Book Review: This Mortal Coil

By Sabine Tsoi

If you like books about devastating plagues, a post-apocalyptic future earth, and genetical science and technology developments This Mortal Coil is the book for you! Even if you don’t like any of those things, This Mortal Coil incorporates so many different other elements (including political/moral issues, action and a deep look at identity and what it means to be human. This book will suit anyone from the ages 13 - 18, but it is probably aimed at 15 and 16 year olds.

The book centres around Catrina Agatta, who is the daughter of Lachlan Agatta, the world’s leading geneticist. Lachlan is the humanity’s best hope of survival - the world is plagued by a devastating virus. But when a shadowy solider arrives bringing Catrina news of her father’s death, she is at a loss. Without Lachlan, humans are unlikely to find a vaccine to the virus. Fortunately Catrina finds out from the solider that Lachlan did created a vaccine, that he left to Catrina to decrypt. But the further she involves herself in the decoding the vaccine, the more she finds herself at risk from Cartaxus, a dark organisation that her father warned her to stay away from. However, Cat finds herself a chess piece in a game she has no control over.

This Mortal coil is a page turner - each page there is a new twist or suspenseful revelation. The author, Emily Suvada is a mathematician and scientist (specifically a genetical engineer) and she uses this background knowledge to create an incredible, futuristic world filled with genetics and science. Everyone has panels in their arms they can use to control some of their genes - they can change how they look, or heal injuries faster. This book will leave you reeling, and wanting more.

I would definitely recommend this book, and I would give a 4.5/5.

Also, if you’re interested the second book in the series is This Cruel Design.