Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
I got this book for out of the library when I didn’t have anything else to read and I wish I hadn’t.
Naively, I wasn’t expecting this book to be related to the Uglies series as the blurb didn’t note anything of that and so I was surprised reading it that is so obviously did. I haven’t read the Uglies series so was thrown that this book was part of it.
To be honest, it wasn’t well written, the plot moved too quickly and without any real depth to it and the characters were pretty unlikeable.
Naively, I wasn’t expecting this book to be related to the Uglies series as the blurb didn’t note anything of that and so I was surprised reading it that is so obviously did. I haven’t read the Uglies series so was thrown that this book was part of it.
To be honest, it wasn’t well written, the plot moved too quickly and without any real depth to it and the characters were pretty unlikeable.
I was feeling nostalgic so I looked up newer books from author I used to read as a teen. I hadn't realized that there was a spinoff from the Uglies series. I enjoyed this story and it brought back good reading memories.
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was intrigued by the concept, but it turned out I wasn't as into the story or the characters. It was hard to connect with them, they felt pretty generic, not particularly interesting for me.
medium-paced
Honestly not sure if I've just grown out of this style of writing, or if this is seriously just bad. The villain is a faceless, nameless generic blob of dictatorship and authoritarianism. Frey and Rafi seem to only have one characteristic each (protective for Frey, and useless for Rafi), and the romance subplot feels rushed and forced. Not to mention the war starting over a jacket??? I just don't understand.
I liked the story. I liked the twins. I didn't get swept away by the love story, that not was a little slow. I did very much like the ending, that was a lovely twist.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Characters: 9/10
Frey is a walking contradiction: trained to kill, conditioned to hide, and cursed with feelings. She’s Rafi’s secret body double, which is exactly as messy as it sounds. Watching Frey grapple with her identity, trying to be someone she’s not (literally) while slowly becoming someone she is, was wildly compelling. Col Palafox walks the line between sweet cinnamon roll and rebellion starter kit, and I bought every second of his arc. Even the secondary characters—Naya the trainer, Slidell the hardened soldier, and Rafi, the twin with razor-sharp diplomacy—added tension and flavor. Their interactions were sharp, witty, and emotionally charged without ever dipping into melodrama. Honestly, this cast could run a telenovela and I’d be binge-watching.
Frey is a walking contradiction: trained to kill, conditioned to hide, and cursed with feelings. She’s Rafi’s secret body double, which is exactly as messy as it sounds. Watching Frey grapple with her identity, trying to be someone she’s not (literally) while slowly becoming someone she is, was wildly compelling. Col Palafox walks the line between sweet cinnamon roll and rebellion starter kit, and I bought every second of his arc. Even the secondary characters—Naya the trainer, Slidell the hardened soldier, and Rafi, the twin with razor-sharp diplomacy—added tension and flavor. Their interactions were sharp, witty, and emotionally charged without ever dipping into melodrama. Honestly, this cast could run a telenovela and I’d be binge-watching.
Atmosphere / Setting: 8.5/10
Victoria? A pastel fever dream of hoverboards, feral chickens, and aggressively whimsical architecture. Shreve? A cold, metal-fisted dystopia with a side of authoritarian aesthetic. Westerfeld has a knack for making cities feel like characters—each one with its own smell, politics, and unspoken rules. I could feel the tension of walking through Victoria's streets without surveillance dust, and the weight of Frey's prison-like luxury back home. The only reason I’m docking half a point is because I wanted more. More ruins, more rebel camps, more of that grungy Rusty aesthetic—it was so good, and I just wanted it to punch me in the face a little harder.
Victoria? A pastel fever dream of hoverboards, feral chickens, and aggressively whimsical architecture. Shreve? A cold, metal-fisted dystopia with a side of authoritarian aesthetic. Westerfeld has a knack for making cities feel like characters—each one with its own smell, politics, and unspoken rules. I could feel the tension of walking through Victoria's streets without surveillance dust, and the weight of Frey's prison-like luxury back home. The only reason I’m docking half a point is because I wanted more. More ruins, more rebel camps, more of that grungy Rusty aesthetic—it was so good, and I just wanted it to punch me in the face a little harder.
Writing Style: 9/10
The prose slaps. It’s fast, tight, and dripping with teenage angst in the best possible way. Westerfeld’s voice is crystal clear—equal parts thoughtful and savage, with dialogue that crackles and internal monologue that cuts deep. The way he plays with tech slang like “spy dust” and “cyrano” gives the world flavor without drowning me in exposition. Frey’s voice is distinct and razor-sharp; she’s not here to be your precious YA flower. She’s here to stab you with a pulse knife and then contemplate the emotional ramifications of it. I respect that.
