The Unwanteds

The Unwanteds 
by Lisa McMann

Imagine living in a dreary world where any act of creativity or imagination is considered a crime.  In the strict, grey society of Quill, an annual purging sorts the thirteen-year-olds into three categories: Wanted, Necessary, and Unwanted.  To be declared Wanted is the highest of honors, but to be declared Unwanted means elimination.

Although his twin brother receives the honor of being declared a Wanted, creative Alex is unsurprised when he is sorted out as an Unwanted.   He, and the many others that day who are declared Unwanted, believe they are being brought to their deaths.   To their surprise, however, they find that behind the walls of the Death Camp, there is a secret hidden world named Artime where all the Unwanteds live, protected by a magical spell cast by a man determined to save all of the Unwanteds from the rulers of Quill.   Despite the magic keeping them hidden, the residents of Artime are at risk of being discovered by Quill and must prepare for battle against those who want them eliminated.
 
As a big fan of dystopian fiction, I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading the second book in this series, Island Of Silence.     It has many of the characteristics that we see in other dystopian fiction books, including the restrictive society, but also adds a magical twist that will appeal to fans of fantasy.   This book is a good choice for readers who like books such as Among the Hidden (and other books in the Shadow Children series) or The Giver.

Author's website:  http://lisamcmann.com/

Book trailer: