Surrender

July 1, 2012

Gr 9 Up-"Freedom doesn't exist in the city of Freedom." Every conversation is monitored, every unapproved clothing choice is suspect, every diet is carefully planned for optimum nutrition and health, and children know who their spouses will be from an early age. But for some of the teens, this lifestyle is unacceptable. One of them is 17-year-old Raine, daughter of Director Hightower, the most powerful man in Freedom. When she falls in love with Gunner, a rebel with a tricked-out hoverboard, she persuades him to join the Insiders. Unfortunately, her father's network of spies and surveillance is well aware of the rebel organization and has allowed his daughter the illusion of freedom knowing that he can use her to infiltrate the group at any time. This sequel to Possession (S & S, 2011) can stand on its own though the sometimes convoluted plot and references to characters introduced in the first book can be confusing to those unfamiliar with it. This dystopian novel doesn't break any new ground but might appeal to readers of Scott Westerfeld's Uglies (S & S, 2005) and Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games (Scholastic, 2008).-Jane Henriksen Baird, Anchorage Public Library, AK

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