Oh, where to start with this book? Well, first off this took me much longer to read than I anticipated, but please don’t take that as negative mark against this book. Wrath falls into the category of stories that really make you ponder. I kept having to take breaks to digest both the moral imperatives that this book presented to the reader. Forefront, the fact that animals deserve to be “elevated” right alongside their human counterparts. Phew. That was a lot to digest. I’m not generally a book highlighter, but I wrote down a ton of passages from this book. It has a lot to say.

Now that being said, I should also point out to my more squeamish readers that this book walks that very thin line between science fiction and horror, where bad things happen right on the page. This book is pretty damn violent. However, and I think this is a super important item to consider, this story would feel wrong if this book wasn’t as violent as it is. Here we have a story about humans once again assuming that we are the top of the food chain. A story where we make decisions for beings who can’t tell us whether or not they’d approve of those decisions. A story based partly in a need to see growth, but also very heavily in greed. Often stories like that end up with casualties, and we all know this. I just want to make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into.

That being said, this book does an excellent job of putting the horrors of the choices our characters make into context. It isn’t just the people who should be punished that are, showing that the choices of the few can absolutely affect the many. The book is also quite fairly paced. It picks up speed slowly, but once it reaches the mid-point? This story is full on running to the finish line. I’ll be completely honest and tell you it took me a good three days of separated listening to finish the last few chapters. Some heavy stuff there.

So why the three star rating? Well, partially because this book does take a bit to get started. Also partially because once Sammy was able to actually start iterating his thoughts, I had such a hard time with this book. It would be too hard to explain in a short review, but as his brain grew so did his human thoughts and that just struck a chord with me. Lastly, the ending honestly felt a little rushed. I know, I was just complaining about how hard it was to read. But it did kind of feel like the end of a movie where the plot isn’t quite wrapped up and there is only twenty minutes left. If nothing else, I would have liked to see a shred of character redemption for anyone. Then again, I guess that’s just life. Right?

As you can tell, this book had me all over the place. However I did actually enjoy it overall, and so I can absolutely recommend it. Just be sure to expect violence, and obviously testing on animals. If you’re okay with the darker, grittier parts of humanity, you might like this story.

An incredible, compulsively readable story you won't be able to put down that calls to mind John Grisham.

It’s been a while since I’ve read a near-future sci-fi, but Wrath really makes me want to pick up more. The fast-paced action, science written by authors who know their shit, and delightfully gruesome imagery made Wrath an unconventional, but exciting beach read. (I did actually read this at the beach)

Wrath opens from the narrative of Noah, CEO of Edited Pets, tech bro asshole with just enough desperation and money to make some extraordinarily bad decisions. After an initially splashy start with the sale of genomically edited glow-in-the-dark goldfish, Edited Pets has been on a downward trend, unable to replicate that success with their follow-up products (genetically modified pets). Which, of course, brings Noah and co to the absolutely brilliant idea of editing mice to be a) extra cute and b) have the intelligence of a human 10-year-old, complete with the ability to directly communicate, in English, with their owner.

Now, before we jump into the horror show of progressively worse decisions Noah and co make throughout the book, please stop and consider for a moment simply the ethical ramifications of mass-producing and selling anything with the intelligence and communication abilities of a 10-year-old. That’s a full-on sapient creature! That is being sold! Now throw in the fact that in order to give these prototype mice such level of intelligence, their brains end up growing bigger than their skulls can handle, ultimately resulting in seizures and death. Mice with the awareness and communication abilities of a 10-year-old. Not a single prototype has survived this fate. You can probably guess where this book is going.

Naturally, Noah and head scientist Sienna don’t think, wow that’s maybe a little fucked up let’s pursue something else. Instead, ‘improvements’ are slowly made to these prototype mice, called Sammys, but also leading to increasingly worse consequences. I really have to give it to Moalem and Kraus for their descriptive writing, because they do not hold back on the gore-y (anatomically correct) details we get of the rat attacks humans suffer in this book.

One of my favorite elements of this book is the inclusion of chapters from a particular Sammy’s perspective. I thought it was a unique inclusion in these kinds of ‘science experiment gone wrong, humanity at risk’ genre of novels that really humanizes Sammy and all the terrible experimentation he’s been forced to undergo. The authors could have easily taken the standard route of ‘look at humanity triumph over the monsters on the loose’. Instead, it’s very clear that Noah, Sienna, and other are not the heroes of this story. Humanity is displayed at both its best and worst, with a very deft execution of nuance.

If I had one complaint, it would be that the jumps in both POV and timelines are not marked, and it would sometimes take me a paragraph or two to realize a different character is speaking or that they’re in a flashback scene.

Overall, I rate this book a 4/5. I loved the fast-paced action, the nuance and humanity the authors give both the heroes and the villains of this story, and the strong adherence to semi-realistic science.

Wrath was entertaining. You can quickly see where the story is headed, but I liked the concept. I felt Noah was portrayed way more in-depth than other characters and it felt a bit unbalanced because we had way more main characters. For a dystopian/horror novel I felt there were enough gruesome and uncomfortable scenes.

I can recommend this to science and dystopian fans.

Thanks Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Wrath
by Sharon Moalem and Daniel Kraus
Science Fiction
NetGalley ARC

Scientists splice human genes with rats to make a smart pet.

You know where this one is going, and it goes there.

Think Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, (I didn't know this was a series!) and the movie Ben, (not Willard, he's too old). The story isn't bad, but it got boring because it was pretty clear what was going to happen, and I had to make myself sit down and read the last ten or so pages, and that took me two days because at the first interruption I didn't pick the book back up.

The way it jumped from the different characters' points of view wasn't the best, and leaving characters in the middle of something, then going back to them after that something was over and done with, was lazy in my opinion.

