Author: Aimee Carter
Series: (The Blackcoat Rebellion #1)
Published: November 26th 2013
Publisher:  Harlequin Teen
Categories: Dystopia, Science Fiction, Young Adult
External Links: Book Depository • Goodreads

Synopsis: YOU CAN BE A VII. IF YOU GIVE UP EVERYTHING.

For Kitty Doe, it seems like an easy choice. She can either spend her life as a III in misery, looked down upon by the higher ranks and forced to leave the people she loves, or she can become a VII and join the most powerful family in the country.

If she says yes, Kitty will be Masked—surgically transformed into Lila Hart, the Prime Minister’s niece, who died under mysterious circumstances. As a member of the Hart family, she will be famous. She will be adored. And for the first time, she will matter.

There’s only one catch. She must also stop the rebellion that Lila secretly fostered, the same one that got her killed …and one Kitty believes in. Faced with threats, conspiracies and a life that’s not her own, she must decide which path to choose—and learn how to become more than a pawn in a twisted game she’s only beginning to understand.

Review: This is my second book in just a short while where a girl will impersonate another person. And Pawn by Aimee Carter has big shoes to fill in because I do love the other book. And while they do have similarities, the story here has a more elaborate scheme.

Kitty Doe is living in a world in some sort of ranking system; and people with high ranks have brighter future. Kitty as III doesn’t have the stellar life ahead of her but that was until she was offered a once in life time opportunity to become a VII. No one can be VII unless you are related to the Prime Minister. Of course, the natural thing to do for a girl like her was to accept the offer even though she was very aware that there’s a catch to it. So she woke up one morning with her entire body altered, gone her old self as she is now sporting the Prime Minister’s niece’s face and body. She must now fulfill Lila’s responsibilities. And being with this people, Kitty will learn the internal conflicts in their society that could be more than what she bargained for.

I liked that the beginning properly gave way for readers to learn the world where Kitty is living in. What’s interesting to me it wasn’t the usual dumping of information, instead we get these pieces of information as the characters move around the story. It’s like learning these details as the people experience it. Kitty, for instance, dreaded her life because she knew that there’s nothing much out there but she wishes more for her boyfriend, Benjy. I got that they need to take a test to determine their ranks. This is how I prefer information to be delivered instead of throwing facts here and there.

Kitty wasn’t that strong for me. She wasn’t fleshed out yet, although she remained true to the title of the book—a pawn, who acts on behalf of the other characters. I know that she doesn’t’ have single experience in the political ins and outs of this society. And she’s just relying to what people was feeding her (and her occasional eavesdropping). But even though she was well-equipped with these information she wasn’t properly utilizing it for her benefit (until the last minute). And even with conflict was temporarily resolved; I still think she was still underdeveloped after it all.

Romance was barely there. It could be an advantage for others because I think the story focused more on the malfunctioning crooked system they had. This will bring me to what I really didn’t like: the political conflict of this story. I get that their government structure was really flawed to begin with and I do get why people wanted change. What I don’t like is that the people who are already in the power are also related to the one heading the opposition group. What sort of resolution will they have if they themselves are the ones overthrowing each other? And this is what made it a little off with me but I’m still giving the sequel a go just in case things change its course.

I received an advance copy from Harlequin Teen via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review . Thank you.

 
Preview Quote: “I wasn’t sure I believed him, but at least now I had the chance to choose my fate, and I would do whatever it took to make sure everyone else did, too. ” — Kitty (from Uncorrected Digital Galley)