Title Perfect Ruin Author Lauren DeStephano Cover Art Teagan White Publisher Simon & Schuster - 2013 First Printing Simon & Schuster - 2013
	Title Burning Kingdoms Author Lauren DeStephano Cover Art --- Publisher --- First Printing ---
	Title --- Author Lauren DeStephano Cover Art --- Publisher --- First Printing ---
	Category Dystopia Warnings None Main Characters Morgan, Basil, Pen, Tomas, Lex, Alice Main Elements Dystopia Website laurendestefano.com

Perfect Ruin

I've never read a DeStefano book before but I'd heard of her other series and thought I'd give this dystopian tale (a genre I enjoy) a try.

It's one of those dystopian tales where on the surface, it appears that you've actually stumbled onto a utopia. No violence, no murder, people seem happy enough with their lives, and though paired up at birth by the state, it seems most couples are happy enough with the results of their matches. In fact, it might be a place you'd like to live if you liked your life quiet. Not much change in the weather (it never rains or snows above the clouds), it's peaceful, and beautiful....and small. For Morgan, with a vivid imagination and a desire to know more, perhaps a little too small. The Edge is a temptation that she is finding harder and harder to ignore.

I really enjoy stories that take place within a limited scope. I'm not too sure how big the city of Internment is, but seems small enough that you can walk most places if you miss the train that runs around the edge. Instead of being distracted by the characters having to make epic quests across grand landscapes, you've got the world focused down to a small point, where the characters and plot have to take over.

I enjoyed the characters, the way they think, and the way they are, for the most part, happy with their lives. Yes, there's some weird things that goes on when one gets too close to the Edge. And yes, there does seem to be quite a bit of medication going around, but overall, people seemed rather happy. But of course, as Morgan starts digging deeper, as events start unfolding around her, the bright shiny skin of the apple hides a rotten core. And I especially enjoyed the relationship between Morgan and Basil, as well as Pen and Thomas, and Lex and Alice. The city may have decided that they must marry, but that doesn't mean they can't still fall in love in spite of that. And what was refreshing for a young adult novel, our heroine actually falls for the sweet and adorable good guy instead of the cool and sexy bad one! DeStephano has a very pleasant way of writing, it was easy and flowing and I simply enjoyed the read. I look forward to seeing what happens next as we left the story just as things made a drastic turn...for the better or the worse we don't yet know.