Torn

Gr 9 Up—The concluding volume in this duology focuses on the deadly Narxis virus that has been secretly killing off Priors, genetically modified humans. After contracting Narxis, even though she is not a full Prior, Davis is sent off to TOR-N, a corrupt quarantine facility. Thinking that her beloved Cole is dead, she plots with Mercer, a fellow Neither, to escape to his hometown of Durham with the hope of finding a cure for the others. At the same time, Cole is busy training for the Olympiads competition. Despite his genetic disadvantage, Cole will do whatever it takes to win the prize money and reunite with Davis. With Cole and Davis separated for the majority of the novel and the effects of the virus looming over them, the tone of this installment is more somber than in Feuds (St. Martin's Griffin, 2014), and a feeling of urgency pervades the protagonists' actions. World-building, including fleshed out details of the Narxis virus, an integral part of the series, remains thin, which may impede some readers from fully connecting with the narrative. Further, characters with great potential, specifically Cole's training instructor, a young, spunky and extremely powerful girl, fall flat in their development.