Flawed

📖 Synopsis: Celestine North lives a perfect life. She’s a model daughter and sister, she’s well-liked by her classmates and teachers, and she’s dating the impossibly charming Art Crevan.

But then Celestine encounters a situation where she makes an instinctive decision. She breaks a rule and now faces life-changing repercussions. She could be imprisoned. She could be branded. She could be found flawed.

Flawed But Fascinating

At first glance, the idea of a society that brands people for moral imperfection seems too tame for a dystopian premise. It lacks the brutality of harsher regimes and feels almost superficial. But upon closer thought—we might not be as far from such a reality as it seems.

China’s social credit system is already in place, with reports of similar structures in Russia. Recently, discussions about Canada implementing a comparable system surfaced across social media. Society thrives on the illusion of moral superiority, yet hypocrisy runs rampant. Cancel culture has become so dominant that freedom of speech teeters on the edge. If public opinion is driven by outrage rather than reason and punishment is dictated by perception rather than due process, what’s to stop things from escalating the way they did in the book?

Some scenes in the book even reminded me of the Stanford Prison Experiment, where individuals conformed to their assigned roles to the point of abandoning logic and morality. Flawed taps into these unsettling realities, making it more thought-provoking than it initially appears.

Overview and Commentary

The novel follows Celestine North, a seemingly perfect girl in a rigid society that punishes morally ambiguous decisions. The Guild, a powerful governing body, determines who is Flawed—branding those who deviate from strict ethical expectations. When Celestine helps an elderly Flawed man on a bus, she is put on trial and sentenced to bear the mark herself. Stripped of her once-privileged life, she must navigate a society that now sees her as defective.

What follows is her journey of self-discovery and rebellion against a system obsessed with absolute perfection. While the premise is compelling, the execution falls short. The plot follows familiar dystopian beats—a controlling government, a reluctant hero turned revolutionary, and an oppressive system designed to keep people in line. The story doesn’t introduce enough fresh twists to truly stand out.

That said, one of the novel’s strongest themes is its examination of social control and the fear of imperfection. It highlights the dangers of a society that punishes compassion in favor of blind rule-following, raising unsettling questions about justice, hypocrisy, and the cost of moral righteousness. Unfortunately, the characters meant to carry these ideas forward lack the depth to make them truly resonate.

Writing Style and Pacing

Cecelia Ahern’s writing is straightforward and accessible, making this an easy read for young adult audiences. The pacing can be slow, but the thought-provoking themes help maintain interest.

Final Thoughts

This was the first book I fully completed after years of corporate burnout. I had tried to get back into reading, but nothing really held my attention—until Flawed. It reminded me of my younger years when I could devour books endlessly, especially during the height of dystopian fiction.

While Flawed doesn’t break new ground, it does offer a fresh angle that challenges readers to question societal norms. Despite its weak characters and predictable plot, its exploration of justice and moral perception makes it worth reading. Hopefully, the sequel strengthens the world-building and delivers a more satisfying arc.

On a different note, I have to praise the hardcover edition’s design. It comes with a white parchment-like outer cover that gives it a refined yet understated look. The simplicity makes it stand out, and the free “F” brand tattoo is a clever addition—it’s a small but effective way to immerse readers into its world.