Bumped by Megan McCafferty: A Review

Imagine a world where society encourages teenaged girls to get pregnant, as early and often as possible.  This is the world of Bumped by Megan McCafferty.  The Human Progressive Sterility Virus has made a majority of adults sterile.  In order to perpetuate the human race, teenagers must reproduce.  Melody Mayflower is a star in this world -  sixteen, tall, blond, beautiful, athletic, intelligent, artistic, socially conscious.  Melody has signed an exclusive contract to reproduce for a couple named the Jaydens receiving full college tuition, a Volkswagon plug, a postpartum tummy trim, and a six-figure signing bonus.  She is simply waiting for the Jaydens to select someone for her to “bump” with.  Her life is proceeding as planned until her identical twin sister Harmony, adopted by an ultra-religious family, decides to reconnect.  Raised in a church compound, Harmony was supposed to marry at 13, but things didn’t work out.  Wearing an ankle-length, long-sleeved, high-necked dress and a veil, she arrives on Melody’s doorstep in order to help her find God. 

Both girls find out a lot about themselves.  Despite their very different upbringings, they are alike in more ways than they imagined.  How much of who we are is determined by DNA and how much by environment?  That is one of many topics this novel examines.  McCafferty creates a dystopian not-too-distant future that manages to seem futuristic, yet familiar.  She creates slang that sounds completely natural, and technology, including the MiNet which connects everyone at all times through contact lenses and earbuds, which seems like it might be right around the corner.

The novel ends with something of a cliff-hanger.  Perhaps the author wants the reader to decide the ending for him/herself, or maybe there’s a sequel in the making.  I hope it’s the latter.  This novel is thoroughly enjoyable - funny, touching, and thought-provoking.  It should be a big hit with teenaged girls.  School libraries should be aware, however, that this novel does deal with sex, and although slangy euphemisms are used in most instances, some readers (or their parents) might find language or topic offensive.