The sequel to The Ones (2016) offers more of the same.Cody is on the run with Kai and Taryn, genetically engineered young people known as Ones (whose features are never described in a failure to indicate diversity in this world). Cody's boyfriend, James—also a One—sacrificed himself to prevent their capture by an Equality Team. Kai, who makes up the third side of the love triangle, takes Cody to the Ark, where she meets Edith Vale, the woman trying to save the Ones. Cody wants to save James—or does she want a relationship with Kai? Motives are murky despite the tell-don't-show style, while the plot points are either didactic or melodramatic—such as James' supposed death and Edith's plan to stage the death of a One and cast the blame on the Equality Movement. Throughout, Cody is mostly accepted even though she is not a One, even after multiple double crosses. Although Cody must make a sacrifice in her struggle, it doesn't seem to bother her, ironic in a story that seems to be promoting the value of life. Flat characters and stilted prose make this another one to skip. (Thriller. 12-16)

In Sweren-Becker’s futuristic America, the pursuit of perfection and genetic engineering has created a powerful subgroup of people called the Ones who have heightened intelligence and beauty along with other superior skills. Backlash and anti-Ones sentiment has grown as regular citizens began to feel threatened by them in the first book of this series. Now, in book two, Cody becomes close to one member of the rebel group she joined to ensure equality for the Ones, the New Weathermen. As she is privy to more information about the rebel group, she realizes it has diabolical plans. She must decide what values to uphold and which political party to support while finding her way back to James, her missing Ones boyfriend. The story is told from the third-person point of view, jumping around to multiple perspectives of New Weathermen rebels. This technique gives the reader a panoramic view of the preparation and battle between the rebel group and the government. At the same time, this narrative choice makes it hard for a reader to connect to any of the characters who are bland, lifeless, and inconsistent. The dialogue is wooden and clunky. Alliances, betrayals, and plot twists happen quickly, making it a brisk read; however, it does not reach the intended level of importance. Although the book has the potential to explore well-timed themes such as fake news, inequality, extremism, and government oppression it does not rise to the challenge, rather it merely skims the surface. The uplifting ending ties up all the major plot points. The Equals is a subpar dystopian thriller. Purchase this only where the first book is popular and where dystopian novels are still in demand.—Rummanah Aasi.