Pawn by Aimée Carter is a dystopian novel set in a future Washington D.C. On their 17th birthday, teenagers take a test that’ll determine the rest of their lives because they receive a rank in society based on how well they do on the test. Get a low rank, you will struggle for your life; on the other hand, if you receive a high rank, you are guaranteed a life of the privilege.
Disappointed with her rank of III, Kitty Doe is offered the chance of a lifetime to be a VII by the Prime Minister, Daxton Hart. Only the ruling family, the Harts, get this prestigious rank. Being a VII means basking in a life of luxury instead of cleaning sewers as a III. By being a member of the Hart family, Kitty will be famous and adored by millions of people. The catch? Kitty must give up her old life and appearance so as to replace the Prime Minister’s dead niece, Lila Hart. After being Masked (the process that Kitty goes under to become Lila Hart), Kitty is forced to act like someone she’s not. As Kitty’s life as Lila Hart progresses, she realizes it to be not as easy as initially thought. There’s also the unexpected drawback of Kitty extinguishing the flames of the original Lila’s secret rebellion. With many unexpected twists and turns, this novel is sure to delight anybody.
First looking at the cover, I was intrigued by the beautiful blue eye on the cover. As I started to read, I became more and more absorbed in the story. With a strong heroine like Kitty, I finished the book in two days. I admired her bravery, but there could have been more to her character development. Maybe the second book would be better? I would recommend this book for grades 8 and up. Overall a great read for anyone looking for a unique dystopian novel.
-Anmol K.
Pawn is available for check out from the Mission Viejo Public Library.