Prototype by M. D. Waters (Archetype #2)

Prototype is the second – and sadly the last – book in the Archetype dystopian thriller series by the author M.D. Waters.

In the first book, Archetype, we have Emma Wade waking up from an accident, with her husband Declan sitting next to her with a loving look in his eyes. Her journey takes her through weird territories where she realizes that she might not be who everyone tells her she is. Her dreams and voices in her head tell her another story entirely.

In Prototype we meet Emma one year after the happenings in Archetype. When people close to her found out the truth about her through a really shocking revelation, Emma could no longer bear the looks of either pity or distrust from them. She now knows exactly who – or what – she is, and having left everyone behind, she is now eagerly looking in Mexico for her parents who might just be the anchor that she needs in her life right now.

Things don’t go as planned though, as Declan, who was thought to be dead, here he is in all his powerful presence and wants her back at all costs, including offering a huge payout to anyone around the world who tips him off about her location. Hiding is no longer an option for Emma, so back she goes to Noah, her current husband and true love, to find a safe haven until she figures out what to do next.

Going back, however, comes with facing the truth about herself and facing those who know what she really is: a clone of the real Emma Wade. She knows she has no real future and no real chance at happiness with Noah, not when he still grieves after his real wife.

She also realizes that she has to stop running and has to put an end to the torment Declan has been putting her through all this time. And she knows that she has to help free the women who are subjected to the tyranny of the current society, where they are the lowest class ever.

I loved the story, it was well crafted, well written and the characters had real depth and complexity. Having said that, if I have to compare it to Archetype, it is simply not up to par with the first story.

Archetype was a roller coaster, a truly unique dystopian novel that surprised me – and pretty much everyone else – with everything it had to offer. It is indeed one of its kind.

Prototype, as good as it is, it’s a complex love triangle – romance – action – drama set in a futuristic location. It was a great read, but that awesomeness that characterized Archetype sadly wasn’t there. I just wish we had less romance and more dystopia in this last book.

Nevertheless I did enjoy reading it. I loved Emma and her identity struggles, her coming to age story and the complex web of characters that she met and interacted with. Even the bad guys were really well fleshed out and seemed real with their own feelings and struggles.

I got to enjoy the new characters Leigh, Foster, Miles and dr. Malcolm. Some of them left me chuckling out loud with their lines. I got to appreciate their range of feelings for Emma and what drove them. Having also read the short novella Antitype, I got to appreciate Declan and Noah even more, and understand their love and competition for Emma.

Even though Protoype is not of the caliber of Archetype, it is still one of the best books I’ve read in the last few months.