Maybe more descriptions, more blood and guts, could've made this book more interesting, though one death was a little more detailed.

Yes, there could be a sequel, but I won't be looking for it.

2 Stars

If you’ve ever watched "Jurassic Park" and wondered what might happen if the dinosaurs understood human language and were aware of exactly how poorly the humans treated them, then you’re the exact audience Shäron Moalem and Daniel Kraus’s new book, "Wrath" is targeting. Reading like a cross between a blockbuster movie, a hard sci-fi thriller, and a rumination on the very ethics of animal experimentation, "Wrath" is a thrill ride from start to finish. It’ll make you laugh, cry, and quiver in fear all in the same chapter. It’s the kind of book that digs into your brain and stays with you long after you’ve read it. And while it doesn’t necessarily bring anything new to the game, it’s one of the most effective horror books I’ve read this year and easily worth a read if you’re looking for something creepy this Halloween season.

In the near future, EditedPets (think Apple, but if they made technologically advanced pets) is on the cusp of introducing their newest augmented pet - Sammy. Sammy is a genetically modified rat, gifted with the ability to not only understand and learn from humans but to truly communicate with them. As a pet, he’s a game changer. The first step towards that utopian future of true companionship between humanity and the animal kingdom. But as any scientist knows, the path to discovery is often paved with the mistreatment of animals. A truth that Sammy is all too aware of - and, given the chance, all too eager to rectify. And so Sammy devises a plan. A plan to free his fellow rats from the torture and indignities inflicted by humankind forever.

"Wrath" begins like any number of similar stories. There’s Noah, the tech CEO so far divorced from reality that he doesn’t have the faintest idea of the implications of his work, and Sienna, the scientist trying to make a positive difference while ultimately (and inadvertently) causing a great deal of harm. And, at first, Moalem and Kraus lead you to believe "Wrath" is gonna tell their story. That it’s just gonna be another one of those books where the know-it-all scientists mess with forces they shouldn’t play around with, cause a great deal of damage, but ultimately survive relatively intact. Almost immediately, however, "Wrath" careens down a different path. Sure, it absolutely exists within those well-established tropes. But instead of strictly following them, "Wrath" takes its audience’s expectations and mutates them just a little bit. You get exactly what you’re expecting but in a far more surprising and engaging package.

What makes "Wrath" stand out from the rest of the pack is how it humanizes Sammy. Pop culture is full of stories where the mindless horde overtakes humanity and punishes us for our cruelty. But in almost every case, that horde remains a distant other, never humanized in any meaningful way. "Wrath" spits in the face of that tradition and not only invites its readers to sympathize with Sammy but transports them into Sammy’s brain. Multiple chapters are presented entirely from Sammy’s point of view, at various stages of his development. And these chapters are easily the most engrossing parts of the book. We get to see exactly how Sammy goes from this very innocent creature, desperately trying to please his creators, to the devious, master manipulator he eventually becomes.

Along the way, we follow Sammy as he learns new things, meets new people, and mentally evolves in very human ways. This approach humanizes Sammy in a way that many similar stories wouldn’t have done. Sammy isn’t this voiceless, existential threat. He’s a monster of our own making, a reflection of the darkest parts of humanity. He’s a representation of our greatest possibilities and our worst instincts. And, most importantly, he's his own being. His characterization gives this book an overwhelming sense of tragedy. "Wrath" isn’t a survival story, not in the way we’re used to thinking of them. It’s a story about cruelty. About the ways humans are cruel to those they view as lesser beings. And about the ways that cruelty can lead to even more cruelty. And all of this results in a fascinating, haunting read.

Lest you think "Wrath" is all introspection and no action, worry not. As I said, "Wrath" delivers exactly what it promises on the tin. Without venturing too far into spoilery territory, there’s a reason people are comparing "Wrath" to books like "Jurassic Park," "World War Z," and "Frankenstein." And those comparisons are 100% on the money. "Wrath" reads like the literary equivalent of a blockbuster sci-fi thriller. And it’s such a compulsive read, too. "Wrath" is the kind of book that immediately grabs your attention and never lets it go. Once you start reading it, you won’t want to stop. And the last half of the novel is just a barrage of suspense, excitement, horror, and satisfaction. Moalem and Kraus do such a great job of paying off every single plot point they set up, and those payoffs are exactly as satisfying as you’d hope they’d be.

Needless to say, I can’t recommend "Wrath" enough. It’s an action-packed, page-turner of a read, packed with horrific imagery, heartbreaking character development, and thrilling action sequences. "Wrath" is the perfect read for the Halloween season. It delivers an engaging twist on a familiar story, all while placing a mirror in front of our darkest tendencies. As a horror story, it’s profoundly effective and certain to stay with you long after you finish it. As a sci-fi story, it's the kind of story sure to please those looking for a realistic glimpse at the future of our technology. And for those just looking for a good read, "Wrath" is the ultimate compulsive page-turner.

Wrath was a quick and enjoyable read albeit nothing memorable. Charcters some of which I liked, some I hated. Sammy’s chapters were fun and quite interesting.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy.

Wrath reminded me of Michael Crichton, with a mix of Flowers for Algernon (and maybe a dash of Willard). Technology gone mad. One person's idea of 'uplifting' pets to make them more 'human'. Despite shortcomings in previous attempts, our 'heroes' try to massively increase the intelligence of rats, with disastrous results. Expect the popcorn movie to be announced any day now. Good fun.

Pretty enjoyable read. I was surprised this was co-authored by a non-fiction author. This is not as good as many other sci-fi tales I've read, but it holds its own. It was pretty engaging. I hope it finds an audience.

Thanks for the free ARC for review!!