Teen Tuesday

Crewel (Crewel World #1) by Gennifer Albin (Farrar, Strass & Giroux hardcover, 16 October 2012).

In Arras, people are segregated by gender.  Even the families with girls live in separate areas from those with boys.

Women are  subservient to men, and most men are subservient to the oligarchical government.  At the age of 16, girls are "tested" to see what their skills are.  Ideally, a young woman will be a skilful weaver, so that she will be accepted into  Manipulation Services as a Spinster.

Adelice Lewys' parents have trained her to be a clumsy weaver.  She doesn't know why, except that Spinsters are taken away from their families as soon as their talents are discovered, and are not allowed to marry or have children.

When Adelice goes for her Testing, she does her best to prove her lack of skill, but somehow she slips up.  When the men come to take her away, her parents attempt to hide her, but they are unsuccessful, and Adelice is taken to the Coventry of Spinsters.

She is at first imprisoned in a dark, damp cell, and when she's finally allowed out it's made clear to her that she's expected to be meek and obedient.  Although she intends to try at first, her personality is not suited to quiet compliance, and she's in trouble almost immediately.

There's no way she can escape the path that's been chosen for her, but Adelice is determined to try.  She can trust her mentor, Enora and her valet, Jost.  At least she thinks so.  But things keep getting more and more complicated until she's not sure of anything.

I was first attracted by the gorgeous cover of this book, and then by the trailer:



It's an exciting, absorbing story that ends much too quickly.  No indication when the sequel is due, but it won't be soon enough!




FTC Full Disclosure:  I borrowed this book from my local library.