[Kaiarachelle · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Just ok. a little boring and slow. I don't think I'll be finishing the series.

[alsocass · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Another unfinished ending. It is the most disappointing thing to devote hours to reading a novel only to feel shortchanged by an unfinished ending.

I am not expecting Hollywood endings in every novel, especially those of the dystopian genre. However it isn't enough to write 'she got away' without resolving more about the other characters. How did they fair? Is the dead forest real? This is, afterall, the purpose of the book.



ETA: Just noticed, courtesy of goodreads.com, that sequels have been written. I shall be reading them. I still think that a book needs to have an ending.

[Maria Kulla · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Very well written. I enjoyed it.
Similar at hunger games.

[larissabookgirl_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

At only sixteen Gaia is following in her mothers footsteps as a midwife. There are parts of her job that are secret, such as the freckles and the tea, then there are parts of the job that are necessary, such as the advanced babies that are handed over to the Enclave to which all serve. Gaia has always blindly followed the rules of her society, never once questioning her part. That is until the night she delivers her first baby unassisted, the same night her parents are taken from her.Inside the walls of the Enclave people live in luxury, a stark contrast to those living outside like Gaia. Only those born within the walls, or those advanced, are permitted among the privileged and for an outsider to enter is suicide. Gaia however is determined to enter the walls to save her parents, but what she finds under the surface of this idealistic society is dark and dangerous and try as she might she cannot escape without leaving someone she loves behind.Birthmarked is a terrifying look into a future where the individual is insignificant when compared to the needs of society, where even babies are traded for resources and where among the elite love is only allowed to those genetically compatible. An outsider, a girl marked as undesirable, will create chaos in a dystopian society, waking people from their complacencies and getting them thinking about just what it means to serve a 'greater good'. Very excited to discover this is just the first in a series, with a lot more adventure to come.

[jothebookgirl · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

When I saw this was book #1, I knew I was in trouble because now I want to know what happens to Gaia, Maya and Leon. This dystopian novel is very believable and sort of scary in a Brave New World sort of way. The Great Lakes have dried up and water is a commodoty for those living outside the Enclave. People inside desire healthy babies so those outside are forced to give up their offspring which the Protectorant calls advancing babies. There were times in the book, I could not move my eyes fast enough to find what was going to happen.

[ishanella · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

In my opinion, writing a good dystopian novel can be tricky. First you’re building a world on something that already exists - our world. Next, you have to take a part of our world, skew it, then write about it, but in a way that makes the reader think that this could happen, especially given the current state of the world. This is usually what I look for in my dystopian novels and I found it in Birthmarked by Caragh O’Brien.

Birthmarked opens up with a birthing scene - a very gutsy move. Gaia, a young midwife, delivers her first baby; significant because it’s the first time she’s doing it on her own and because it lays the path for the reader to learn about the Enclave, the baby quota and the world that will be explored in Birthmarked.

After delivering the baby to the Enclave, Gaia heads home to find her parents have been taken to the Enclave for questioning. The mystery builds as Gaia questions why her parents were taken, what record the guards were interrogating her about and why her mother hid a ribbon with strange symbols on them.

Caragh does a great job at describing Gaia’s world and situation. Gaia’s home and all the places she travels to are carefully described, giving the reader a three dimensional view of the world. Once Gaia makes it into the walls of the Enclave the action is almost non-stop, like a wild ride with just enough pause for you to catch your breath and the right amount of twists and turns to keep you intrigued.

There is a splattering of biology in the narrative, but it is so well-weaved into the plot that it does not read like a science book. For the shipping enthusiasts there is a bit of romance which, while not necessary to the plot advancement, does a good job at adding layer of charm.

What I liked best about this book was the questions that it raised. It’s a great book to open discussions on prejudices in society, hierarchy and class. It also opens questions about the way we use our limited resources and what might happen if we aren’t careful to care for the world we have. While these are great questions, I appreciated the way that they were subtly intertwined in the narrative. There was no blaring agenda, the questions rose organically from the story and I appreciated this greatly.

[leah422 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

3.5 Stars“Even the worst feeling, with time and familiarity, became tolerable.”― Caragh O'Brien, Birthmarked.I think that quote at the top, really says it all. It sort of sums up how I feel about this book as a whole. It was hard to get into, even with narration. The world it's set in is so dispiriting and peculiar (seriously, incest is not best). The characters needed more development, which is not to say that this book was short, because it was really too long. Which is odd that I think that, because it's not that long...but, I couldn't help feeling that it was.The last 1/3 of the book did pick up and we finally got a chance to know someone other than Gaia. But this could be that I built up a tolerance (see quote above). Sadly, I am not sure if I want to continue this series or not.Narration was performed by Carla Mercer-Meyer. She was OK, not noteworthy, but not horrible, either. She did speak very slowly, which drove me crazy and I could always hear when she took a breath.

