Young Adult, Random House Children’s Books, February 2013
Two of you exist. Only one will survive.
The city of Kersh is a safe haven, but the price of safety is high. Everyone has a genetic Alternate—a twin raised by another family—and citizens must prove their worth by eliminating their Alts before their twentieth birthday. Survival means advanced schooling, a good job, marriage—life.
Fifteen-year-old West Grayer has trained as a fighter, preparing for the day when her assignment arrives and she will have one month to hunt down and kill her Alt. But then a tragic misstep shakes West’s confidence. Stricken with grief and guilt, she’s no longer certain that she’s the best version of herself, the version worthy of a future. If she is to have any chance of winning, she must stop running not only from her Alt, but also from love . . . though both have the power to destroy her.
Elsie Chapman’s suspenseful YA debut weaves unexpected romance into a novel full of fast-paced action and thought-provoking philosophy. When the story ends, discussions will begin about this future society where every adult is a murderer and every child knows there is another out there who just might be better.
(Cover art: Michael Heath)
“Full of unexpected turns…Fans of the Divergent trilogy will want to read this imaginative tale that is reminiscent of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies.” –VOYA
“Stylish, frenetic, and violent, Chapman’s debut is the textual equivalent of a Quentin Tarantino movie.” –Publishers Weekly
“Readers untroubled by brutal, compassion-free violence will find plenty to admire in Chapman’s gamer pacing, clever suspense–here, stalking is a two-way street–and fast-mounting body count.” –Kirkus Reviews
“A gripping, thought-provoking thriller that keeps your heart racing and your palms sweaty. . . . The kind of book Katniss Everdeen and Jason Bourne would devour.” —Andrew Fukuda, author of the Hunt series
“This thought-provoking survival-of-the-fittest story will leave you breathless for more.” —Ellen Oh, author of Prophecy
“A double dose of intensity and danger in this riveting tale of survival, heartache, and love.” —Kasie West, author of Pivot Point
“A fast ride from first to final pages, Dualed combines action and heart.” —Mindy McGinnis, author of Not a Drop to Drink
“Intense and swift, Dualed grabbed me by the throat and kept me turning pages all the way to the end. Romance and action fans alike will love it.” —Elana Johnson, author of the Possession series
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