Illusive

April 15, 2014
Superpowered teens screw up repeatedly in this crime-caper debut. The Praevenir vaccine helped protect humanity against the MK plague, but it also left some people "immune"--endowed with one of seven superpowers. When the vaccine and its creator disappeared, those affected became pawns to cops or criminals, potential weapons in an international arms race. Seventeen-year-old Ciere Giba is an illusionist, able to blend in with her surroundings and hide from the human eye; even her name is a disguise, adopted after years spent hiding from the federal government and fleeing from memories of her mother's tragic death. Ciere's a low-level criminal, pulling heists for her Fagin-esque father figure, Kit Copperfield, and partying with her rich best friend, Devon Lyre. After two jobs go south, Ciere is on the run again, blackmailed by the Gyr Syndicate, associated with a terrorist organization, hunted by the government and in possession of the vaccine creator's final secret. Besides bouncing between flashbacks and the present, Ciere shares the narrative with her missing confederate, Daniel Burkhart. Lloyd-Jones relishes the details of criminal undertakings and con jobs but also builds a believable world of haves and have-nots, unaffected and immune. Ciere is likable if not entirely trustworthy, and the outcomes of her slapdash schemes are both entertaining and unpredictable. Readers may also want to check out the Wild Card series edited by George R.R. Martin for a similar take on superpowers. An action-packed adventure with a charming criminal crew. (Science fiction. 12 & up)

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June 1, 2014

Gr 7-10-Fans of Divergent (HarperCollins, 2011) will devour this fast-paced dystopian novel. In 2017, a vaccine was hurriedly administered to counter the spread of a fatal plague. Only later do people realize that .003 percent of the immunized population have developed X-Men type characteristics. The U.S. identifies these "adverse effects" as illusive (the ability to create illusions), mentalist (telepathy), eidos (perfect memory), eludere (heightened senses), levitas (levitation), dauthus (body manipulation), and dominus (hypnosis) and forcibly recruit these superpowered citizens for government work. People wanting to avoid mandatory servitude become criminals. Teens Ciere (illusive) and Devon (eidos) work for a levitas, who carefully plans their jobs. Teaming with a mentalist, they must avoid the feds, a terrorist group, and a mob syndicate as they attempt to find the supposedly destroyed vaccine formula. Meanwhile, eludere Daniel has been captured by a dauthus and is helpless to resist the mind-controlling powers of a dominus who is also after the formula. Multiple plot twists and the present-tense narrative heighten Ciere, Devon, and Daniel's sense of paranoia as they struggle to survive in a world in which it is often difficult to tell the good guys from the bad guys. A thrilling read.-Martha Simpson, Stratford Library Association, CT

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from May 15, 2014
Grades 8-11 *Starred Review* In the not-too-distant future, the world is struck by the deadly MK plague. When a vaccine is created, it is rapidly distributed before thorough testing has been done. That is why no one is prepared for the immune: the .003 percent of the population that develops unusual abilities, such as levitation and mentalism. Seventeen-year-old Ciere Giba happens to be an illusionistshe is able to trick the human eye, altering her appearance or the space around her. As with any of the immune, she has only a few options available: work for the government, go to prison, or become a criminal. She chooses the harried freedom of being a thief, but after a foolhardy burglary leaves her entangled with a powerful crime syndicate, Ciere takes a job that leads to a dangerous discovery, one that not only puts her crew at risk but also could threaten the world at large. Boasting a complex plot, heart-stopping bursts of action, and questions regarding human nature, Lloyd-Jones' thought-provoking, multifaceted narrative neatly sidesteps categorization as just another superhero or dystopian novelthough fans of both will be drawn to the material and be pleasantly surprised. An impressive debut guaranteed to disappear from the shelves before your very eyes.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)