O’Brien, Caragh M. Prized.

O’Brien, Caragh M.  Prized.   Roaring Brook Press see Macmillan Children's Publishing Group,  2011.  356p.  $16.99  ISBN 978-1-59643-570-4  hs   E-BN  Mature high school readers

     Gaia tries to be true to herself while trying to change Sylum.  In the sequel to Birthmarked, a 2010 YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults book, sixteen-year-old Gaia has left the Enclave and is found in the Wasteland.  She and her infant sister are brought to Sylum, a dystopian society where the women rule over the men, who vastly outnumber them.  She has much to learn about the rules of this society where kissing is a crime.  Due to the low birth proportion of girl to boy births, the society is dying out.  As a trained midwife, Gaia can be helpful, if she can learn to follow the rules.
     Torn between feelings new to her, Gaia finds that three different men are attracted to her, and the feelings are mutual.  As she works her way through all this, she butts wills with the Matrarc, ruler of Sylum.  Eventually she comes to see that she must change some of the rules for the survival of herself and the society.
     The sections of the battle of wills between Gaia and the Matrarc are quite intense but very realistic.  Among the themes that make this title best for mature readers is the discovery that many of the men are infertile because they also carry female organs.  This, combined with the awakening sexuality in Gaia and the whole dystopian society make this a mature selection.
     It is very well written.  You keep wanting to know what will happen next.     

Subject: Futuristic Society  

Joan Theal