Book BFFs: Rhine

Wither (Chemical Garden Trilogy) by Lauren DeStefano

Name: Rhine Ellery/Ashby
Age: 16
Favorite Candy: June Beans, especially blue ones
Family: Twin brother, Rowan
Husband: Linden Ashby
Sister Wives: Jenna, Cecily
Distinguishing Marks: Heterochromia; one blue eye, one brown



Rhine is second only to Deuce in my mind. Rhine, living in New York in New America, is kidnapped by Gatherers and taken to a mansion in Florida to be one of the wives of the wealthy Linden Ashby. Although one of her sister wives has always wanted to be a bride and the other thinks there’s no hope of escaping, Rhine is determined to get out and get back to her brother. I can’t talk much about the second book, Fever, without giving spoilers for Wither, but I really came to like her in Fever. She’s tough, and she’s persistent on getting home to Rowan, no matter what she has to go through to get there. She’s got a constant curiosity about the sunken countries she’ll never be able to visit even though everyone around her has accepted the loss of these diverse cultures and no one else even cares. She’s got a strong will and a soft heart, caring for those around her, even people she doesn’t always want to care for. So go read Wither and Fever (and soon Sever) and hopefully you’ll come to like Rhine too!