The Unwanteds by Lisa Mcmann Review

Reading Level: Middle Grade
Publisher: Aladdin
Source: Conference
First book in The Unwanteds series
Every year in Quill, thirteen-year-olds are sorted into categories: the strong, intelligent Wanteds go to university, and the artistic Unwanteds are sent to their deaths.
Thirteen-year-old Alex tries his hardest to be stoic when his fate is announced as Unwanted, even while leaving behind his twin, Aaron, a Wanted. Upon arrival at the destination where he expected to be eliminated, however, Alex discovers a stunning secret—behind the mirage of the "death farm" there is instead a place called Artime.
In Artime, each child is taught to cultivate their creative abilities and learn how to use them magically, weaving spells through paintbrushes and musical instruments. Everything Alex has ever known changes before his eyes, and it's a wondrous transformation.
But it's a rare, unique occurence for twins to be separated between Wanted and Unwanted, and as Alex and Aaron's bond stretches across their separation, a threat arises for the survival of Artime that will pit brother against brother in an ultimate, magical battle.


Review
Ah I loved this book with all my heart. I miss middle grade. I hardly ever read it. This was a good change from what I normally read. On the cover it says The Hunger Games meets Harry Potter. Normally I don't like when people compare books but that really is true. This book is a perfect mix of those two amazing books. It's a magical dystopian that's very unique.


I really love all the characters in this. Alex is my favorite. He's sweet and adventerous. I like how hes humble about his magic and how friendly he is. I hated Aaron. He's incredibly anoying and rude. I have a feeling we will see more of him in the future. This book had a lot of great secondary charcaters. My favorite was Lani. She was adorable and I like how she was always reading. Some of the secondary charcaters reminded me of Harry Potters charcaters.


This book has the coolest magic. Each type of magic is so different and suits everyone differently. Another cool part was the animals and the mansion. I love the setting. I really loved the difference between the two worlds. The plot wasnt extremely fast paced but it wasnt boring either. It had a fair share of action and suspense.  Overall I really enjoyed this. I cant wait for the upcoming sequel. I'm excited to try more middle grade and I highly recommend this one. 5/5 stars


Jasmine :)