{Review} Dualed - Elsie Chapman

Dualed by Elsie Chapman
Release Date: Feb 26 /2013
Publisher: Random House

You or your Alt? Only one will survive. The city of Kersh is a safe haven, but the price of safety is high. Everyone has a genetic Alternate—a twin raised by another family—and citizens must prove their worth by eliminating their Alts before their twentieth birthday. Survival means advanced schooling, a good job, marriage—life. Fifteen-year-old West Grayer has trained as a fighter, preparing for the day when her assignment arrives and she will have one month to hunt down and kill her Alt. But then a tragic misstep shakes West’s confidence. Stricken with grief and guilt, she’s no longer certain that she’s the best version of herself, the version worthy of a future. If she is to have any chance of winning, she must stop running not only from her Alt, but also from love . . . though both have the power to destroy her. Elsie Chapman's suspenseful YA debut weaves unexpected romance into a novel full of fast-paced action and thought-provoking philosophy. When the story ends, discussions will begin about this future society where every adult is a murderer and every child knows there is another out there who just might be better.

Dualed sounded awesome in the synopsis and it also has a kickass cover. It was something I thought I would like so I picked it up. 

Kersh is a world where you have you and your Alt. When someone activates your code, you have to kill your Alt in one month or get killed or both of you dies. West is out to kill her Alt but the tragic accident that happened to her brother terrified her pretty bad and now she wasn't sure if she was the best version of herself anymore.

The adventure/action in this book reminded me a lot of the Hunger Games. It's one of those kill-or-be-killed situations. I really liked the idea of Kersh and the Alts. There were different districts in Kersh and I liked how the author described those places. I could picture the world pretty well in my mind and feel what West was feeling.

West was a strong character. Even though she seemed flimsy in the beginning, I think she hardened up to be the fighter that she needed to be. Her head was always in the game and she need everything she had to do, even if it broke her heart. 

Chord was the love interest in this book. I really liked him. He was always looking out for West even when she kept pushing him away. Chord kept fighting for her and supporting her. I get how West didn't want Chord to get hurt and that was why she kept pushing him away. I respect but I liked how they turned out.

The beginning was kind of boring and slow but I guess it was necessary and introduced us to the world of Kersh. West also joined a group of people called the strikers. While I did like the strikers, I don't think it was necessary to add that part. It didn't play much of an importance in the plot, and I didn't enjoy it that much when West had to do the assignments. There also wasn't enough romance in my opinion and I think a bit more would've been better. 

Some people said that West could've finished off her Alt in many scenarios and that it got dragged out but I thought the pace was fine and built it up to that last moment when she finally killed her Alt.

In conclusion, the action was awesome but a bit more romance would've made it better. I really enjoyed experiencing Kersh and I would definitely pick up the sequel!

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