Rachel Cohn has outdone herself with this post-apocalyptic world and most of us might consider the ramifications of cloning. Beta is set on the island of Demesne, where the air is so full of oxygen that it almost feels like paradise. “Clones” are made from the bodies of those who have died and are responsible for becoming servants or companions to the rich and elite population of the island. They are engineered to have no feelings, no wants, and no needs. Elysia is the first teen clone to be "emerged". She is beautiful and it doesn't take long for her to be noticed. She is quickly bought by the Governor of Demesne’s wife as a sort of replacement for her daughter who has gone to study on the mainland. At first Elysia feels as if she has entered into a life of luxury, accepted by her new "brother" Ivan and little “sister”, Liesel. However, as Elysia explores her new life, glimpses of her first start to haunt her. She can no longer deny the fact that she is experiencing emotions and sensations that clones are not supposed to feel, not to mention flashbacks of a beautiful man. She soon realizes that she is just one of many clones who have decided to take back their lives and to do so at any cost, including insurrection.