So much of dystopian fiction shares similar plot lines–but this one is different from anything I’ve read before. Price tells an exciting, slightly creepy story and does it masterfully. 

Callie is a good, kind, loyal character who also struggles with the necessary crimes one must commit when they are marginalized by society and left to fend for themselves. I love the fact that she is living a hard life but is not hardened in character. She is bad enough to be able to fight off attackers, but holds high moral standards, doesn’t act rashly, and isn’t afraid to let others know how she feels. 

It took me a chapter or two to get into the story and figure out what was going on, but once I did, I couldn’t put the book down. The plot is not complicated, but there are aspects of this dystopian society that need background information and must be outlined. Price does a good job of getting those out there and moving forward. 

The book is refreshingly clean while accurately portraying a society that is not clean in any way. I’m excited to find out what happens to Callie and her family in the sequel!

This book was sent to Compass Book Ratings for review by Delacorte Books

Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language:  2 religious exclamations; 1 mild obscenity; 1 offensive hand gesture.

Violence/Gore:  Two characters fist fight; a character punches another character in the face; a character is tazed; a character shoots another character in the arm; a character is injured in a car accident; two characters discuss murder but do not follow through; a character is killed by a tazer attack.

Sex/Nudity: Two characters hug, hold hands, kiss briefly, and kiss on the cheek; a character licks another character’s face; a character talks about being naked for a shower; sex is discussed (as not being acceptable).

Mature Subject Matter:

War; death of family members.

Alcohol / Drug Use:

Underage characters discuss drinking.