Altered (Crewel World)
Gr 9 Up-In this sequel to Crewel (Farrar, 2012), Adelice, a talented 16-year-old Spinster, leaves behind her life in Arras, along with brothers Jost and Erik, for the damaged Earth. There, she finds that her ability to weave the threads of life together is thwarted. She discovers gifted men called Tailors-beings who are able to alter and piece together the fabrics of individual lives. Erik hides the fact that he is a skilled Tailor, and Adelice is one of the rarest beings: both Spinster and Tailor. The story is about survival and romance (Adelice is drawn to both Jost and Erik). As the heroine's feelings intensify, she challenges the idea that Spinsters who consummate a romance will lose their ability to weave. Albin aptly weaves her unique vocabulary into the complex plot. Adelice fights the Guild, the powerful leaders of Arras, and the Remnants, soulless former humans, and struggles to understand herself and her abilities. "How can I discover who I am when my world is built of secrets and shadows?" she asks herself. The loose ends involving Adelice's family and a world-saving creation called "The Whorl" will leave fans waiting eagerly for book three. Altered is a mix of romance and adventure that will be most enjoyable for readers of the first novel.-Maggie Knapp, Trinity Valley School, Fort Worth, TXα(c) Copyright 2013.  Library Journal. LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc.  No redistribution permitted.