Evie lives in The City an authoritarian place ruled by the Great Leader where people are categorised according to how 'good' they are. She works in the re-grading section of the government so knows how easily a person can slip from an 'A' grade down to 'D' and below to a 'K'. No one quite knows what happens to the Ks - they go away for reconditioning and disappear without trace. Engaged to A grader Lucas, Evie's future looks secure within the System. But looks aren't everything - she's secretly in love with Lucas' brother Raffy who's known to be trouble and when he is threatened with a K rating, they realise they have to escape - and in doing so stumble upon secrets that some will kill to keep.
The Killables was a story that started off really well. A lot of thought has gone into the world-building, creating a believable though strange set-up; a City isolated after devastating wars and creating its own paternalistic but repressive government. But, sadly, the more I read, the less it grabbed me.The more Evie uncovered about the City, the less credible it became; how the Great Leader had ever got away with his policies was a complete mystery. The three-cornered relationship between Evie, Lucas and Raffy didn't seem believable or consistent. Evie was far too passive for my liking and very naive and trusting for her age - though in her defence, the whole of her society was. Lucas, as the more unknown factor in Evie's life, with his secrets, seemed to be the more rounded of the three.
The major failing though for someone who has read a lot of dystopian fiction, and seen even more movies that fit the genre, is The Killables' similarity to so many. It's a good-enough read but there's nothing to make it stand out from so many others.
Maryom's review - 3.5 stars
Publisher - Hodder
Genre - Teens, Dystopian fiction
Buy The Killables (Killables Trilogy 1)
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