by Jaerie (link)
Genre cest, dystopia
Pairings Zac/OFC, Zaylor
Length 13 chapters
Status Unfinished
Although it never quite took off as a trend, a handful of big, dystopian hanfics debuted in this era and The Breeders was one of them. The title is rather on the nose, a fact that it still took me a few chapters to realize.
The story begins like a much darker version of The Giver or Divergent, with the sixteen year old narrator (who we soon realize is Zac) on the verge of being given his adult job assignment. The story’s world is exceedingly bleak, with Zac having never even seen a woman before and no hint that I can see that he’s ever been outside of this strange complex of buildings in which everyone lives. It’s a strange, sterile world that I wish Jaerie had explained just a bit better, but perhaps that would have come if the story had been completed.
Part of that absence of explanation is due to Zac’s ignorance, I suppose. Although the narration is not especially flowery, it does show the intelligence that Zac seems to think he doesn’t have, while at the same time showing how much he has been purposely sheltered from. Because of that ignorance, he doesn’t feel a sense of shame at the very slowly developing between him and Taylor, which unfortunately we only see a tiny hint of before the story was abandoned.
I’m still holding out hope that one day Jaerie picks The Breeders back up and explains some of the lingering questions–not to mention that growing relationship between the brothers. This is an oddly dark and perverse story, so it certainly isn’t for everyone, but the slight incestuous aspects are actually some of the most beautiful and pure moments of it. There are few stories that I think have as much potential for greatness as this one, and it’s a shame not to see it all realized.
Review by Bethany (website)