Pawn

Book Title: Pawn

Author: Aimee Carter

Number of Pages: 346

Genres: Dystopian, Mystery, YA Fiction

Books like it: (Like every dystopian book out there)

Brief Synopsis:

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.

Introduction:

It seems to me like everyone is jumping on the bandwagon for this dystopian future genre. Aimee Carter, greek mythology author of the Goddess Test, has jumped on it as well. Pawn has a society that I found similar to The Selection. Like The Selection, the society in Pawn is divided into ranks, or castes, in The Selection’s case. The only difference is that in The Selection, higher ranks were low numbers, and in Pawn, higher ranks are higher numbers.

Although this book did lack originality, I still felt that it was a really enjoyable book.

My Synopsis:   

Kitty Doe has trusted her government’s system for as long as she can remember. When you turn sixteen, you are required to take a test that determines your rank (and value in society) for the rest of your life. When she gets a three on the test, Kitty is convinced that she is an idiot. The test is fair, and the results don’t lie. She is stuck in the slums for the rest of her life.

And then the prime minister, Daxton Hart, shows up one day and tells Kitty to come with him. Well, naturally, she goes with him, because he is the boss of everyone and could get her shot right on the spot. Getting in the car is the last thing she remembers and then everything goes black.

When Kitty wakes up again, she is inside an unrecognizable body, lying in a hospital bed with Daxton watching her. He tells her something horrifying: Lila Hart, next in line to be ruler of the country, was killed a few weeks ago in an avalanche. They are still working out whether it was accident or murder, but one thing is for sure: No one can know Lila is dead.

Because of Kitty’s rare eye color, she was Masked to look and sound exactly like Lila. They have the same curves, facial expressions, and even voice. Kitty has stepped into the most important shoes in the country, and for once in her life, she will be noticed. She will be valuable.

She also must stop the rebellion that Lila started in the hearts of the people. The only problem is: Kitty secretly believes in the rebellion. She must choose between being a beacon of hope, or staying quiet to preserve the lives of those she loves. Either way, she has become a pawn  in a very dangerous game.

Thoughts:

This is so stupid, but I sort of felt like there was a love triangle in this book. There wasn’t supposed to be, but I was rooting for the guy who showed no affection towards Kitty, and I was rooting against the guy that everyone loves.

This always happens, people!!!

WHY?!?!? I ALWAYS ROOT FOR THE WRONG GUY!!!

AIMEE CARTER PLLLLLLLLEEEEASSSSSSSSSSSSSSE TURN THIS BOOK INTO A LOVE TRIANGLE BEFORE I GO CRAZY AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA.

The society in this book was definitely not original. That is for sure. There were guards that acted like Peacekeepers, groupings like the Selection, and a dictator leader and crumbling society that we see so much in Young Adult Fantasy and all of the dystopia genre.

Favorite Excerpt/ Scene:

“Have you ever played chess, Kitty?”

I eyed her. What did a board game have to do with this? “Not really.”

“You and I should play sometime. I think you would like it,” she said. “It’s a game of strategy, mostly. The strong pieces are in the back row, while the weak pieces—the pawns—are all in the front, ready to take the brunt of the attack. Because of their limited movement and vulnerability, most people underestimate them and only use them to protect the more powerful pieces. But when I play, I protect my pawns.”

“Why?” I said, not entirely sure where this conversation was going. “If they’re weak, then what’s the point?”

“They may be weak when the game begins, but their potential is remarkable. Most of the time, they’ll be taken by the other side and held captive until the end of the game. But if you’re careful—if you keep your eyes open and pay attention to what your opponent is doing, if you protect your pawns and they reach the other side of the board, do you know what happens then?”

I shook my head, and she smiled.

“Your pawn becomes a queen.” She touched my cheek, her fingers cold as ice. “Because they kept moving forward and triumphed against impossible odds, they become the most powerful piece in the game. Never forget that, all right? Never forget the potential one solitary pawn has to change the entire game.

Conclusions:

This book was not very original as far as society. HOWEVER I did find the idea of Kitty masquerading as someone else very interesting and enjoyable to read. I would read the rest of the series. It was a fairly fast paced book for ages 13 and up.

Would Recommend To: Mystery lovers, typical dystopia genre lovers, cheesy romance lovers, and MAYBE action lovers.

 

SORRY THIS REVIEW WAS SO SHORT!!! I figured you guys deserved a review but I didn't have much time......

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