Book Review: Pawn
Pawn (The Blackcoat Rebellion #1)
By: Aimee Carter
Published By: Harlequin Teen
Publication Date: November 26, 2013
Page Count: 346
Buy it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or IndieBound
Source: ARC Kindly Provided by Publisher via NetGalley
Audience: Young Adult - Dystopian
Paula is the resident Dystopian love among the Larks, but every now and then I pick one up. I have to be in the right mood to truly appreciate this genre. I also really enjoyed Carter's Goddess Test series so I thought I'd give this one a try. In my opinion, this is Carter's best work yet. Her writing is more sophisticated and the characters are more complex. I was impressed with the way her writing has evolved since her debut.
Pawn focuses on a futuristic society where a caste system of sorts reigns. At the age of seventeen, people in this version of the United States, take an exam which determines their rank. The highest rank VII is reserved for the ruling family, The Harts. Your rank determines where you live, your occupation, and who you're allowed to marry. Kitty Doe knows the future she wants - one that will allow her to remain with her boyfriend and best friend, Benjy. Life has a way of throwing curve balls and Kitty learns this the hard way. She's assigned a III ranking and told she'll be leaving D.C. behind for a job in the Denver sewers. Kitty can't fathom a life without Benjy so she makes some pretty desperate choices that put her on a dangerous path. She becomes sucked into the darker side of politics.
I don't want to discuss too much about the plot because there are so many intriguing twists and turns that are better experienced when you are blindsided by them. Every time I thought I had this one figured out, Carter would throw something new into the mix or reveal that something I thought to be true was a lie. The tension in this one was delicious and kept me reading.
I also enjoyed that none of the characters are totally likable and innocent. Everyone has an agenda. I did find that Kitty and Benjy had pure hearts, but they often allowed their feelings for one another to cloud their judgment.
In addition, I enjoyed the commentary on education and social structures; these issues are relevant to our current society. As a teacher, I was particularly interested in the education pieces. I appreciate that Carter is calling attention to the very real issues that teachers face every day in their classroom.
I not been so invested in a dystopian world and its inhabitants since The Hunger Games. I cannot wait to see where this series goes.
Paula is the resident Dystopian love among the Larks, but every now and then I pick one up. I have to be in the right mood to truly appreciate this genre. I also really enjoyed Carter's Goddess Test series so I thought I'd give this one a try. In my opinion, this is Carter's best work yet. Her writing is more sophisticated and the characters are more complex. I was impressed with the way her writing has evolved since her debut.
Pawn focuses on a futuristic society where a caste system of sorts reigns. At the age of seventeen, people in this version of the United States, take an exam which determines their rank. The highest rank VII is reserved for the ruling family, The Harts. Your rank determines where you live, your occupation, and who you're allowed to marry. Kitty Doe knows the future she wants - one that will allow her to remain with her boyfriend and best friend, Benjy. Life has a way of throwing curve balls and Kitty learns this the hard way. She's assigned a III ranking and told she'll be leaving D.C. behind for a job in the Denver sewers. Kitty can't fathom a life without Benjy so she makes some pretty desperate choices that put her on a dangerous path. She becomes sucked into the darker side of politics.
I don't want to discuss too much about the plot because there are so many intriguing twists and turns that are better experienced when you are blindsided by them. Every time I thought I had this one figured out, Carter would throw something new into the mix or reveal that something I thought to be true was a lie. The tension in this one was delicious and kept me reading.
I also enjoyed that none of the characters are totally likable and innocent. Everyone has an agenda. I did find that Kitty and Benjy had pure hearts, but they often allowed their feelings for one another to cloud their judgment.
In addition, I enjoyed the commentary on education and social structures; these issues are relevant to our current society. As a teacher, I was particularly interested in the education pieces. I appreciate that Carter is calling attention to the very real issues that teachers face every day in their classroom.
I not been so invested in a dystopian world and its inhabitants since The Hunger Games. I cannot wait to see where this series goes.
One Last Gripe: I want answers concerning the prime minister.
My Favorite Thing About This Book: The fast paced plot
First Sentence: Risking my life to steal an orange was a stupid thing to do, but today of all days, I didn't care about the consequences.
Favorite Character: Kitty
Least Favorite Character: Daxton
YOU CAN BE A VII. IF YOU GIVE UP EVERYTHING.
For Kitty Doe, it seems like an easy choice. She can either spend her life as a III in misery, looked down upon by the higher ranks and forced to leave the people she loves, or she can become a VII and join the most powerful family in the country.
If she says yes, Kitty will be Masked—surgically transformed into Lila Hart, the Prime Minister's niece, who died under mysterious circumstances. As a member of the Hart family, she will be famous. She will be adored. And for the first time, she will matter.
There's only one catch. She must also stop the rebellion that Lila secretly fostered, the same one that got her killed …and one Kitty believes in. Faced with threats, conspiracies and a life that's not her own, she must decide which path to choose—and learn how to become more than a pawn in a twisted game she's only beginning to understand.
For Kitty Doe, it seems like an easy choice. She can either spend her life as a III in misery, looked down upon by the higher ranks and forced to leave the people she loves, or she can become a VII and join the most powerful family in the country.
If she says yes, Kitty will be Masked—surgically transformed into Lila Hart, the Prime Minister's niece, who died under mysterious circumstances. As a member of the Hart family, she will be famous. She will be adored. And for the first time, she will matter.
There's only one catch. She must also stop the rebellion that Lila secretly fostered, the same one that got her killed …and one Kitty believes in. Faced with threats, conspiracies and a life that's not her own, she must decide which path to choose—and learn how to become more than a pawn in a twisted game she's only beginning to understand.
Glad to hear you liked this. It's almost to the top of my list.....Looking more forward to it now!
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
DeleteOoh nice review! I read this as well since I loved Aimee's Goddess Test series. Not the biggest dystopian fan ever either, but I do like the occasional one! This is a series I will be sticking with as well! Again, great review!
ReplyDeleteGlad to see you enjoyed it too! Thanks for taking the time to read my review and comment. :)
DeleteOh, you've got me excited. I have read the entire Goddess Test Series and I enjoyed it. I'm pumped Carter's writing matures and becomes more complex. I'm also all over the many twists and turns - this is the type of reading I enjoy. I did get lucky and pick this one up from NG, can't wait to start it now that I've read your review - thanks!
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoy this one as much as I did. I was pleasantly surprised to see Carter taking risks with her writing. This one is a lot darker than The Goddess Test books. I liked that she doesn't sugar coat things in this one. This isn't a happy book, but it's well worth the read. I found the society she created to be intriguing and relevant to modern society.
Delete