The Rule of One Hardcover – September 1, 2018

I usually don’t choose to read YA books, but the premise of “The Rule of One” sounded promising. Early on, I had mixed feelings about the book, though those changed as I kept reading.I am not sure why some authors of YA books insert plot developments that don’t make sense. Older readers would probably question these flaws, and sometimes it almost feels like younger readers are treated differently, as if they won’t catch on to the obvious problems with the story. Beginning chapters describe tunnel systems that the twins use, some of them connecting public areas to their home. False fingerprints are available to keep up the charade. How could these tunnels or false fingerprints have been created without anyone else knowing or questioning the reasons for each?The America we know today is gone, and the desolation between major cities (including the non-inhabited neighborhoods) points to a world where a strong federal government should not exist. With all the problems a city would face (overcrowding, a scarcity of food and water) it would seem the guards (police) would have better things to do than worry about finding one girl accused of treason. However, the manhunt follows the twins wherever they go. With dissatisfaction and unrest obviously present in the civilian population, you would think the guards would have more pressing duties to keep them occupied. As the effort to stay alive is a major part of the plot, I felt it wasn’t developed enough to cover some of the holes in the worldbuilding.So what kept me reading?First, the book is well-written. The descriptions are vivid, and the dialogue carries a feeling of reality. I wondered if the authors would be able to define the characters and separate their personalities (Ava and Myra split the storytelling, alternating chapters as the book progresses), and I am happy to report their success. While the differences are slight, I received a different impression from whoever was telling the story at the moment. Despite some of the issues mentioned above, it was the writing itself that convinced me to keep turning pages.Second, I really liked the interplay between the two sisters, and the way their initial personalities blossomed during each crisis. The authors stayed strictly within the characters they had developed, and the discussions between Ava and Mira were engaging. This helped increase the tension as the story unfolded.Lastly, near the end the plot takes a sudden twist and travels down a path I never expected. After this happened, I couldn’t read fast enough.Bottom line: An engaging book with defined characters, very well-written with a slightly better than average plot. Some hiccups with the worldbuilding, but not enough to overwhelm the writing and storyline and cause me to stop reading. While I questioned the climax, I am sure there are others who will embrace it. Three stars.

For Amazon First this month, my choice was between a story set in Philadelphia and a story set in Dallas. My sense of adventure tugged me to purchase “The Rule of One.” This story about two twins living in Texas at a time when only one should exist is written by two twin sisters from Dallas, Texas.The description was not so enticing, but that was the case with all the others. Still, as I advance towards retirement, my second childhood persuaded me to give this a try.In a nutshell, I’m going to be charitable and rate it four stars. Why? Because once you get beyond the wild exaggerations it is an interesting story. The writing is so good it keeps you coming back for more.BLUSH FACTOR: I’m old-fashioned and, I suppose, my age will show, but I was taken aback by two f-words late in the book. Didn’t expect such words in a YA book. Otherwise, the language is on par with modern society.POINT OF VIEW: First person. Differs, though, according to which twin is speaking.STAND-ALONE: Although it is clear that more story is coming, this does not end with a cliffhanger. Well, not exactly, anyway.ADVENTURE: Yes, the further the story advances, the more is the adventure.EXCERPT‘...Father stands in front of us like a drill sergeant about to scold his troops. His piercing gaze scans Mira before it falls on me, dripping with disappointment.Mira and I usually have time alone together before our nightly family meetings, but Father followed Mira into the basement directly after dinner. He didn’t want to give us a chance to formulate a defense justifying our switch.I can’t hear a thing through the soundproof walls, but I saw Roth strong-arm Gwen and the surprise photo shoot over the surveillance video. Not good at all. Father must be livid.I need just one glance from Mira to reassure me she managed it all fine, but she won’t give it to me.“Did you honestly think you could trick your own father?” he finally says.“We’ve done it before,” I say in defense. And we have.Last year, I found an illegal bottle of Japanese Nikka whisky buried in the tomato garden I was tending in the greenhouse. Hidden in one of the cameras’ blind zones, I made certain no one saw me take it. I couldn’t resist surprising Mira with such a rare delicacy—the government can’t stop all contraband from being sold on the black market. Mira ended up drinking so much celebratory whisky the night we found out our placement level results at Strake, she spent the entire next morning vomiting. I went to school that day in Mira’s place; Father still doesn’t know it was me.“Your life is not a game, Ava! How could you take such a childish risk on a night like this?”I hate when he refers to us like we are still children. And our life...’Excerpt taken from page 40, Part 1, The Rule of One, copyright 2018 by Ashley Saunders.BOTTOM LINE:Four stars out of five. But, frankly, three stars or even two stars is not uncalled for. I rate it higher because I focus on character development.It is people such as you, who comment on my reviews, who have helped me improve over the years. I'm still learning, and I have a great deal yet to learn. With your help, I'll improve every day. Eventually, I hope to publish a book series for Amazon Customer Reviewers to show them how reviewer ranking works and how reviewing for Amazon differs from writing book reports. If you permit, your comment could be used in such works...One request: Be respectful and courteous in your comments and emails to me. I will do likewise with you.Thank you so much for indicating if this review helped you, or for your comment.