How We Became Wicked - by Alexander Yates (Hardcover)

About the Book

"A viral disease called 'the wickedness' plagues the world, and sixteen-year-olds Astrid and Natalie are two of the only people immune. The girls live in separate, isolated communities, but recent encounters with wicked people link their stories in unexpected ways"--

Book Synopsis

When an insect-borne plague begins to envelop the world, three sixteen-year-olds struggle to survive amongst the healthy "trues" and the infected "wickeds" in this gripping dystopian tale from the author of The Winter Place.

A plague, called Wickedness, is pulsing through the world; and in its wake, it's dividing the population into thirds:

The WICKED: Already infected by the droves of Singers, the ultraviolet mosquito-like insects who carry the plague, the Wicked roam the world freely. They don't want for much--only to maim and dismember you. But don't worry: They always ask politely first.

The TRUE: The True live in contained, isolated communities. They're the lucky ones; they found safety from the Singers. And while the threat of the Wicked may not be eliminated, for the True, the threat has certainly been contained...

The VEXED: The Vexed are the truly fortunate ones--they survived the sting of the Singers, leaving them immune. But they're far from safe. The Vexed hold the key to a cure, and there are those who will do anything to get it.

In this brilliantly realized novel, three teens--Astrid, Hank, and Natalie--start to realize that the divisions of their world aren't as clear as they seem, and are forced to question what being wicked truly means.

Review Quotes

"This dystopian story contains all the plot twists, rebelliousness of youth, and bits of romance that will make it a popular read."--School Library Connection

"The vividly imagined and haunting landscape is not unlike the post-apocalypse world of The Walking Dead.... A creative and philosophical take on a zombie-esque apocalypse with a perfectly executed final act twist. Promptly hand this one to lovers of smart, tense science fiction."--Booklist, starred review

"A first-class sci-fi/horror story."--School Library Journal

"Yates skillfully crafts this dystopian horror, bringing together the parallel plotlines in a stunning, gut-punching fashion and twisting both stories with new revelations."--BCCB, starred review