Pawn by Aimée Carter
Published by Harlequin Teen
Sale Date: November 26, 2013
Juvenile Fiction / Dystopian Ages 14 And Up
Harlequin Series: The Blackcoat Rebellion
352 pages
About the book:
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. [Source: Goodreads]
If you can get through the first few couple of chapters, I promise that Aimee Carter’s novel, Pawn will be an entertaining read. The characters are believable, and even the villains have reasonable motives. The story has quite a few plot twists and I like how we learn more about Kitty’s personality each time she is faced with yet another challenge. I would be exhausted with worrying about who to trust and whose orders to follow to ensure I live another day, but Kitty is strong enough to watch out for herself, while also maintaining a sense of honour.
This is a dystopian novel with a few familiar elements — aptitude tests for citizens, ranking and sorting upon one’s 17th birthday, limited news, rebels who want to disrupt the status quo and overthrow the current system, a female protagonist, etc. The dialogue and characters make this story stand out. The only character that isn’t very memorable is Kitty’s boyfriend, Benjy, but he is necessary as the reason for why Kitty makes the decisions that she does.
Overall, Pawn is a good pick for silent reading time.
*welcome to my english class* 
Mar 31, 2014 @ 04:40:03
An excellent example of how to write a succinct yet informative review, providing the reader enough information to pique their interest without giving too much away, my compliments…
Mar 31, 2014 @ 08:16:42
Thank you so much, Paul!
Mar 31, 2014 @ 05:53:59
Paul has said it all. A fine review.
Mar 31, 2014 @ 08:17:27
You are very kind — thank you Peter.
Mar 31, 2014 @ 09:50:25
One day I hope you review my book. Your review is objective. You don’t take sides with the author or go on to castigate him. I love that. And your simple wholehearted tone makes your honesty outstanding and profound. Why? I read this review and in my heart I know that it’s the truth. The truth, nothing more. It is what I will find when I buy the book.
Once, long ago, I read a review of a painting. The critic said that the painter should have hang his own face for the public to view instead of the painting! I was young and I laughed like hell.