Deceptive

October 1, 2015

Gr 7 Up-It is 2034, and the world is still dealing with the aftereffects of a vaccine that caused .003 percent of the population to develop superpowers of precognition (eludere), body manipulation (dauthus), perfect memory (eidos), levitation (levitas), telepathy (mentalist), mind control (dominus), or the ability to cast illusions (illusive). All Americans must wear tags that indicate that they were vaccinated and tested for "adverse effects." People who test positive (and are not wealthy enough to acquire false tags) are forced into government work or the military. Or they become criminals. Continuing where Illusive (Little, Brown, 2014) left off, this sequel finds Ciere and Alan now working for the Gyr Syndicate, the most powerful mob in America. Ciere is learning to hone her powers of illusion while helping to eliminate a rival crime organization. Devon, a secret eidos, has been kicked out of another boarding school and is offered an internship with Homeland Security. Daniel, an eludere, is under control of a dominus and is partnered with a federal agent to try to stop the kidnapping of hidden positives. Lloyd-Jones deftly weaves several plot strands, using flashbacks to impart background information. Snappy dialogue and harrowing action scenes move the twisting plot along and maintain suspense throughout. The three main characters alternate first-person narration, so readers learn their innermost thoughts and empathize with these kids who are caught up in uncertain and dangerous circumstances. Fans of the series will be breathlessly waiting for the next installment. VERDICT A must-read for fans of intrigue and superpowered villains.-Martha Simpson, Stratford Library Association, CT

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.