The Unwanteds (Unwanteds Series #1) by Lisa McMann, Paperback

Identical twins Alex and Aaron know that when they turn thirteen, they might be separated forever. Like all other children in Quill, they face an irrevocable classification: They will be adjudged "Wanted" (to be sent off for military schooling), "Necessary" (dispatched to menial labor), or "Unwanted" and sent to a death farm. Alex's horror at being consigned to extinction lifts when he discovers that the Unwanteds' death camp is actually Artimé, a hidden underground city of magic. Somehow though, this loyal twin cannot tranquilly accept this reprieve. What happens next creates a confrontation pitting city against city and brother against brother. An imaginative new novel by the author of Cryer's Cross.

Publishers Weekly

In her foray into middle-grade fiction, McMann (Cryer's Cross) delivers a fun mix of magic and science with a retro SF novel whose setting echoes classic artificial dystopias of the 1960s like Logan's Run and Make Room! Make Room! In the city of Quill, all signs of creativity are shunned, and any children who so much as sing or draw are declared "Unwanted" when they turn 13 and sent off to be killed. When Alex is culled from his family and sent to die, he is surprised to discover that the Unwanteds are actually taken to a hidden city called Artimé, where they are not only trained in the traditional arts, but also in the magic that these arts unlock. McMann juggles a handful of point-of-view characters nicely (focusing largely on Alex), showing their fear and wonder as they learn more about their world. The subplots—including young romance and murderous conspiracies—are skillfully interwoven, and if some of Quill's harshness borders on caricature (the city makes Sparta seem decadent), it serves the story well. Ages 8–12. (Sept.)

From the Publisher

The Hunger Games meets Harry Potter in this middle-grade departure from McMann’s string of paranormal mysteries with romance for young adults.

On the day of Purge in totalitarian Quill, which is run by the High Priest Justine, 13-year-olds learn if they are deemed Wanted to attend the university, Necessary to tend the land or Unwanted and purged by execution. Without a good-bye from his Wanted identical brother Aaron, Alex Stowe and the other Unwanteds travel to the Death Farm. Instead of death, they meet the lush and magical world of Artimè, kept secret from Justine by mage Marcus Today. In a third-person narration characterized by even pacing and whimsical inventions, Alex and his peers learn that their creativity threatened Justine’s power. Surrounded by talking blackboards, transporting tubes and such fantastical creatures as an octagator (with the head of an alligator and body of an octopus) for instructors, the teens hone their drawing, music and acting skills while also wielding paintbrushes for invisibility spells and iambic pentameter to stun attackers during Magical Warrior Training, in preparation for battle against the Quillitary. As the youths explore fear, responsibility and free thinking, their spells may be used sooner than they think when Alex’s twin bond is tested and rivals vie for Aaron’s new position in Justine’s government.

Blending elements from two popular genres, this is sure to be a double hit. - KIRKUS, April 15, 2011

"Imagination runs wild in this creative adventure."

--#1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Mull

"Reading Lisa McMann's THE UNWANTEDS was like discovering a brilliant,

lost children's classic—except it's never going to be lost, because

readers will never, ever forget the magic they'll experience in

its pages."

--James A. Owen, author and Illustrator of HERE, THERE BE DRAGONS

Children's Literature - Paula McMillen

Life changes forever when you turn 13 in the land called Quill. You are either selected as "Wanted" and go to University, kept around as "Necessaries" to do the menial work of the community, or purged as "Unwanted" and sent for elimination. Identical twins Aaron and Alex may look alike but there the resemblance ends. At "the Purge," Aaron is chosen to go on to University, and he plans to move up in the political hierarchy with no consideration for love or loyalty—except to the supreme ruler, High Priest Justine. Alex, who has been denounced for drawing is sent to the Death Farm, only to find instead a land of magic and refuge for the Unwanteds, Artime, which is kept hidden from the citizens of Quill. Although the revelation of this secret when Alex tries to entice his brother to join him is inevitable, as is the triumph of the magical over the military, this is still an enjoyable ride with fantastical characters and possibilities set in stark contrast to the drab, highly-regimented world of Quill. The ending begs for a sequel that will be an even more dramatic confrontation between the brothers as they gain power in their respective realms. Quill resembles totalitarian governments throughout history that have tried to hold onto power through censorship of thought and action. This story could serve as the impetus for discussions on forms of government, freedoms of speech and assembly, and even the value of the arts in education and society. Reviewer: Paula McMillen, Ph.D.

School Library Journal

Gr 4–7—A young teen leaves his mundane world for a school where he will learn magic under the direction of a kindly head master. A precocious girl reads extensively and thus discovers spells unknown to her friends. McMann takes these familiar elements and makes them her own through the creation of two realms. In the dystopian land of Quill, 13-year-old Alex is judged by society to be an Unwanted and is sentenced to be cast into the Lake of Burning Oil, which is hidden behind a gate that is unlocked but once a year. He is stunned when the Death Farmer reveals himself to be, in reality, a benign mage and, rather than face a painful death, Alex and the other Unwanteds are welcomed to the magical world of Artimé. There they are instructed in the arts, which are forbidden in Quill, and eventually learn magical skills. Alex can't stop thinking about his twin brother, who is living as a Wanted in Quill. Aaron is rising quickly at Wanted University and becomes a protégé of High Priest Justine. In Artimé, McMann has created a world of magical whimsy full of talking blackboards; intelligent statues; and spells that are sung, painted, and recited. There's never really a sense of menace as the Quillians are more mean-spirited than frightening, and their technology is pitiful. This is a good starter fantasy or dystopia without the darkness in titles for older readers.—Eric Norton, McMillan Memorial Library, Wisconsin Rapids, WI

Kirkus Reviews

The Hunger Games meets Harry Potter in this middle-grade departure from McMann's string of paranormal mysteries with romance for young adults.

On the day of Purge in totalitarian Quill, which is run by the High Priest Justine, 13-year-olds learn if they are deemed Wanted to attend the university, Necessary to tend the land or Unwanted and purged by execution. Without a good-bye from his Wanted identical brother Aaron, Alex Stowe and the other Unwanteds travel to the Death Farm. Instead of death, they meet the lush and magical world of Artimè, kept secret from Justine by mage Marcus Today. In a third-person narration characterized by even pacing and whimsical inventions, Alex and his peers learn that their creativity threatened Justine's power. Surrounded by talking blackboards, transporting tubes and such fantastical creatures as an octagator (with the head of an alligator and body of an octopus) for instructors, the teens hone their drawing, music and acting skills while also wielding paintbrushes for invisibility spells and iambic pentameter to stun attackers during Magical Warrior Training, in preparation for battle against the Quillitary. As the youths explore fear, responsibility and free thinking, their spells may be used sooner than they think when Alex's twin bond is tested and rivals vie for Aaron's new position in Justine's government.

Blending elements from two popular genres, this is sure to be a double hit. (Dystopian fantasy. 10-14)

The Unwanteds (Unwanteds Series #1)

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