West Grayer has been trained as a fighter. She has been waiting for the day when she will be given the assignment to kill her Alternate, someone who looks just like her but was raised by a different family. To prove her worth to her society, she will have to eliminate her Alt before her Twentieth birthday. Before her Alt eliminates her and before time runs out. Survival in her society, Kersh, is everything: marriage, advanced schooling, life. What West has been taught from birth to strive for.
Once given her assignment, she will have one month to bring down her Alt. But tragedy hits West and she starts to lose her confidence in herself and her chances of ever beating her Alt. For West to be able to overcome this new-found fear, she is going to have to find help within her friend, Chord, and help within herself. If she has any hope of winning, she will have to stop running from herself and her fears and face the one person who wants to survive just as much as she does: Her Alternate.
I had this book marked on my calendar months before it was released. The summary was nothing like I have heard of, which is the reason why I had my eye on it. The idea that Elsie Chapman illustrates is beautifully woven into a teen’s life, in a world that is a haven, but safety comes at a price. This book kept me hooked through every page; I simply could not put the book down. The plot, the people, the idea, all magnificent. I’ve never read anything like Dualed and I’m thankful that I placed this book on my calendar.
There are surprising twists and captivating moments throughout the whole story. Scenes I never saw coming had me nailed to my uncomfortable chair, with my emotions all haywire. I felt what West felt, every emotion, every tear she shed, I felt as if I was right next to her, experiencing everything she experienced. Dualed is an exceptional novel, a new enlightenment to a world that is different from Hunger Games or The Testing.
Now, the writing is something strangely yet excitingly different. Chapman focuses more on scenery and emotions with the interacting characters. Her writing style was new to me but after a few chapters, I was unaware of how different it was compared to other books. And I liked it. I liked the different style and the way she made it her own. Her writing style is incomparable because it is her own. Chapman made Dualed a stunning and exciting novel, and I was fully satisfied with it all. There were many thrilling moments, with non-stop action and characters who developed over the span of the novel. West Grayer realizes that she is not alone in everything and because of that, she becomes the main character who develops over time.
Dualed is Elsie Chapman’s first novel, with the sequel, Divided, coming out in 2014. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a fast-paced, thrilling yet dangerously adventurous novel.