The Predicteds by Christine Seifert Review

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.