Tuesday 26 February 2013

Happy Release Day, Elsie Chapman and DUALED!

I'm still deep in the revisions cave, and also got my US copyedits through for ACID last week, but I just thought I'd drop by to say HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY to fellow Lucky 13 Elsie Chapman and DUALED, which is out from Random House Books for Young Readers today!

The synopsis (from Amazon):

Two of you exist.

Only one will survive.

The city of Kersh is a safe haven, but the price of safety is high. Everyone has a genetic Alternate—a twin raised by another family—and citizens must prove their worth by eliminating their Alts before their twentieth birthday. Survival means advanced schooling, a good job, marriage—life.

Fifteen-year-old West Grayer has trained as a fighter, preparing for the day when her assignment arrives and she will have one month to hunt down and kill her Alt. But then a tragic misstep shakes West’s confidence. Stricken with grief and guilt, she’s no longer certain that she’s the best version of herself, the version worthy of a future. If she is to have any chance of winning, she must stop running not only from her Alt, but also from love . . . though both have the power to destroy her.

Elsie Chapman's suspenseful YA debut weaves unexpected romance into a novel full of fast-paced action and thought-provoking philosophy. When the story ends, discussions will begin about this future society where every adult is a murderer and every child knows there is another out there who just might be better.


What other people say (from Amazon):
 
"Fans of the Divergent trilogy will want to read this imaginative tale that is reminiscent of William Golding's Lord of the Flies." --VOYA

"The textual equivalent of a Quentin Tarantino movie." --Publishers Weekly

"Clever suspense--here, stalking is a two-way street." --Kirkus Reviews


What I thought:

DUALED is a gripping adventure set in a sinister, believable and beautifully constructed future world. The story moves along at a breathless pace, yet it never feels rushed, or as if anything is being skimmed over. West is a fantastic main character – ruthless and independent, yet flawed and utterly human, which makes it easy to empathise with her. I was lucky enough to read an ARC of DUALED, some months ago now, but I'm still thinking about it. If you're looking for an original and intelligent addition to the dystopian genre, this is the book for you! And even better, a sequel, DIVIDED, is in the works!

Oh, and did I say what an awesome person Elsie is? Happy release day, Elsie, here's wishing you a ton of success with your fabulous book!

1 comment: