The Killables by Gemma Malley

cover image

Hodder and Stoughton, 2012. ISBN 9781 444 7227 2
(Ages: 12+) Recommended. Dystopian future. Elvie comes home from work and finds the Brother waiting. He informs her that her dreams are not those of an evil person but of the City and its protection, but after he leaves, her mother tells her never to upset them again, having the Brother come to their house is embarrassing, making her workmates and neighbours suspicious. After all, suspicion of being evil, of having any evil thoughts could mean that she is reclassified, denying services given by the System.
We are in a dystopian world, one where evil can surreptitiously enter one's mind and body, and so everyone must be on the lookout for its presence. There are hints that the world before descended into chaos, the Horrors are now far behind them, but strict adherence to the rules of the Great Leader must be observed.
But we know that Evie has these thoughts, she thinks about things which would cause concern if known, and worse, she believes herself to be evil. We follow her one night as she meets a boy in the tree on the green, the brother of the boy she is betrothed to marry, Raffy, a boy who needs watching. But one night, Lucas comes to Evie with the strangest of stories, and impels her and Raffy to leave the confines of the City walls.
As with the wonderful Declaration trilogy, Malloy has created a believable future where a small group of zealots has imposed their beliefs on the populace and keeps them docile through the New Baptism, the removal of the amygdala when they join the community or are born into it. Anyone deemed evil is relegated to a K class and never heard of again. An absolutely engrossing first story of The Killables series.
Fran Knight

booktopia