The prose slaps. It’s fast, tight, and dripping with teenage angst in the best possible way. Westerfeld’s voice is crystal clear—equal parts thoughtful and savage, with dialogue that crackles and internal monologue that cuts deep. The way he plays with tech slang like “spy dust” and “cyrano” gives the world flavor without drowning me in exposition. Frey’s voice is distinct and razor-sharp; she’s not here to be your precious YA flower. She’s here to stab you with a pulse knife and then contemplate the emotional ramifications of it. I respect that.
Plot: 8.5/10
Identity swaps. Political hostage drama. Fake romances turning real. Assassins. Sibling feels. This plot is not walking—it’s doing parkour across rooftops. From the first assassination attempt to the rebellion-fueled escape plans, the pacing is relentless in the best way. Yes, it careens into a few convenient moments and relies a bit on the twin-swap gimmick, but I was so invested I didn’t care. The emotional beats land, the action scenes are crisp, and the slow-burn realization that Frey is done being someone else’s shadow hit harder than expected.
Identity swaps. Political hostage drama. Fake romances turning real. Assassins. Sibling feels. This plot is not walking—it’s doing parkour across rooftops. From the first assassination attempt to the rebellion-fueled escape plans, the pacing is relentless in the best way. Yes, it careens into a few convenient moments and relies a bit on the twin-swap gimmick, but I was so invested I didn’t care. The emotional beats land, the action scenes are crisp, and the slow-burn realization that Frey is done being someone else’s shadow hit harder than expected.
Intrigue: 9/10
I devoured this thing like it was laced with caffeine. The constant undercurrent of “Who am I really?” paired with looming betrayal, sabotage, and all-out war kept me hooked. Every time Frey had to lie through her teeth while plotting her escape, I was fully invested. And when the story hinted at deeper rebel connections and long-buried secrets, my “just one more chapter” syndrome spiraled out of control.
I devoured this thing like it was laced with caffeine. The constant undercurrent of “Who am I really?” paired with looming betrayal, sabotage, and all-out war kept me hooked. Every time Frey had to lie through her teeth while plotting her escape, I was fully invested. And when the story hinted at deeper rebel connections and long-buried secrets, my “just one more chapter” syndrome spiraled out of control.
Logic / Relationships: 8/10
The internal logic mostly holds. The twin body double system is bonkers but somehow believable in this world of fake identities and info-scrubbed cities. Relationships evolve naturally, especially Frey and Col, who go from awkward strangers to co-conspirators with delicious tension. I loved how Frey’s bond with her sister Rafi stayed emotionally central—even when Rafi was off-page, her presence loomed. There were a few tech-rule head-scratchers and a couple “wait, that was easy” moments, but nothing fatal to the immersion.
The internal logic mostly holds. The twin body double system is bonkers but somehow believable in this world of fake identities and info-scrubbed cities. Relationships evolve naturally, especially Frey and Col, who go from awkward strangers to co-conspirators with delicious tension. I loved how Frey’s bond with her sister Rafi stayed emotionally central—even when Rafi was off-page, her presence loomed. There were a few tech-rule head-scratchers and a couple “wait, that was easy” moments, but nothing fatal to the immersion.
Enjoyment: 9/10
Was I entertained? Absolutely. Did I laugh, stress-scroll, and mutter “you poor knife-wielding disaster girl” at Frey? Also yes. This book delivered exactly what I wanted: high-stakes drama, a messy protagonist with heart, and a world just futuristic enough to feel fresh. I’m already eyeing the sequel like it owes me money. Westerfeld pulled off the perfect mix of sci-fi flash and human depth, and I am here for it.
Was I entertained? Absolutely. Did I laugh, stress-scroll, and mutter “you poor knife-wielding disaster girl” at Frey? Also yes. This book delivered exactly what I wanted: high-stakes drama, a messy protagonist with heart, and a world just futuristic enough to feel fresh. I’m already eyeing the sequel like it owes me money. Westerfeld pulled off the perfect mix of sci-fi flash and human depth, and I am here for it.
Final Thoughts:
Impostors is like The Parent Trap had a baby with The Hunger Games and raised it in a surveillance state. It's sharp, swift, and surprisingly emotional. Would recommend, would reread, and would absolutely trust Frey with my life—but not my identity.
Impostors is like The Parent Trap had a baby with The Hunger Games and raised it in a surveillance state. It's sharp, swift, and surprisingly emotional. Would recommend, would reread, and would absolutely trust Frey with my life—but not my identity.
Overall average: 8.7/10
Let’s call it what it is: a glow-up dystopia with bite.
Let’s call it what it is: a glow-up dystopia with bite.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship
Minor: Cursing, Misogyny, Kidnapping, Grief, Classism
The book features a protagonist trained from childhood to act as a body double and weapon for her politically tyrannical father, which involves themes of emotional manipulation, identity erasure, and coercive control. Though it’s action-packed and dystopian, the violence is more tense than gratuitous, and the emotional fallout is explored with surprising depth for a book that also features spy drones and feral chickens. There’s no sexual content, but there is a slow-burn romantic subplot that touches on trust and betrayal in high-stakes situations.
medium-paced
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated