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About Charisma
Product Description A heartracing thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of NERVE, the book that launched the major motion picture! Aislyn suffers from crippling shyness—that is, until she’s offered a dose of Charisma, an underground gene therapy drug guaranteed to make her shine. The effects are instant. She’s charming, vivacious, and popular. But strangely, so are some other kids she knows. The media goes into a frenzy when the disease turns contagious, and then deadly, and the doctor who gave it to them disappears. Aislyn must find a way to stop it, before it's too late. Part medical thriller, part social justice commentary, Charisma will have readers on the edge of their seats. From School Library Journal Gr 8 Up—Aislyn is cripplingly shy: she's very smart and could have won the state science fair with her research on gene therapies, if only she'd been able to bring herself to talk to the judges about it. She'd love to talk to people and advocate for gene therapies as a treatment for various illnesses, like her brother's cystic fibrosis, but she freezes up and can't get words out. So when a researcher offers her a chance to overcome her social anxieties with an experimental gene therapy, Aislyn jumps at the chance. Her new gregarious self isn't afraid to talk to the boy she's been crushing on, or go to parties, or be a normal teenager. But some other teens have been given the treatment, too, and have collapsed. Then the symptoms start appearing in people who haven't had the therapy. Charisma may not be the answer Aislyn was hoping for. Not a far step from Ned Vizzini's Be More Chill (Hyperion, 2004), this novel features more current, realistic medical technology. The science is explained well enough for non-scientist readers to understand, and gives teens much to think about regarding medical ethics and experimentation. Aislyn's relationship with her boyfriend is chaste by necessity (so she doesn't spread the virus), but there are some mild suggestions of more mature desires. An adequate choice for medium to larger collections.—Brandy Danner, Perkins School for the Blind, Watertown, MA Review "...this fast-paced and edgy novel has enough thrills, romance, and family drama to please a wide audience. This Robin Cook–like thriller zips along at breakneck speed to a satisfying conclusion."— Booklist "Ryan ( Nerve) offers a cautionary tale about the perils of designer genetics and what happens when scientists' aspirations get ahead of ethics. Her take on the topic is fresh and intriguing."— Publishers Weekly "Suspense balances with discussions of bioethics for a provocative and entertaining read. A sympathetic protagonist combines with intriguing medical possibility for a solid thriller."— Kirkus Reviews " Charisma by Jeanne Ryan is at its best when it gets technical. Considering Ryan has a PHD and has worked with youth development programs and social workers, it’s obvious she knows what she talking about."— Hypable "Not a far step from Ned Vizzini’s Be More Chill...The science is explained well enough for non-scientist readers to understand, and gives teens much to think about regarding medical ethics and experimentation."— School Library Journal "The science is both sharp and accessible here, and readers will get a sense of the nuances and messiness of genetic alterations while staying in Aislyn’s world."— BCCB About the Author Jeanne Ryan lives in the Pacific Northwest with her family. She dreams of the day scientists develop a DNA alteration for flying. In the meantime, writing provides her wings. Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. I swim varsity but know firsthand what being trapped below the surface feels like. This. Chest-crushing, head-pounding panic as you fight for just one breath. Fingernails clawing into my palms, I struggle for air on this dry-as-dust stage, in front of science fair judges, strangers from across Washington State, my family, and J
