ARC Review: Pawn (The Blackcoat Rebellion #1) by Aimee Carter

Pawn 

Author: Aimee Carter

Series: The Blackcoat Rebellion

Pages: 346

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Genre: Young Adult – Dystopian

Release date: 26th November 2013

Amazon

Synopsis. (Goodreads)

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: 3 ½ out of 5 stars

Pawn is a book I have been anxious to read since I first glimpsed the interesting cover, which I love! And it was a nice start to Aimee Carter’s newest series, The Blackcoat Rebellion.

Aimee Carter’s formulaic society is one where couples can have no more than one child, if they do they are sent to group homes until they are tested for societal rank and placed in a suitable job. Rankings range from I through to VII, I’s and II’s are generally unheard of and sent to Elsewhere, III’s generally end up in a menial service role and V’s and up in office and government jobs.

Kitty Doe has taken the test and rated a low level III so she is to be sent off to work in the sewers but has a plan to make enough money to eventually escape with her boyfriend Benjy – but she ends up confronted by the most powerful man in the country with an offer to become someone else which turned her whole life upside down but she was also given the chance to leave her old life behind and live the life of luxury as a VII which is the most elite ranking available but it came with a cost – she was masked, surgically altered into Lila Hart, the Prime Minister's niece, who died under questionable circumstances.

I came to like Kitty despite a few minor irritations; she was strong and knew what she wanted even if at times I didn’t agree with her actions you could understand why. Her devotion to Benjy was wonderful and even though I expected a love triangle with Knox, Lila’s fiancé I was relieved nothing eventuated.

The romance was definitely not at the forefront of the story and I would have liked to have learnt more about Benjy to see his appeal, what we do know is he is extremely self-sacrificing but I think I actually preferred Knox and with the ending we are given, I am keen to see how the romance plays out.

The premise is unique and the multi-layered plot was fast-paced and exciting as we see Kitty learning more about the rebellion that Lila had secretly promoted. The title is perfect and Kitty is definitely a pawn in a game between right and wrong; it is filled with power struggles, threats, conspiracies and a really messed up family which all made for an interesting read.

I enjoyed the secondary characters and the villains were perfectly evil – Daxon and Augusta were frightening and at times I didn’t know who could be trusted, everyone seemed to have their own agenda and I could never really get a feel for who was playing for good or bad.

There were a few minor things which grated on my nerves, (Possible spoilers - highlight to show) the beginning frustrated me with Kitty so will nilly giving away her virginity and not seeming to show any emotion with it, this was also the case when she woke after being surgically enhanced; I expected screaming, demands etc. but it didn’t come – she also came across as being naïve in certain situations when truths were sitting right in front of her, it caused unnecessary complications. Although it does have a similar feel to other dystopian novels, the concept is creative but I would have liked more background information on why things became the way they now were; I found this aspect to be lacking as well as more details about the Blackcoats and the rebellion.

Aimee Carter’s writing is engaging and despite having a few issues with Pawn, it was enjoyable none the less and I am eager to learn more about this dystopian world.

Overall, Pawn was an entertaining read but wasn’t flawless with its execution; there are many questions left unanswered so I hope we get follow-up in the sequel. Fast-paced and filled with political intrigue and conspiracies, this book will appeal to fans of captivating yet brutal dystopian worlds.

Thank-you kindly to Harlequin Teen for the opportunity to read and review Pawn.

 

About the author: Aimée Carter was born and raised in Michigan, where she currently resides. Her first novel for young adults, THE GODDESS TEST, will be published by Harlequin Teen on April 19th, 2011. The sequel, GODDESS INTERRUPTED, will follow in January 2012.

Find her on Twitter at @aimee_carter.