Flawed (Flawed #1) By Cecelia Ahern - Restarting January 27th 2022

[Sarah Elizabeth]

The stunning YA debut from internationally bestselling author Cecelia Ahern.

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 in which 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.

In this stunning novel, bestselling author Cecelia Ahern depicts a society in which perfection is paramount and mistakes are punished. And where one young woman decides to take a stand that could cost her everything.

[Abi]

Starting now. :)

[Sarah Elizabeth]

up to 11% (view spoiler)[ i think she's right, this whole being flawed thing isn't sollid enough if it can be interpreted that a man had to cheat because his wife wasn't a good enough wife! (hide spoiler)]

[Abi]

Chapter 4 - (view spoiler)[No wonder he was so insistant on starting dinner without them. (hide spoiler)]

[Abi]

Sarah wrote: "up to 11% [spoilers removed]"

Me too.

[Sarah Elizabeth]

17% (view spoiler)[ well, she did both the right thing and the wrong thing all at the same time. she knew that she shouldn't try to help that man, she basically just threw her future away. she can wax lyrical about how it's wrong until the cows come home, but she's not likely to make a difference. (hide spoiler)]

[Abi]

Sarah wrote: "17% [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[Yep. It's awful how the man was being treated, but she knew what would happen if she helped him. (hide spoiler)]

[Sarah Elizabeth]

31% (view spoiler)[ she told the truth, but she's totally screwed now. (hide spoiler)]

[Abi]

Sarah wrote: "31% [spoilers removed]"

Yep.

[Sarah Elizabeth]

33% (view spoiler)[ totally screwed. (hide spoiler)]

[Sarah Elizabeth]

39% (view spoiler)[ 6 brands is taking the p*ss a bit in my opinion. (hide spoiler)]

[Abi]

Sarah wrote: "39% [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[Way too many! (hide spoiler)]

[Sarah Elizabeth]

51% (view spoiler)[ that mary woman is such a b*tch! (hide spoiler)]

[Sarah Elizabeth]

84% (view spoiler)[ is her charity not breaking the law? surely by providing councilling and stuff she is aiding the flawed? (hide spoiler)]

[Sarah Elizabeth]

92% (view spoiler)[ how do they get away with this meeting? i thought the flawed weren't allowed to gather? (hide spoiler)]

[Sarah Elizabeth]

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Date Changed. RestartingFebruary 27th 2016. Happy Reading ☺

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[Rachel]

Excited to start in a couple of days :)

[Sarah Elizabeth]

It's a pretty good one ☺

[T.J.]

Chapters 1-3

Intriguing and simultaneously disturbing, as is intended I’m sure.
(view spoiler)[
Here we have a Theocracy and Judge Crevan (Bosco) is the infallible Executive Theocrat, the moral judge, the decider of right from wrong.

Celestine’s Granddad, Cornelius, and her sister, Juniper, are the free-thinkers, the spiritual seekers.

“Celestine” means “heavenly,” and she is a good example of someone who has been clearly indoctrinated into the religion’s set of values. She is the girlfriend of the theocrat’s son and knows Bosco in his function as father and family member, not just as moral judge.

I think it’s essential for the story that we receive a description of this moral system from the perspective of an indoctrinated, like Celestine, rather than from someone who sets himself/herself critically towards the system, such as Juniper or Cornelius.

We get introduced to the system from someone who accepts it, and even finds it good. The way in which Celestine first describes “the Guild” led me to believe it to be harmless. I even recalled a reality show that I viewed live in Los Angeles, entitled “Moral Court.” People voluntarily took their moral and ethical dilemmas to this court and aired their dirty laundry in front of a world-wide audience. I brought a German family to the show and they were interviewed afterward. We all found the show entertaining, but a rather ridiculous way of attempting to solve interpersonal conflicts.

But we get shown quickly that this system is anything but harmless. It is a system set in place to use fear-tactics, terror, and ostracization as a way to force everyone in society to adopt the moral dictates of a few self-appointed moral (“religious”) leaders.

