Catarina Agatta lives in a future world where every human has a “panel” that controls their genes, giving them the ability to recode their DNA. The programs to alter human DNA have to be coded by master code-writers and hackers – it’s not something that just anyone can do. Catarina is a master though; she takes after her father, Lachlan, a scientist who was kidnapped by the evil organization Cartaxus two years ago. Cartaxus keeps their own programs under copyright, including most importantly those that cure diseases. They’re hoping Lachlan will be able to code a vaccine for the latest disease that’s crippling humanity, one that makes humans go into “the wrath” and kill each other mindlessly, right before they literally explode. Catarina is left to survive on her own, eating those with the disease for immunity, refusing to enter a Cartaxus settlement that protects its residents from the disease because she has unauthorized code in her body, code that saves her life but would be stripped by Cartaxus. But then a young Cartaxus agent named Cole arrives, and he says he’s been sent by Lachlan to help Catarina unlock the key to the vaccine – and everything goes to hell in a handbasket after that (and you thought things were already bad).

There’s a lot going on in this book, and the synopsis above only gets at a portion of it. This is one of those books where it’s best to just strap yourself in and go along for the ride. It’s full of twists and turns, with a whopper of a reveal near the end that took me completely by surprise but in retrospect was carefully planned and executed by Suvada. I always appreciate a well-plotted novel, and this is a great example: readers should pay careful attention to every detail Suvada drops, because it may be important later on. This Mortal Coil also feels more cutting-edge than any of the other futuristic sci-fi novels I’ve read recently. I can’t think of another book for teens that uses the mapping of the human genome and subsequent gene editing (with tools like CRISPR) as a major plot point. It’s fascinating to me, in part because it’s just entering the mainstream conversation, and in part because the possibilities (practical and story-wise) seem endless. Tech like this makes me feel like I’m living in the future; Emily Suvada brought it to life. Whether her vision of what gene editing can actually do is realistic or not remains to be seen, and is a question perhaps best left to scientists. But it does make for a good story.

I liked Catarina as a protagonist. She’s smart and reacts realistically to every obstacle thrown at her (and there are many). There’s a romance that develops between her and Cole, which feels natural and unforced. The twist near the end gives it greater depth while simultaneously adding to its complications. Catarina is also a human teenager, though, despite her extraordinary intelligence. She’s easily led by the bad guys (and just who the bad guys are is not always clear), feels the betrayal of her loved ones keenly, and sometimes acts in a way that is not in her best interest out of fear or stubbornness.

While the book isn’t perfect (it meanders sometimes in the middle, the gene-coding aspects are not always well-explained), it’s a cut above most other recent apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic stories, particularly those featuring a plague. The gene-coding angle is not one that’s been done in this way before, and the twisty plot will keep readers hooked. This is one to seek out.