[lillibrary · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

After climate change, on the north shore of Unlake Superior, a dystopian world is divided between those who live inside the wall, and those, like 16 yr old midwife Gaia Stone, who live outside. It’s Gaia’s job to “advance” a quota of infants from poverty into the walled Enclave, until the night Gaia’s parents are arrested. Badly scarred since childhood, Gaia is a strong, resourceful loner who begins to question her society. As Gaia’s efforts to save her parents take her within the wall, she herself is arrested and imprisoned.
Fraught with difficult moral choices and rich with intricate layers of codes, BIRTHMARKED explores

[heatherlinc · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Of the four dystopian books I've read over the past month, "Birthmarked" would have to be my favourite. I found Gaia an interesting character, especially as she is a 16 year-old midwife who is compassionate, strong and determined. I also liked the premise of the book where children are taken from the underprivileged to save the well-to-do families in a post-apocalyptic society, and the fact that Gaia isn't the traditionally beautiful heroine usually found in these books. Also, even though there is a touch of romance in the book, it isn't instantaneous nor is it the main focus of the story making it more believable. Overall, a good read.

[christineellei · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It’s almost the 25th century and the world as we know it is gone. Global warming and climate issues have diminished the population and, what there is left is divided into two distinct classes; the Enclave and those living outside the wall. Gaia Stone is sixteen, and following in her mother’s footsteps offers midwifery services to the small part of town she lives in. However, that service to her community goes hand in hand with service to the Enclave, “advancing” the first three babies born every month to be adopted into the enclave. When her parents are arrested without explanation Gaia begins to question everything she ever considered normal in her life.

Ms. O’Brien has taken the dystopian future and made it very real and quite frightening. This is a compelling book from the first sentence and I had difficulty putting it down … finished it in two sittings. It is classified as YA, but like other books labeled YA (The Book Thief) it is definitely a good read for anyone. An awesome first book by the author.

[josp-7 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book is appealing because of the well written storyline and well written characters. The story itself makes this book a page turner, and the characters keep you on your toes. Once you start this book you won't be able to stop, and you shouldn't. However, before you go on to read the next book, Prized, I suggest you read Tortured. It gives a bit of insight into what happens between books.

[brainannex · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book came to my attention after trying to read Vault of Dreamers (which I couldn't even finish). The premise was intriguing so I gave it a try despite my failure with VoD. This definitely feels like The Handmaid's Tale for teens but in the best way- breeding control, dystopian government, good writing. Although I was mad when I finished it (for I had assumed wrongly that it was a standalone novel), I immediately ordered the two subsequent titles.

[donnacallea · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A great YA read. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

[shannanwithana · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I thought the story was interesting enough to pull me in and keep reading. I could still put it down between chapters until about the last third of the book, then I had to finish it out. I am glad I had the serving book waiting for me because I started that one immediately.

As far as characters, while there is your typical heroine hates brooding hero set up, there is still enough originality to them that you don't just roll your eyes and write them off. The humility that the heroine displays also refreshing as opposed to the self loathing that many girl characters seem to have in YA books.

[mirandalg14 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

What lengths will a parent go to protect their child? How important is physical beauty? What if those with a defect were deemed unfit for the upper class? What a powerful message!

[jrlibrary · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the first in a trilogy. A dystopian novel where the first baby born in a village is taken by the midwife and given to a walled city, where that baby is raised by a family who can afford luxuries. The narrator is a young girl apprenticing under her mother to be a midwife. When both her father and mother are taken prisoner inside the walled city, she is determined to get inside and save her parents from whatever fate awaits them. There's lots more to the story but that's enough to get you started.

[nick1967-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I have a feeling this is the month of not so great books for me that catch my interest. This is the second book of Apirl I have read and I just wasn't a fan. I will admit about a hundred pages away from finishing it I started skimming, because it just wasn't interesting to me. The plot, and world created seemed so amazing, but something in the book just fell flat for me. A decent read, but nothing amazing to me. A book you will either love or dislike.

[ncdonnas · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I didn't like that it ended with a cliffhanger but otherwise this was an excellent dystopian! Full review to come.

[readingdate · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Birthmarked is a thrilling, action-packed dystopian by 2010 YA debut author Caragh O’Brien. I was in the mood to read a good, satisfying dystopian and Birthmarked really fit the bill. This book should satisfy those looking for something similar to the Hunger Games with its intrigue, mystery and suspense.

The dystopian world is set up very well, with a plausible concept, and the characters are compelling. The protagonist, midwife Gaia Stone, is brave and faces danger at every turn. Her parents kept some secrets from her to keep her safe. However, now that they have been captured Gaia must use her wits and code-solving skills to help save them. I have not read a book with codes before and thought that was an interesting element.

The plot is thought provoking regarding the midwives and ethical dilemmas. The midwives have a monthly baby quota to fulfill for the Enclave. I was not sure of the Enclave’s intentions regarding the birth records. It seemed sometimes that their intentions were good in that they wanted to look for a suppressor gene to combat the health concerns plaguing the Enclave. However, their methods were suspect and their jump to imprison the midwives and doctors made them even more suspicious.

