My review of Pawn

Pawn (The Blackcoats #1) by Aimee Carter
Release Date: November 26, 2013
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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.

Pawn is a dystopian with an interesting concept that will intrigue those who are desperately searching for something out of the ordinary. Maybe not completely out of the ordinary because that's a bit hard to find. This book does follow the whole "female protagonist leads a rebellion against an unfair system." Carter's writing and storyline brings the book together.

In this corrupt society, every teenager takes a test when they are of age to determine how they will spend their lives giving back to the society. They are ranked from the royal's "VII" to the starving "I". When Kitty received an "III" it does not seem worth living for and when a unique opportunity for her to make something of her, she snatches it. But what she doesn't realise is that there is much more to the role she must play than was let on.

We are pretty much thrust into this strange world with not much explanation, but we manage to follow what's going on and slowly learn the way of everything works. I really liked the idea of ranks and being "masked", under going plastic surgery to replace those who are important who are needed but died a tragic death. And this is where Kitty turns into Lila Hart, a royal, also a rebel leader.

The book contains mystery, a bit of action and some romance. A good combination with a bunch of interesting and complex characters who all hold their own secrets. There were times when I got frustrated with the characters and their double personalities, but I got past that and continued to charge on!

For those who loved Carter's The Goddess Test, you will definitely enjoy her hand at dystopian! Pawn isn't the best, but it will hold your attention until the end and wishing you had the next book to see how the story goes. I will be reading the sequel, and I would recommend this book to those who love Aimee Carter's writing, or wanting a dystopian to pass the time.

Rating

A review copy was provided by the publisher