Book Review...Replication

Replication: The Jason Experiment by Jill Williamson

Review by Kara Grant

When Your Life Is Not Your Own Martyr---otherwise known as Jason 3:3---is one of hundreds of clones kept in a remote facility called Jason Farms. Told that he has been created to save humanity, Martyr has just one wish before he is scheduled to 'expire' in less than a month. To see the sky. Abby Goyer may have just moved to Alaska, but she has a feeling something strange is going on at the farm where her father works. But even this smart, confident girl could never have imagined what lies beneath a simple barn. Or what would happen when a mysterious boy shows up at her door, asking about the stars. As the reality of the Jason Experiment comes to light, Martyr is caught between two futures---the one for which he was produced and the one Abby believes God created him to have. Time is running out, and Martyr must decide if a life with Abby is worth leaving everything he's ever known (from Amazon.com).

My review

Martyr, also known as J:3:3, only wants three things before he expires.  He wants to see the sky, he wants to fulfill his purpose, and he wants to protect the broken clones that are easily bullied.  Martyr is due to expire in 25 days; will he be able to accomplish all three tasks before then?  Since Martyr is a clone he has no material possessions, no family, and is used to having a structured routine.  He’s different from his fellow clones, though.  He’s very curious, sensitive, helps the weaker clones, and loves justice.

Abby doesn’t have a specific purpose.  She wants her teenage life to reflect some balance since her mom’s death to breast cancer when all of a sudden her dad says they’re moving from Washington, DC to Alaska.  Abby deals with stress by weighing the pros and cons.  When she gets mad, she communicates to her dad with text messaging instead of yelling.  She comes off as a brat at first, but she has to adjust to lots of change at the beginning of the story and she hasn’t dealt emotionally with her mom’s passing yet.  She’s extremely intelligent, not boy crazy, hides her beauty by passing off as plain, is passionate about God, and she’s very responsible while her dad works long hours at his job.  She desires for her dad to know God.

That’s something Martyr has in common with Abby.  Even though one was born in a lab and the other was born to parents, neither of them are typical teenagers.  Martyr knows his time is running out so he makes a desperate decision and sneaks out of the farm.  He just wants to see the sky right?  Little does he know that this choice will change everything he knows.  Once he meets Abby they have an instant connection and that’s when Martyr learns not all is what it seems.  He’s still determined to live out his purpose, but after learning about God and asking more questions about his identity, the scientists he has known all his life no longer have the same power over him.

Other clone nicknames

Fido
Ironman
Baby and the brokens (the ones missing full body parts and/or unable to communicate properly because of defects)
Speedy
Hummer

clones that are fun to look at

Abby’s Pros and Cons....

Cons: coming home to an empty apartment/moving
No Nordstrom where they move to
Pros: grilled cheese and CSI
A friend who can cook

Words Martyr doesn’t know:

she
names of colors
wallet
money
Christmas
celebrate
love
son
airplanes
rainbows
rain
snow
freckles
parents
cat
sleeping bag
wife
family
mountains
computer
moon
calls the Bible a book-filled-with-smaller-books; thinks it’s fascinating and confusing
I wanted to list these words because it illustrates so much of what Martyr and the clones have no understanding of and made me appreciate God’s wisdom. 

References to Sarah Palin, Lord of the Flies, and Pinnochio

My favorite part of the story was everyone’s reaction to Martyr.  Is this guy for real?  He’s so friendly and intelligent, but so childlike and easily confused by expressions and body language.  He doesn’t understand personal space, boundaries, or inappropriate questions.  To his credit, he’s a fast learner and never loses his sense of purpose.  There was nothing offensive in this book, which is another pro to add to Abby’s list J  There is violence: mostly fights among the clones, running from the guards, one car crash, a couple of injections and Martyr walking barefoot in the cold.  There are a few broken clones in the story and it’s heartbreaking to learn their defects, but it’s nothing gory.  It’s implied that one woman is raped, but there’s nothing described or pointed out.  It was witnessed and there is guilt over it.

Here’s an excerpt:

“Dad, don’t you know why Mom was so mad about your experiments?  Because she trusted God to take care of her life.  If God wanted her to be with him, she was okay with that.”

For a moment Dad didn’t say anything.  He stared up at the ceiling, and Abby wondered if he had even heard her.  Then he slowly, almost painfully moved his head from the back of the chair and looked straight at Abby.  “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”

Abby stared back for a long moment, then nodded.  She didn’t blame him for thinking it was crazy.  If you didn’t know God, how could you trust him?  “The thing is, I believe that too,” Abby said softly.  “I trust God with my life, so I try to share as much of it with him as I can.  I thank him for every breath, every bite of food, every blessing.  I want to spend my time on earth fulfilling the purpose God designed me for.”

Dad slid to the edge of his armchair.  “Wouldn’t you think it was unfair if your God allows you to live only until the end of the week?”

Abby took a deep breath.  “Life isn’t about how many days I live, but how I live the days I have.”  She kicked herself when her dad leaned back into his chair; he wasn’t going to accept her fortune cookie answers.  “Listen, Dad, you spent your marriage trying to find a cure for Mom and you missed out on what little life she had.  You took her joy, Dad, and yours, trying to save her.”  He looked a bit startled at what she was saying, but he appeared to be listening.  And it had to be said.  “Now you work for more people with that same philosophy.  They want to take the lives of others because of their fear.  They don’t understand, so they try to find a way to control things.  But God will always get his way.  No scientist can change that.  The only way to really live is to give up your fear and trust God.”  Abby’s eyes got misty.  “Mom taught me that.”

I don’t know anything about clones or stem cell research, but I was fascinated and touched by this book.  Even though this is fiction I know I won’t approach the topic of clones the same again.  I did not consider this book to be preachy either since it comes from the perspective of teens.  I did not consider this book a science experiment even though it’s filled with scientific comments and situations; Williamson brilliantly takes the reader on a journey that makes you see life and freedom through the eyes of a young man filled with innocence and eager to grow.  I learned the value of purpose and that even though your life is not your own, you still have the choice of living it with conviction and the difference that love makes along the way.  Don’t miss out on this great story; it demonstrates purpose, freedom, love, romance, humor, loss, fear, and redemption while providing Biblical truths.  You can find out more about the author and her blog at www.jillwilliamson.com.

I want to thank Zondervan and Zondervan’s Z Street Team for the copy they provided.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions expressed are my own.Show More

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