Everyone takes a test when they turn 17, and the higher you score, the better your prospects for the rest of your life. Kitty takes the test and receives a III -- which means she will spend her life away from everyone and everything she has ever known, cleaning out sewers.
Benjy, her boyfriend from the group home, wants her to escape with him, but she knows Benjy will score much higher on the test and doesn't want to ruin his chances. So, Kitty decides to escape into prostitution. One thing that Kitty has going for her is the color of her eyes -- it's the same color as the ruling family.
Because of this feature, she is snatched up by the head of this family and given an offer she can't refuse. She will be given a ranking of VII, reserved for the rulers, if she agrees to impersonate one of their members.
The tension is created because Kitty is constantly in fear for her life. She knows that with one wrong move, she will be killed, and no one will ever know what happened to her. Of course, there is a rebellion, and Kitty is pressured to become a part of it.
There are several twists that the story takes that keep the excitement up. There are also some really conveniently constructed plot points, like what happens to Benjy, that weaken the story.
It's a battle of good against evil, and the young people are the ones trying to make changes. There is a nice resolution to this part of the story, but the bigger picture has a long way to go to be resolved. So, Pawn is the first in a series (The Blackcoat Rebellion) and, while it didn't WOW me, I'm looking forward to continuing the story.
Fans who can't get enough of young adult dystopians will be happy to see Pawn added to the list. The pacing keeps your interest, and the characters are established well enough that you care about what happens to them.
Published by Harlequin Teen, November 26, 2013
eBook obtained from NetGalley
352 pages
Rating: 4/5
I've just started reading this one - so far so good.
ReplyDelete