IMPOSTORS, by Scott Westerfeld, Scholastic Press, Sept. 11, 2018, Hardcover, $18.99 (young adult)
I have a secret to share — Up until recently, I’ve never read a Scott Westerfeld book. Now, after finishing Impostors, I now want to go back and read all of his previous books.
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. — synopsis provided by Scholastic Press
I read Impostors in one sitting. It’s absolutely fascinating and engrossing. I had no idea going into it that it was set in the same world as Scott’s Uglies series, and honestly, you don’t need to know that to enjoy Impostors (although I really want to read Uglies now). As a newcomer to this world, I found it fresh and compelling.
Frey is a complex and engaging character. I started out disliking Rafi, but as the book progressed, I realized she, too, is much more layered than I initially thought. And while you do want to root for the twins, their father, on the other hand, is reprehensible.
Impostors is fast and action-packed. Twists and turns abound, and dramatic tension is laced throughout. It’s a great read.
