Impostors by Scott Westerfeld

Westerfeld, Scott. Impostors. New York: Scholastic, 2018.

Pages: 405

Intended Audience: Teens

Genre: Dystopian / Science Fiction

Notes for Parents: Contains violence and mature scenes.

The Back Cover

Frey and Rafi are inseparable…two edges of the same knife. But Frey’s very existence is a secret.

Frey is Rafi’s twin sister—and her body double. Their powerful father has many enemies, and the world has grown dangerous as the old order falls apart. So while Rafi was raised to be the perfect daughter, Frey has been taught to kill. Her only purpose is to protect her sister, to sacrifice herself for Rafi if she must.

When her father sends Frey in Rafi’s place as collateral in a precarious deal, she becomes the perfect impostor—as poised and charming as her sister. But Col, the son of a rival leader, is getting close enough to spot the killer inside her. As the deal starts to crumble, Frey must decide if she can trust him with the truth…and if she can risk becoming her own person.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is the first book in a four-book series and is set in the same post-apocalyptic world as the author’s Uglies series.

What’s good?

This is rapid-fire, action-adventure that takes place in a dystopian future. Frey must find her own voice after years of living in the shadow of her sister. The plot is intricate, but accessible, as politics and deception pit nations against each other. Frey must decide if she’s willing to risk everything to do what she thinks is the right thing. There’s a budding romance (the dreaded insta-love!), but it doesn’t interfere with the more important mission. The chapters are short with tension throughout. The pacing is swift with bursts of action and ever-present danger. It ends with a cliffhanger that promises more intrigue to come.

Best Part: Zura.

What isn’t good?

If you haven’t read the original Uglies series, you miss out on a lot of the world building. I’m not sure how much this changes the feel of the story since I’ve read them, but it seems like I had to do a lot of remembering. Since this is clearly a plot-driven story, the characters aren’t very fleshed out (perhaps with the exception of Frey), but with subsequent books in the series, hopefully character development will deepen.

Worst part: The cover.

Recommendation ☺☺☺☺☻ (4/5)

I’m excited to see where this new story in the Uglies universe will go. There was a lot of foreshadowing about Tally Youngblood that can only mean that she will return at some point. Although you don’t have to read the original series to understand Impostors, I highly recommend that you do as it gives context to what’s happening and why.