I hardly know where to begin with this one. I liked it a lot. It was incredibly fast-paced and suspenseful, more so than what I usually read so it was a nice change of pace. This is an incredibly character-driven book; each character is complicated and sympathetic. They each had their own philosophical stances and issues, which really makes you think. 
 Above all, this book is chilling. It's disturbing. The only reason I rated it 4 stars was because of a scene near the end that made me queasy, not necessarily from any graphic material, but because of the psychological trauma associated with the scene. Shusterman is obviously a master of suspense and characterization. 
 Don't know how I feel about it being a series, though. It seemed wrapped up enough for me in the end. May or may not pick up the second.