Book Review :: Impostors, by Scott Westerfeld

Impostors by Scott Westerfeld
ISBN: 9781760528249
Series: Uglies #5
Also in this series: Uglies
Published by Allen & Unwin
on 2018-09-12
Genres: Dystopian, Science Fiction, Young Adult
Pages: 480
Source: Allen & Unwin NZ
Find at Allen & Unwin NZ
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Frey was raised to take a bullet.

She's the body double for her twin sister Rafia - the precious heir of the first family of Shreve - and her existence is a closely guarded secret. So while Rafi was schooled in poise and diplomacy, Frey was drilled in weapons and combat. Her purpose: to protect her sister from their tyrannical father's many enemies.

When Frey is sent in Rafi's place as collateral in a precarious business deal, she becomes the perfect impostor - as elegant and charming as her sister. But Col Palafox, the son of a rival leader, is getting close enough to spot the killer inside her. As layers of deceit peel away, can Frey become her own person, and risk everything in a rebellion?

Last updated on 18 April 2023

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What is Impostors, by Scott Westerfeld about?

All her life, Frey has only ever been one thing: a replica, a duplicate, a body double. Her sister Rafia is the First Daughter of Shreve, a political figure standing next to their father, the leader of the city. Being a public figure means Rafia’s life is often in danger, and it’s in those situations that Frey steps up. She imitates Rafia so well that none of the people know there are two of them. Frey is kept hidden from the world, her entire existence is a secret; she uses passageways through their house to avoid being seen by servants, trains with one of the few people who know she exists, is a killing machine.

So when the neighbouring city of Victoria demands a hostage as collateral for a dangerous deal they’re planning with Shreve, it’s Frey that is put in the spotlight, posing as Rafia in this new city, being a ‘guest’ in their home. But things are not as they seem and as she gets closer to Col Palafox, the First Son of Victoria, Frey learns that her father is even more devious and deceptive than she realised.

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My thoughts on Impostors 

While Impostors is the 5th book in the Uglies series by Westerfeld, it’s the beginning of a whole new series within the same world. I have only read the first in the Uglies series, Uglies, so I was a little apprehensive about picking this one up, thinking there would be a lot more crossover into the past story. Thankfully, there wasn’t. The characters and some key events are mentioned a few times, as Impostors takes place after the events in book 4, Extras, which consequently take place a few years after book 3, Specials, which is the end of the actual series. If that makes sense.

Once I got into the groove of this book, I powered through it. Frey was this mix of strong, steadfast, butt-kicking girl she was trained to be, and also this bucket of nerves as she tried to navigate being Rafia all the time. As well as all that, she’s trying to work through her growing feelings of Col. It seemed a little Romeo-Juliet at times, two families with opposing views on the brink of war and their kids get together, but it definitely worked in this story.

“She squeezes my hand, and I feel that certainty I always had as a littlie. That I’m more than expendable. More than a body double.”

While the plot line was a tad predictable at times, there were moments that genuinely surprised me and kept me turning the pages. The action doesn’t stop in Impostors, so be ready for a no-breaks kind of story. The end few pages definitely got me excited for the next book, and seeing where the story would go.

I really liked how Impostors was more than just a dystopian novel about two cities at war; it was about Frey discovering who she was without Rafia around, without that constant hold from her father, without only being needed as a decoy, a double. It was about her figuring out who Frey really was, and it was a joy to read that play out.

You don’t have to have read the Uglies series to read Impostors, however, to get everything you can out of the story, it might be worth starting at the beginning.

Have you read Imposters by Scott Westerfeld? What did you think?

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I received this book for free from Allen & Unwin NZ in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.