Marked
by Laura Williams McCaffrey
In McCaffrey’s dystopian science fiction thriller, Lyla
lives in a society where criminals are tattooed—Marked—and the schism between
the rich (barons) and the poor (miners, farmers, and so on) is palpable and volatile.
After becoming Marked for visiting a black market, Lyla undertakes a dangerous
spy mission to infiltrate the Red Fists, an unlawful band of misfits, in order
to erase her Mark. Complicating the situation is her intense feelings for a
childhood friend and newest misfit, Gill; once drawn into the Red Fists’s web
of rebellion, Lyla must make important choices on what and whom to sacrifice.
Comic-style strips are included throughout that give some background on Lyla’s
society.
VERDICT: Full of fast-paced action and ethical quandaries, fans of Daughter
of Smoke & Bone and The Forest of Hands & Teeth will enjoy this latest
offering from McCaffrey.
Note: I reviewed this book for School Library Journal.
