In Aston Vazeto’s world there are two kinds of people, Donors and Recipients. The Recipients are an elite group isolated from the rest of humanity. The Donors sell their antibody rich blood to Recipients on the other side of a protective wall in exchange for money at elaborate auctions, and are completely dependent on their blood money, even bearing children just to share the burden. The toll donating takes is vast, eventually claiming the lives of many, and the upsides are small. Aston is determined to make her own way in the New World without donating her precious blood and succumbing to the greed that comes from donating. But with her blood numbers promising to be some of the most valuable in history, will Aston be able to resist the technician’s needle?
Blood Numbers is an addictive young adult novel with an intriguing love story written by C.F. Kreitzer. Aston is a relatable teenager who wants to fight the injustices keeping her people down. She struggles with her own youthful desires, which don’t often align with most of society or that of her mother. A refreshing addition is the persistent and sweet love story that well balances the sanguinary and dreary main plot. There is an abundance of self-reflection and inner monologue with Aston that slows the pace of the story, but what 16-year-old isn’t plagued with self-doubt and inner cogitation? Intricate like Red Queen and extravagant like The Selection, Blood Numbers is a twisted fairy tale that is pure delight for fans of dystopian fiction!
