Review ~ Pawn ~ Aimee Carter

Title: Pawn

Author: Aimee Carter

Published: 26^th November 2013

By: Harlequin Teen

Source: netgalley.

Synopsis: 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.

I enjoyed Aimee's Goddess Test series so to find out that she had 'gone dystopian' for her next release pleased me - a lot! I'm glad to say I'm not disappointed!

There are a lot, a lot, a lot of dystopian series out there at the moment and it would be reasonable to suggest that there are only a certain number of ways that a dystopian plot can develop. Usually it's something political which involves a breakdown in social morality and which if we're lucky will have a female protagonist who isn't afraid to stick her own head above the parapet instead of waiting for her boyf to come along and stick his own head above for her.  

Whilst Pawn does fit many of these expectancies there are also some nice new twists in here that make it an enjoyable read.  The intricate plot is well thought through and where other writers may have left us confused Carter has instead taken us on a rather multi-faceted journey with some very complex characters.

Which leads me to the Hart family. They make The Simpsons look like The Waltons.  In short, they are the family from hell driven by apretty dark form of politics alone it would seem, until you scratch beneath the surface and get involved in Lila's world.  The twists and turns in the plot kept me reading and by the end I had no idea who genuinely supported who.  But then I guess that's politics right? 

I was pleased to see that Kitty developed as a character throughout the book and whilst she has a Benjy by her side, and he does at times ask her not to do things that may put her at risk that doesn't prevent her from following the path she believes she should.  No sign of a love triangle either... Unless Knox  figures out he prefers fake Lila to real Lila.  And as I said earlier.  It's politics.  Who knows what could happen. I found the characters in this book deliciously dark at times.  Especially Daxton and Celia, probably the most dysfunctional couple ever!  There were also some inherently good characters like Greyson.  I wish for only good things for him!

Loved the ending of this book.  We leave it at a kind of 'check' (note the chess term - impressive no?) situation.  I'm looking forward to finding out what Kitty's next move will be.

3.5/5 A promising start to a new series.  If you like your dystopian reads you should enjoy this one.