I really wasn't sure what I was going to make of this one. The back makes grandiose claims like "The next Hunger Games." ...really? That's brave. But I have to admit, the plot is pretty gripping, right from the start. It's not a total psychological thrill-ride like The Hunger Games--not even close--and I found the tension in several of the character relationships to be lacking. The book just wasn't *quite* polished enough. But it's close. I enjoyed the premise, and I like that she's left the jury out on the religious issue (rather than condemning faith), and seems to treat it from an honest point of view on both sides. It's interesting, sociologically.