Star Split, by Kathryn Lasky, is the story of thirteen-year-old Darci. She lives in a world powered by genetic engineering and the Bio Union. Darci happens to love rock climbing, but it will be this very thing that will change her life for the better or the worse. As Darci is relaxing on a rock face, she suddenly comes face-to-face with an umbula (clone) of herself! The umbula's name is Vivian, and they both soon realize that they can never, ever be seen together. However, soon both Darci's and Vivian's worlds are turned upside down, and each hour brings them closer to death.
I loved this book! It was a suspenseful thriller packed with science, and it made me want to find out more about the subject.
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I'm so glad you liked Star Split, Annie. I discovered it six or seven years ago, when I was asked by the school system here to design some sort of seminar series that could be offered to gifted middle school kids, with the goal of bringing kids from the five middle schools together. This book offered so many jumping off points in terms of areas that might be of interest to middle-school kids: genetic engineering, the sense of "self" in terms of genetics and environment (just how alike would you and your clone be?), what language communicates about a culture, and so on. Before I could work out a lot of the specifics, the school division decided it would all be too difficult to schedule. I'm glad something positive came of it, because that's how I knew about the book to suggest it to your mom. Speaking of your mom, give her a big birthday hug for me, okay?
I just wanted to comment to you that you have given someone or several people a very special gift! The hair that you cut off is truly an act of more than kindness, but one of pure compassion. You are a special girl, Annie.
Jean--
Okay! It's too bad the seminar series was canceled!
Joy--
Thanks! I like my new hairdo a lot and I'm glad that someone else will be happy with my hair, which to me was usually just a pain.
--Annie
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