The Lone City 2: The White Rose

By Author / Illustrator

Amy Ewing

Genre

Adventure

Age range(s)

11+

Publisher

Walker Books Ltd

ISBN

9781406347586

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

01-10-2015

Synopsis

Violet Lasting is no longer Lot 197; she has escaped surrogacy and is on the run in the Lone City. In this sequel to The Jewel, Violet and her friends are fighting for survival. Nowhere is safe - and never will be - unless Violet can help Lucien destroy the royalty.

Perfect for fans of The Hunger Games and Matched, this is the second book in the Lone City trilogy, following on from Amy Ewing's shocking and compelling debut novel, The Jewel. Violet, Ash and Raven have escaped the palace of the Duchess of the Lake, but Regimentals are hunting for them across the city. Nowhere is safe, and they are dependent on Lucien and his secret society for survival. If they can reach the safety of the White Rose then Violet may be able to help Lucien in his plan to rescue more surrogates. For one surrogate, however, it is already too late. Violet's best friend, Raven, is pregnant. And in the Jewel, surrogates cannot survive giving birth.

Reviews

The second in a trilogy that started with The Jewel, this book (310 pages) continues the story of Violet, forced to become a surrogate for the royal family who live at the centre of the Lone City in opulent luxury, whilst other members of society, strictly differentiated by wealth and class, live more difficult lives. The Jewel ended with Violet about to escape from her cruel mistress, and this follow up book is a really exciting and well-paced read. Violet is a strong and determined character, and despite the very real dangers she faces, insists that she is not the only person who must be saved. She forces her rescuers, members of the Society of the Black Key, to take Ash, the boy she has fallen in love with, and Raven, also a surrogate and Violet's dear friend, who has been particularly badly treated during her time in the Jewel. The tension mounts as they make their escape, and the excitement of the story builds and builds. The dangers they face are very realistically portrayed and there is some quite vicious violence in the story. Once they finally reach the safe house, we start to find out more about Violet's special powers. The 'auguries', powers possessed by all surrogates, are magical; and the third augury is the most important of all. The characters are well drawn, the twists and turns of the story make for a thrilling read. Violet is a feisty heroine who will not be pushed around by anyone, even the people aiding her escape. She is a brave, strong character who wants to determine her own destiny; but we will have to wait for the final book in the trilogy to find out if she is successful. 310 pages / Ages 14+ / Reviewed by Ros Alcock, school librarian.