Review Detail

RECKONING, YA Dystopian, stars Silver Blackthorne. She is named for her unusual silver hair. Excellent with technology and unafraid of her government, Silver takes a test (which is called the Reckoning). It determines her as an Offering to the English King. Once there, she realizes that her government is full of lies and deceit.

King Victor, the enemy and main antagonist, is violent. He is the opposite of what the public believes him to be, and he comes as a great shock to Silver and the rest of the Offerings. He is violent, a drunk, and not a good leader at all. His public image keeps him on the throne and prevents England 2.0 from collapsing into violence. Though much about him hasn't been revealed in the book, there is a lot of potential for depth and an understanding of his character.

The world building is easy to understand. Smartwatches on every citizen's wrist controls the lives of every person. An advanced security system protects the prison/castle Silver is trapped in. The Reckoning itself is a technology that can explore a person's mind, unlocking old memories. The world of RECKONING (the book) is a brand new world, which is worse than ours. Kerry Wilkinson creates a violent, seemingly picture-perfect world where anyone can die.

What is Silver's goal? Survive. One misstep, and her head could be cut off. There are hundreds of other ways for her to die. It is a compelling conflict of a young girl versus an oppressive group of powerful individuals who can kill her at a snap of the finger.

Silver's character is good. She is literally strong, and she is tough. She is smart, and she comes up with ways of avoiding detection. She gets creative, and her brilliant mind finds answers. But she won't be able to survive alone. Not without help...

Some of the secondary characters like Imrin and Faith are noteworthy. They are awesome and kickingly amazing in their own ways. Great cast of supporting characters.

The ending is slightly confusing at first. The book's pacing is too fast in the last few chapters, and I find myself rereading it (twice) to understand it. Still, it is an entertaining and killer ending to the first novel in this trilogy.

Overall, RECKONING is a great beginning to a new trilogy. It has an awesome group of secondary characters with remarkable traits. Plus, it is set in Britain. Best recommended for those who liked THE HUNGER GAMES.

Rating: Four out of Five