Grace by Elizabeth Scott

Grace was raised to be an Angel.  Not the kind of Angel that you and I know, but one that will bring honor to the People when she dies by suicide bomb.  But, just before she is to fulfil that destiny, Grace realizes that she wants to live.  She turns her back on the way of life in which she was raised, and ends up on a train bound for possible freedom.  Traveling with the mysterious Kerr, Grace must consider the life she was raised for, and what life, freedom, and faith really mean to her.

I love Elizabeth Scott's books, but I will admit I was a bit worried about reading this one.  It sounded like it would be very political, and I will say that my politics don't always resonate with the rest of the literary world.  That said, I think this book handled a very delicate subject amazingly well.  Grace and Kerr are both characters who are sympathetic even when they should not be.  They are survivors, who have survived on the death of others.  The subject matter is a political one, but is handled without politics in this novel.  Neither Grace nor Kerr are from any real countries that we know of today.  The struggles they face though are real, and relevant.

This novel will introduce teens to concepts they might not have thought of, and it does so in a straightforward way that will speak to teens, and keep their interest.  This book may be a bit different than Scott's normal work, but her writing style is still very present, and fans of her books (especially Living Dead Girl) should give this one a chance.