Review Detail

The story:

Seventeen-year-old August is a weapon, a mindless tool of the government of Belstrana, helping to put down anyone who dares to question his President’s authority. Taught to fight since childhood, his free will is held at bay by injections of Crystal. One fateful night, he and three other teens miss their daily scheduled dose. Before long, they realize just how wrong the system is, and they seek to put it right … unfortunately, the government has eyes and ears everywhere.


What I loved:

It’s not the first dystopian book I’ve read that featured an oppressive government – and, at the top, one corrupt man – as its primary villain, but even so, the story felt fresh. Ms. Carter’s writing style flows evenly, and there were very few instances where the pace slowed. The book is remarkably typo-free, which is always a plus.


What I didn’t love:

The supporting characters, particularly August’s friends Elisa, Alek, and Nikola, weren’t quite as developed as I would have liked, particularly for being so crucial to the plot. The villains seemed kind of cookie-cutter – this might change in the next book, when I would hope we learn the true identity of the evil mastermind.


My Final Verdict:

I would recommend The Elect to those who love dystopian YA fiction. I would probably recommend waiting until Book Two in the series is out before starting it, however, as it is the kind of story than one would probably want to continue reading right away.