Gaia wasn’t my favorite character in the first book and she continues to be a weak point for me in this book as well. I was surprised that it took Leon pointing these things out to the other men to rile them against the strict matriarchal rule. I did find it a bit unrealistic that the men would be mostly content with the way society was ruled the majority of the men were so docile about it even though they were occasional the victims of abuse. It was interesting that the rules were so strict and that for the most part they were followed. The social codes in Sylum are very interesting, basically topsy turvy of how old Victorian codes were for women. Since most of these issues were addressed in the first half of the story I was absolutely intrigued and engaged for the first part of the book, especially by some of the genetic and scientific implications about what was going on in Sylum. Thirdly when they find out why the society is so short on women it is incredibly interesting. Secondly anyone who tries to leave Sylum after they go through the acclimation sickness dies so once Gaia decides to stay there she is trapped. First of all the society is matriarcal which is interesting considering the shortage of women in Sylum. The Sylum society is interesting in a number of ways.

I just got completely sucked into the story. The first part of this book was an incredibly engaging and intense story. Now Gaia will find herself not only in a power struggle with the powerful woman ruler of asylum, but with her heart torn between multiple the multiple men who woo her. But when Gaia fails to comply with the strict rules of Sylum her sister is taken away and she is forced into seclusion.

Sylum is in desperate need of a midwife though, so they are greatful for Gaia. For a man to even touch or kiss a woman is taboo and considered rape. Sylum is a place where the men vastly out number the women but a woman rule’s the city. Gaia has traveled the wasteland with her baby sister Maya only to be captured by the people of Sylum. I enjoyed this book overall, it was very engaging and Gaia has to face a hard situation that is both the same and opposite of the one she faced in Birthmarked. There is also a short story called Tortured that will be released in early Dec 2011 that bridges the time between Birthmarked and Prized. This is the second book in the Prized trilogy, the third book entitled Promised is due out later in 2012. I got an eGalley of this book through NetGalley(dot)com. Stand Alone or Series: 2nd book in the Birthmarked trilogy

Birthmarked by Caragh M. O'Brien