Cecelia Ahern's first exploration of Young Adult writing will certainly not disappoint as it brings readers all of her expert writing talent, her breath taking imagination and her incredible ability to bring characters to life.
While Ahern is best known for her romantic adult literature and the many films which have come from her best selling books, this dive into a more imaginative YA world proves her creative talents are capable of delving out of the romantic realms.
Flawed is a story about oppression, about having to stick to the rules or face the judgement of society, it is a story that we can all recognize and feel. Tapping into these emotions and frustrations Ahern brings her dystopian world to life, and tells us a powerful story about self-discovery, growth and, of course, throwing out the patriarchy.
From the blurb;
'Celestine North lives a perfect life. She's a model daughter and sister, she's well-liked by her classmates and teachers, and she's dating the impossibly charming Art Crevan.
'But then Celestine encounters a situation in which she makes an instinctive decision. She breaks a rule and now faces life-changing repercussions. She could be imprisoned. She could be branded. She could be found flawed. '
What happens when the rules are wrong if no one is willing to stand up and point out the mistake? Celestine realizes that the rules which make her life perfect only work for a the few and not the many when she makes her first mistake.
Ahern throws us into this convoluted system and world as quickly as she can, making us fall in love with Celestine before punishing her on the grounds of an obviously broken system. Speaking to every angry youth inside us we want to roar at Celestine to fight back, but Celestine remains convinced it is all a mistake that the system will correct, until it doesn't.
Can Celestine survive the way her life is about to change forever? Will it make her stronger? Will the people rise up in her defense? If you want to change a society you have to do it with a bang.
We give Flawed Three Stars
ISBN - 978-0-00-812509-7 Hardback Cover Price - £14.99 First published in hardback in the UK by HarperCollins Childrens' Books, 2016