Monday, August 25, 2014

Review: Deviation by Christine Manzari

Title: Deviation (The Sophisticates #1)
Author: Christine Manzari
Source: Xpresso Book Tours
Genre: Young Adult, Dystopia
Release Date: August 9, 2013
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Being a Sophisticate of the Program seems like it’d be a pretty sweet deal: a little genetic alteration and anyone can be smarter, faster, and stronger. It’s a dream come true. All you have to give up is your freedom. 

Cleo is a Sophisticate and she has a bright future in the Program. But she has a secret. When she gets upset, bad things happen. Explosive things. Things she can’t control. 

When her secret is discovered, she’s sent to the Academy to train in the military branch of the Program. She’s destined to be a human weapon in the war that’s been going on since Wormwood occurred nearly 30 years ago. She soon learns that although her ability is unique, there are others like her — other Sophisticates with lethal skills and odd code names like Archerfish and Mimic Octopus.

Immersed in a dangerous game of supernatural powers and dubious motives, Cleo doesn’t know who to trust. Ozzy, the annoyingly attractive cadet who has perfect aim in weapons class and deviant lips behind closed doors, begs her not to use her powers. He’s the golden boy of the Program, but can she trust him? Or will she find herself a target, caught in his crosshairs?



After an awful terrorist attack, the government responds by hand picking couples to have genetically engineered children.  These children become property of the Program and are super intelligent and gifted physically.  A small sample of these children have discovered extra abilities - ones they can't understand and don't know where they came from.  Cleo is one of these children.

Deviation was quite an adventure.  We start out somewhat in the dark - just as Cleo is - and discover some pretty incredible things.  There are also some pretty incredible people - one of which is names Ozzy.  He seems to be everything she hates about the Program, but she can't seem to stay away from him either.  He's too perfect and she can't get him off her mind.  He ends up being right in the middle of all the drama going on around her, so she can't trust him.

All of the characters in this book were amazing.  They were easy to identify with and fun to read about.  I even loved the ones I hated, which is hard to do.  I really wanted to be the one code names Mimic Octopus - such a cool person.  The relationships between these people also develop and go in so unexpected ways.

There was only one scene near the end at the roller skating rink that I got really confused and had to read several times before I understood what was going on.  It was a chaotic scene to begin with, but some of the cues to what the character was seeing weren't quite enough for me to get it right away.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*


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