It’s interesting to learn about this system from someone who has accepted it all (or most of) her life. While I was immediately critical towards the Guild and the whole moral judgement stuff, Celestine introduces this system as if it were a good one. We then get to follow Celestine’s thought process which questions small pieces of this system as she is personally confronted with its ugly side, and we get to experience her inner-conflict and doubts as they develop.

We are not given access Juniper’s thoughts, which from her outward actions and tone, as well as Celestine’s observations, are directly critical of the system. For many readers – especially readers who have been raised in a post-Enlightenment secular society – it is probably not so difficult to understand and relate to Juniper’s discontent with the current system.

Interesting note about the symbolism of the name “Juniper”: The juniper tree is said to have had angelic presence in both Old and New Testament -- it protected the prophet Elijah and hid the infant Jesus -- and Juniper was used in Renaissance artwork to represent “chastity.”
(hide spoiler)]

[T.J.]

Finished Chapter 4 (8%)

(view spoiler)[
"It was the most perfect moment in my life. It was the last perfect moment in my life."

Oh, bloody hell. I don't want to continue. Do I want to continue? Of course I want to continue... don't I?

I knew that Celestine's perfect, flawless world would come crashing down on her sooner or later -- I just didn't think it would be this soon. Of course "perfection" was already shattered for Celestine the previous night with her piano teacher and neighbor being dragged away from her family -- leading to Celestine's first real doubts and conflicting thoughts about the system.

Who will be taken next? Celestine's grandfather or sister, Juniper, would be obvious candidates -- both are critics of the current system. Celestine's mom seems to be hiding something behind all that perfection... Celestine's Dad? Her boyfriend, Art? He said some rebellious stuff that night. Celestine herself?

(hide spoiler)]

[Karen]

Have a copy of this, so excited to start on March 5th

[T.J.]

Welcome, Karen!

I've just been babbling by my lonesome here for a few days... :D

[T.J.]

Chapter 5 (14%)
(view spoiler)[
yep. I was afraid of that.
(hide spoiler)]

[Rachel]

Hi guys :) sorry I've been missing!! I'm a couple of chapters in so far :)

[T.J.]

Rachel wrote: "Hi guys :) sorry I've been missing!! I'm a couple of chapters in so far :)"

Welcome, Rachel! I've been missing you. :D

[T.J.]

Chapter 6 (19%)
(view spoiler)[
Oooooooooh, this just got interesting. It was already interesting to be sure, but the intensity level was just screwed up a notch.

I suspect Celestine's father quietly supports freedom of the press (and there are others at the news station who join that support). I suspect these journalists are also critical of the regime.
I've changed my terminology -- from "system" to "regime." The more I learn about this system, the more I realize it is an oppressive theocratic dictatorship. If a teenager can get sentenced to 2 years in prison for helping a sick elderly man to a seat on the bus, then this system is quite oppressive indeed.

I didn't realize the extent of the oppression in the beginning -- and that was Ahern's intention, I'm sure. Learning about the system through the eyes of an indoctrinated -- a believer -- filtered the oppressive nature of this regime a bit at first... but now my eyes are open. And now Celestine's eyes are wide open.

So where does she go from here? I cannot imagine that Celestine will falsely incriminate the old man to get herself off.

And who is the young man in the cell next to Celestine? I can imagine that he will be an ally, should Celestine turn rebel -- which I dearly hope she will. Celestine's sister and grandfather could also be rebel allies...
(hide spoiler)]

[Rachel]

16% (view spoiler)[ its crazy that she's been arrested for helping an old man!! (hide spoiler)]

[T.J.]

Rachel wrote: "16%"
(view spoiler)[
Rachel wrote: "its crazy that she's been arrested for helping an old man!!"

