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A review by saarahnina
Flawed by Cecelia Ahern
5.0
I want to read more books like this, and I'm overjoyed that there is to be a sequel. I can't wait! This book will stay with me, for a very long time, it's so fascinating.
In the book, we learn of a society which refuses to accept mistakes, those who make one - be it something like failing their organisation- they receive a branding. They are no longer regarded as people, they are Flawed. They have new rules to abide by, and their lives are thrown into turmoil, under the malicious scrutiny of society. At the head of this is Judge Crevan, a man who is seemingly the epitome of perfection. He also happens to be the father of Art, the young man the protagonist -Celistine North- is dating.
She also is seen as perfect, initially: she has the grades, the dress sense, the brains, the looks: you name it, she has it all. Maths is her subject- she likes a logical structure to things. For me, History is my subject- I prefer logical reasoning, I take pleasure in learning from and of the past- the mistakes and victories of a previous generation. I saw a lot of myself in Celistine. She was the girl who excelled in all aspects of her life, but was never really in the limelight- she was just going with the motions of time. That is until the society's affairs hit closer to home (this reminded me of "First they came" poem by Martin Niemöller). She makes a bold mistake of her own- only she doesn't consider it a 'mistake' at all. Personally, I felt her 'crime' was the most honourable. In spite of this, that one flaw in her character manages to wreak havoc on her lifestyle. And that is when it becomes a problem. Previously she had rooted [for], and defended, the system which sought to eliminate corruption in society- it had seemed logically sound.
This was a captivating novel, and helps us think of the baseless nature of our own prejudices, many of which are fed by the media (think: Trump). And the writing is good, especially in tha there is no flitting between different character's perspectives, so it is very discursive and not distracting, which is more suitable for a book of this kind.
I would say this novel would be suitable for young adults- only because an older person may find it difficult to relate to some of the protagonist's insecurities. But, I have no doubt that fans of Malorie Blackman's Noughts and Crosses would devour this novel. I would say that I want it to be developed into a film, but I don't want it to be ruined.
This novel, has such profound intellect and proposes such incredulous implications on any society. I'm now curious about the Criminal Justice System. It makes us question society's integrity, and the ethicality of the control a government system imposes on a society. "Anyone can become the voice of change." We hear that all the time, it's always about the 'talk'- we now need to 'walk the walk'. Our actions speak louder than our words.
I received this novel through NetGalley.
In the book, we learn of a society which refuses to accept mistakes, those who make one - be it something like failing their organisation- they receive a branding. They are no longer regarded as people, they are Flawed. They have new rules to abide by, and their lives are thrown into turmoil, under the malicious scrutiny of society. At the head of this is Judge Crevan, a man who is seemingly the epitome of perfection. He also happens to be the father of Art, the young man the protagonist -Celistine North- is dating.
She also is seen as perfect, initially: she has the grades, the dress sense, the brains, the looks: you name it, she has it all. Maths is her subject- she likes a logical structure to things. For me, History is my subject- I prefer logical reasoning, I take pleasure in learning from and of the past- the mistakes and victories of a previous generation. I saw a lot of myself in Celistine. She was the girl who excelled in all aspects of her life, but was never really in the limelight- she was just going with the motions of time. That is until the society's affairs hit closer to home (this reminded me of "First they came" poem by Martin Niemöller). She makes a bold mistake of her own- only she doesn't consider it a 'mistake' at all. Personally, I felt her 'crime' was the most honourable. In spite of this, that one flaw in her character manages to wreak havoc on her lifestyle. And that is when it becomes a problem. Previously she had rooted [for], and defended, the system which sought to eliminate corruption in society- it had seemed logically sound.
This was a captivating novel, and helps us think of the baseless nature of our own prejudices, many of which are fed by the media (think: Trump). And the writing is good, especially in tha there is no flitting between different character's perspectives, so it is very discursive and not distracting, which is more suitable for a book of this kind.
I would say this novel would be suitable for young adults- only because an older person may find it difficult to relate to some of the protagonist's insecurities. But, I have no doubt that fans of Malorie Blackman's Noughts and Crosses would devour this novel. I would say that I want it to be developed into a film, but I don't want it to be ruined.
This novel, has such profound intellect and proposes such incredulous implications on any society. I'm now curious about the Criminal Justice System. It makes us question society's integrity, and the ethicality of the control a government system imposes on a society. "Anyone can become the voice of change." We hear that all the time, it's always about the 'talk'- we now need to 'walk the walk'. Our actions speak louder than our words.
I received this novel through NetGalley.