There is a separate court that determines if you are Flawed, and let's just say, if you appear before that court, you are certain to be deemed Flawed. There are "whistle blowers" who turn people in. And if you are Flawed, you must be branded, wear a red arm band with an "F" on it, and your rights in society are severely limited. This is for your entire life. You are never freed, and your family suffers because of it.
Celestine is our main character. She's always been the good girl and tries not to draw attention to herself. But when she assists an old man who is having trouble breathing, her entire life changes, because that man was Flawed and you are not allowed to aid or assist a Flawed person.
So not only is this system strange and unbelievable, it turns out there is corruption and Celestine suffers because of it. She unwillingly becomes the poster child against the Flawed system. People are pushing her in different directions, and she can trust no one. But she also is kind of indecisive and doesn't always make good decisions. She is young, so I can get over that.
Flawed moves at a quick pace and kept me engaged. I did want to know what was going to happen, even as my eyes were rolling because I just couldn't buy this absurd premise. So I have mixed feelings. The book was entertaining, but just went a bit beyond my capabilities to really accept this system of government. Flawed ends in a bit of a cliffhanger, and I'm not sure how I feel about spending time in this world for the rest of the series.
I think teens might buy into Flawed more than I did. It is a bit political, but for the right reader, this might be part of the appeal. It's easy to read and may elicit some emotion.
Published by Feiwel & Friends, April 5, 2016
eARC obtained from NetGalley
336 pages
Rating: 3.5/5
Scary enough, this is how things worked for the Jews during WWII. Sounds like this book, which seems to be a real departure from Ahern's usual genre, is trying to recapture the drama of that time while making a statement about the dangers of it happening again?? I might have to pick this one up just to see what I think. Thanks for your honest and thorough review!
ReplyDeleteWell, they have to wear arm bands, and the unfairness of it all elicits some of the same emotions, but I didn't really get a "this is just like the Jews during WWII" vibe. Those stories usually elicit some really strong emotions, but I didn't get that from Flawed. Might be a worthwhile book for comparison, though. Thanks.
DeleteIt's difficult to read a book whose basic premise you can't really grab ahold of, but then you get sort of sucked in anyway. I think I'll skip this one :-)
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