No kidding! It's bad. I knew it was bad from the start, but Celestine's description made the system seem rather harmless at first... Then the neighbor gets taken away, and I knew things were much worse than Celestine thought -- the system is much more oppressive than Celestine was even aware of. But still I thought punishment for a moral misdeed was just ostracization and a branding -- which is bad enough, don't get me wrong -- but as it turns out, it's even worse than that. (See my comment 26 when you get past 19%).

(hide spoiler)]

[T.J.]

Chapter 8 (24%)

(view spoiler)[
Well, by now the "flawed" system must have lost any semblance of fairness and justice in Celestine's eyes...

By now Celestine must see this system for what it is -- an oppressive theocratic dictatorship, which uses terror, torture, imprisonment, ostracization, and stigmatization to force the majority to follow the moral edicts of a small minority.

Not cool.

(hide spoiler)]

[T.J.]

Sarah wrote: "17%"
(view spoiler)[
Sarah wrote: "well, she did both the right thing and the wrong thing all at the same time. she knew that she shouldn't try to help that man, she basically just threw her future away. she can wax lyrical about how it's wrong until the cows come home, but she's not likely to make a difference."

I don't think she realized that what she did was "wrong" according to the system. Up until that point (or at least up until she started to have doubts the night before when her neighbor was taken away), Celestine thought that the system was "good" and made sense (logically -- she's a girl of logic after all). She knew that she wasn't supposed to help "flawed" people, but she also knew that those women should -- according to the rules set up -- have given the man the "flawed" seat. And even if there were no seat available, Celestine couldn't believe the rules of shunning the "flawed" would include letting them die. This never crossed her mind until that moment.

And even though she was unclear as to how she should proceed during that urgent crisis (she was clearly conflicted as to what to do in regards to the old man), it never crossed her mind that this could be a punishable offense. She thought she could logically explain events and that would be that.

Before this event with the dying man happened, Celestine considered herself to be a "good" person and she considered the system a good way to make sure that all people behave properly, i.e. "good".
(hide spoiler)]

[Rachel]

TJ 19% - (view spoiler)[ it definitely seems more like a regime! at first I thought the Flawed label was more of a shaming thing, like a bit more serious talk show. But to brand and discriminate against these people is really awful! Especially when the 'crimes' aren't that serious! (hide spoiler)]

[Rachel]

25% (view spoiler)[ it must be awful to be imprisoned just for helping people! I was surprised that Bosco tried to stand up for her, I guess he may not fully support the Flawed system - then again he didn't care when it was the neighbour who was arrested! Clearly Art doesn't want to help Celestine! (hide spoiler)]

[Rachel]

39% (view spoiler)[ oh wow Crevan is awful!! He has definitely went too far!! Completely insane!! All them brands the poor girl! I wonder how her family will be treated now that Celestine has been branded (hide spoiler)]

[T.J.]

Chapter 11 (32%)
(view spoiler)[

Well...this is what I expected Celestine to do -- what I hoped she would do. She took a stand and did the right thing. The system is flawed and some one needs to take a stand against it.

(hide spoiler)]

[T.J.]

Rachel wrote: "TJ 19%"
(view spoiler)[
Rachel wrote: "it definitely seems more like a regime! at first I thought the Flawed label was more of a shaming thing, like a bit more serious talk show. But to brand and discriminate against these people is really awful! Especially when the 'crimes' aren't that serious!"

That's how I saw it too at first -- a shaming thing. But turns out it's brutally oppressive. :(

(hide spoiler)]

[T.J.]

Rachel wrote: "25%"
(view spoiler)[
Rachel wrote: "it must be awful to be imprisoned just for helping people! I was surprised that Bosco tried to stand up for her, I guess he may not fully support the Flawed system - then again he didn't care when it was the neighbour who was arrested! Clearly Art doesn't want to help Celestine! "

Bosco does whatever is in his own self-interest. It's clearly not in his self-interest to have someone with such an impecable reputation (and a personal connection go him) challenge the system.
(hide spoiler)]

[T.J.]

