The Predicteds by Christine Seifert Review

Sunday, July 7, 2013

Title: The Predicteds
Author: Christine Seifert
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publish Date: September 1, 2011
Genre: YA, Sci-Fi
Pages: 352
Source: Publisher

Daphne is the new girl in town and is having trouble fitting in. At least she has Jesse...sort of. He wants to be more than “just friends,” but there’s something he’s not telling her about his past. Something dangerous.

When a female student is brutally attacked, police turn to PROFILE, a new program that can predict a student’s capacity for violent behavior, to solve the case. As the witch hunt ensues, Daphne is forced to question her feelings for Jesse—and what she will do if her first love turns out to be a killer.
Daphne is used to being the new girl in town. While it should make it easier, it doesn't. Everything that could go wrong does, and Daphne is stuck feeling like an outsider. Her only silver lining is Jesse, the outgoing guy who seems to like her enough, but she has to go ahead and actually let her guard down if she wants any sort of connection. But life isn't done dealing her a difficult hand. PROFILE enters their world, and though it's supposed to save them all by identifying which kids are most likely to commit violent acts. In theory, it's great...but will it cause more problems than good?

It's no secret that I'm a sci-fi nut, so the entire concept of The Predicteds is right up my alley. Blending a mastermind plot with a exciting (albeit terrifying concept) author, Christine Seifert, offers up a novel that's both intriguing and alluring with the idea that we can predict our destinies. Moving at a steady pace and slowly building tension throughout, The Predicteds offers readers an insightful, evocative and unsettling look into what might happen if we try to control too much. 

My first thought when I read the premise of the book was simply...Minority Report. Have you seen it? If not, it's a movie where three pre-cogs see the future and a pre-crime division of the police arrests people before they actually commit these deeds and then imprisons them for the rest of their natural lives. I loved the movie, so I was definitely interested in reading a YA take on this sort of phenomenon. In many ways, The Predicteds delivers what I wanted. The book starts with a bang - both literally and figuratively - and we're thrust headlong into the aftermath of a violent crime. I absolutely devoured the first few chapters. We're immediately given a full view of Daphne's character. She's snarky, she's engaging, she's realistic, and she's accessible to the reader. I enjoyed that she wasn't overly self-deprecating, which is far too prevalent in YA these days. I also really enjoyed how Daphne's life is ultimately entwined with PROFILE, as her mother is the creator, but that it's not as cut-and-dried as one might think. There are moral consequences to this project and, while it seems good, there are definite repercussions to this program, as well. The way that PROFILE is addressed in the novel is really well done, too. We get to see the divide that is ultimately created by this program, and we watch as it tears people apart, rather than uniting them for the common good. Unfortunately, despite all the good, I had a few gripes with The Predicteds, as well. When we are introduced to Daphne, she seems like a very assertive, strong and independent individual. As the novel progresses though, she almost regresses, second-guessing Jesse's intent all the time and actually relying on this program that she condemned at first. Second, though the book starts at lightning speed, it slows down steadily and the middle of the book lagged for me. I think the tension could have been ramped up significantly to peak my interest for the climax of the novel. 

Overall, The Predicteds was a pretty good book with engaging writing and a great concept. I think it will definitely please a lot of readers, I just expected a lot more. I give it a 3 out of 5, and I recommend it to all fans of YA, especially those who enjoy science fiction.

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

19 comments:

  1. So I think I should definitely watch Minority Report ASAP! I'm not a huge fan of reading Sci-fi but I certainy love watching them :) I love the concept of this but I think I'll skip it since I have a feeling I'll probably expect a lot more too :( Lovely review, Melissa!

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    1. You should, Shirley! I hate Tom Cruise, but it's such an awesome movie! I think you might prefer it to the book haha ;)

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  2. The MC here seems promising and relatable, which is the main thing I look for if I'm going to read a novel. I love sci-fis as well and will keep an eye out for this one.

    Lovely review, Melissa! <33

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    1. Thanks, Melanie! I'd love to see what you think of this book.

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  3. This premise sounds so intriguing but it's such a shame when a book like this slows down. It definitely sounds like something I'd like though, so I might give it a try and I also need to watch Minority Report! ;)

    Great review :)

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    1. Thanks, Hannah! Yeah, I wish that books always had perfect pacing, you know?!

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  4. This does sound like an interesting read! SciFi is such a fun genre and, with all the action in this one (despite a soggy middle) , it seems like it works well. A YA Minority Report... intriguing.

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    1. It's a great concept, huh?! I think it will find a lot of readers who love it even more than I did :)

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  5. This happens to me a lot - where I expect more and while the book is good, it just isn't as awesome as I expected. I hate that it slowed down that way, but I've heard mixed reviews on this book as it is. I love the cover though! Great review, Melissa :)

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    1. Thanks, Hafsah! It was a good book, though I just always want more. What can I say? I'm crazy picky ;)

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  6. When I first started reading your review I was thinking this reminded me of that Tom Cruise movie. I clicked over to IMBD to get the title of the movie before reading the rest of your review, lol! I loved that movie, too. This does sound really good. I do wish Daphne would've stayed as likable throughout the story. It sounds like her actions become a bit frustrating. I think I'll wait until the 2nd book comes out to see the general opinion before picking this series up. Wonderful review, Melissa. :)

    That cover is just gorgeous, btw!

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    1. Isn't the cover great?! I seriously have such a coverlust haha ;)

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  7. I hadn't heard of this book before, but I love that you compared it to Minority Report! I do think it would be a lot of fun to read, because of the way the story appears to be structured.

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    1. It's a great storyline, for sure! I think a lot of people will really like it :)

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  8. I haven't heard of this one before, but it does sound really interesting. I'm not sure if I'll enjoy it, but I guess I'll take a gamble on it. Great review, Melissa! :)

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  9. Love the cover! I, too, liked Minority Report, and I'm not a big movie fan! I think this one may be right for my middle daughter - sounds like her kind of read. Thanks for the review!

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  10. I'm intrigued by that cover. Good review as well :)

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  11. Yay for snarky and realistic main characters - love those types! That's too bad that there are some pacing issues, though.

    Thanks for your honest thoughts :)

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  12. OOOOHHH I have this one on my shelf - have for a long time - but I don't even think I have ever even pulled it off to read! Bad Asheley. But you've kind of gotten me interested by mentioning the similarity to Minority Report because I LOVE that movie a ton. I just looked on Goodreads and it seems that this is a standalone. Is that right? Maybe I should give this one a go even though it wasn't the best you've ever read. Maybe it could be fun at some point in the future? The concept sounds pretty fun.

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