In addition to the code solving mystery and action, there is a little romance thrown into the mix. Gaia has great chemistry with Captain Leon Grey. Their relationship begins slowly and believably as they learn to trust each other. It is nice to see someone who can look past Gaia’s scars and believe in her.

The book is paced very well, and held my interest from beginning to end. The suspense ramps up toward the end and I couldn’t put the book down. There are some surprising twists along the way. The ending is sudden and intense, and sets up a whole new story for Gaia. I can’t wait to read what happens next. Those looking for a satisfying dystopian after finishing the Hunger Games should enjoy this series. Recommended also for fans of YA, dystopian, and sci-fi.

Birthmarked is the first book in a trilogy. The sequel, Prized, comes out in November 2011, which is entirely too far away.

[seldombites · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The basis of this story is an interesting concept that is just realistic enough to be scary. The 'haves' are living lives of luxury inside the city walls, while the 'have-nots' struggle to make ends meet outside. But all is not as it seems inside the city. Despite a monthly tribute of newborn babies from outside the wall, genetic diversity has shrunk, causing an epidemic of haemophilia.Birthmarked is a decent read, but not a brilliant one. It was interesting enough to read all the way through, but not so great that I will be looking to finish the series.

[nazgullie · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I wrote out a whole review for this and then lost it. I loved this book. I read it one sitting (one very long sitting that took all day). The story is well paced, with zero lagging for me. I sometimes find YA novels to be a bit sappy, and driven mostly by romance, but that definitely was not the case here. O'Brien's world is set in a distant future, but it relates to situations that we can very much identify with, and readers won't need any priming to understand or adjust to this new world. O'Brien's characters are a joy to behold. She just doesn't write great, believable female characters, but her male characters are a joy to behold as well. No over the top, Prince Charming types here, and yet; they are more endearing than any knight in shining armor. They're real. O'Brien's characters are disabled, include POC, and have mental illnesses, while still being able to be the heroes of the story. O'Brien's main leads have plenty "wrong" with them judged by society's standards, but readers will see that they are human, dealing with making difficult decisions constantly. The story itself is craftily written. The pace was perfect. It didn't give everything away at once, but it was never boring, and had me at the edge of my seat plenty of times. My most favorite thing however, is how this story examines the role of women in a highly patriarchal society. Female doctors, midwives, and barren women. How are they viewed when the men in power see them as a threat? What is the value of a woman when she is infertile? How do the leaders of patriarchal societies really view children? And what lengths will they go to keep their society going? It also asks the question of how patriarchal society views the disabled, and it's obsession with perfection and breeding. It may not have been the writer's intent to write a story that was strongly feminist, but I'm glad she did. I highly recommend this, and can't wait to get my hands on the next two in the series.

[mkpiry · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I received an advanced copy through Goodreads and because nothing was really grabbing my attention reading-wise, started it immediately. Thank goodness for Saturday nights with nothing going on because I read it straight through.

This is dystopian fiction so you have your standard elements: an elevated level of society seemingly perfect (but hiding a big, dark secret), a lower class being exploited and chaffing under the oppression & a rumored group hiding out somewhere in the wasteland. But the author's take and inventions kept it from feeling 'been there, done that' with the plot.

I think what I liked most was Gaia herself. Her actions never frustrated me to where I thought, "Come on, wise up!" and wanted to shake her.

Katniss

Sure, she made mistakes, struggled and endured loss but everything she did rang true to me. Once the action picked up I was reading to see what happened next till the end. Although everything was wrapped up sufficiently for the story, I hope another book is in the works because I would very much like to know what happens to everyone.

[ahappybooker · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I didn't like that it ended with a cliffhanger but otherwise this was an excellent dystopian! Full review to come.

[has_bookpusher · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Birthmarked tells the tale of a young apprenticed midwife, Gaia, who lives in the outskirts of the Enclave. Where the residents who live inside the Enclave are rich and well provided for whilst the people who live outside its walls, live in poverty and rations and serve and support them as well as providing a quota of their own children for 'advancement'.

Gaia who finds out her parents have been arrested for treason because they hold a secret knowledge of births from outside the enclave which is desperately needed by the authorities who isn't as benign as they appear. Gaia was a fantastic character, determined and stubborn about her quest to find out what happened to her parents and realising that her society isn't as perfect as it appeared and that the heartache and pain for mothers and families giving up a quota of their babies is truly awful.

It was an interesting world, and as Gaia explored and discovered answers about the mystery of the intrigue added depth to setting and premise of the book, which I loved because in a few of the YA dystopians I have read, the world-building/settings is shakey. I also enjoyed the hint of romance which had a complex hero and his interactions with Gaia was a highlight in the story. But the main strength of this book was the writing, I was so sucked in.

Bithmarked is a multilayered story and beautifully written with lush and descriptive prose, with characters who have real depth. The tone of poignancy and sadness is balanced with strength and determination and hope of the heroine and I cant wait for the followup to see what happens next!

[pretear_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Reminiscent of The Handmaid's Tale - good concept, interesting characters and a touch of the angsty romance. Could have been a little more fast-paced, it was slow at times but I'm really looking forward to the next book.