Rachel wrote: "39%"

Chapter 13 (38%)
(view spoiler)[
Rachel wrote: "oh wow Crevan is awful!! He has definitely went too far!! Completely insane!! All them brands the poor girl! I wonder how her family will be treated now that Celestine has been branded"


I'm speechless. That is not what I expected. I expected bad... but that was... horrific. My only consolation is that the last branding was caught on video -- which is a small consolation for Celestine, but maybe it can trigger the beginning of the end of an oppressive regime.
(hide spoiler)]

[Rachel]

65% (view spoiler)[ I've gotva vad feeling about this party! (hide spoiler)]

[Rachel]

Finished (view spoiler)[ finally Carrick shows up!! I guess it'll turn into a Art/Celestine/Carrick love triangle. I think the video will be inside the snowglobe - why else would Tine give her it? (hide spoiler)]

[T.J.]

Rachel wrote: "65%"
(view spoiler)[
Rachel wrote: "I've gotva vad feeling about this party!"

Ya, I did too. I totally agreed with Celestine's sister when she said it could be a set-up. I don't know why Juniper did offer to go with her. I suppose because they got to bickering, Juniper was insulted. Maybe she had already made plans to meet Art.

The high-jacking was much worse than I expected originally, though... as the evening progressed, I expected even worse. I was also worried that that jerko might have made a video of Celestine repenting, which would not have served her cause well...
(hide spoiler)]

[T.J.]

Rachel wrote: "Finished"
(view spoiler)[
Rachel wrote: "finally Carrick shows up!! I guess it'll turn into a Art/Celestine/Carrick love triangle. I think the video will be inside the snowglobe - why else would Tine give her it?"

Huh! You're right. I was thinking the whole time it was somehow connected to her anklet (those cell phone chips can be tiny). But I'm sure you're right. When Celestine received the snow globe, I remember thinking what a ridiculous thing that was for Tina to give her. But in light of Tina's disappearance, it makes total sense. And since her whistle blower trashed her room, but made a snide comment about the snow globe, it all comes together...
(hide spoiler)]

[T.J.]

Finished

(view spoiler)[
ohmyohmyohmyohmy... there certainly is a lot going on here....
So many unanswered questions.

I really like it. Flawed grabbed my attention right from the start. I babbled on for pages during this buddy read -- the subject matter really got me thinking.

At about three-quarters through, I was inclined to give this book a 5-star rating. But there are too many unanswered questions, too many threads untied... it really was not finished. I don't like cliff-hanger endings -- even in first installments of a series. I think every installment needs to have a mini-climax and a mini-resolution, which this didn't have. It left me feeling: "huh," rather than blowing me out of the water and sending me into space (which, of course, is what I hope for in every book I read... :D ).

I have a lot to think about before I write my review, but I can say that I really, really liked this book and I will definitely be reading the next installment as soon as it is finished! And if the final installment blows me out of the water, then... who knows... I may go back and give this one a 5-star instead of a 4-star rating.

(hide spoiler)]

[Rachel]

TJ - (view spoiler)[ yeah the ending was a little strange, definitely a lot of unanswered questions! It built a lot up ready for the next book! I did really enjoy it (hide spoiler)]

[T.J.]

Rachel wrote: "TJ - [spoilers removed]"

We can buddy-read the next installment when it comes out!

[T.J.]

Here's my (long-awaited) review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Karen]

Don't know why I had 26th in mind to start! Starting now.
Love Aherne-can't wait to see what this is like.

[Karen]

Immediately immersed in Celestine's world. Perfection is key...what is going to happen when she, inevitably, starts to question this system?

[Karen]

Physically sickening. Cruel and inhuman practice. Can't decide if Celestine is brave or daft.

[Karen]

89% - don't want this to end!

[Karen]

Finished - irritated beyond belief by the vagueness of the ending. I want more! Did enjoy the book though.