The Jewel (2014) (Walker Books)Amy Ewing
Grade: A
Genre: young adult / dystopian
Source: own
Young adult RBC 2014: A book with music
Tomorrow, Violet Lasting will be
gone forever. While living in Southgate holding facility for the last four
years, Violet had her every whim catered for: the best clothes, food, the
chance to learn and excel at the cello – everything but freedom. Born into the
Marsh, the lowest ranking and poorest of the five circles (The Jewel, Bank,
Farm, Smoke and Marsh), she’s one of many other Marsh girls born with a genetic
make-up that makes them perfect surrogates for bearing the children of The
Jewel’s Royalty, who are themselves incapable of bearing anything but defective
offspring. Taken away from her family at puberty, Violet has seen nothing but
Southgate’s walls for years. Today is her final chance to say goodbye to her
family forever. Tomorrow, she becomes Lot 197, destined to be sold to the
highest bidder at the annual Auction and a life in The Jewel, surrogate mother
to another woman’s child.
