Perfect

April 1, 2017
Gr 8 Up-This exciting dystopian sequel to Flawed continues as Celestine, a biracial 18-year-old, branded Flawed both physically and figuratively, has eluded the powerful Guild and is hiding on her grandfather's farm. Whistle-blowers are hunting for her on behalf of Crevan, the Guild's head judge, who is desperate to find her. He believes Celestine has damning incriminating video footage of him abusing his power. After she miraculously escapes nearly being burned alive in Granddad's outdoor cooking pit, Celestine is discovered by Carrick, the fellow Flawed prisoner Celestine first saw in jail. They take refuge in a safe haven where other Flawed and non-Flawed work and live. But is it a refuge if there's an informant in their midst? Other than Carrick, all the witnesses who know the truth about what is on the video, or what it reveals about Celestine, have disappeared. The teen has powerful allies willing to help her defeat Crevan, including an ambitious female Guild judge, a lawyer who succeeded in overturning a Flawed verdict, and the leader of a burgeoning political party that opposes the Guild. The only way Celestine can defeat Crevan is to do the unexpected and challenge him on his own turf, but that proves a very dangerous endeavor. Fans of Flawed will enjoy this intriguing story, with its intelligent and gutsy protagonist and its many double crosses and untrustworthy characters, even if a few are a bit over-the-top. VERDICT A strong choice for dystopian collections and where Flawed is popular.-Sharon Rawlins, New Jersey State Library, Trenton

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