Flawed

Flawed: A Novel (2016) is Irish author Cecelia Ahern’s first young adult novel. It is the first part of the Flawed duology, which concludes with Perfect: A Novel (2017).

Ahern is known for her novels P.S. I Love You (2004) and Where Rainbows End (aka Love, Rosie) (2004), which were adapted into movies starring Hilary Swank and Gerard Butler, and Lily Collins and Sam Claflin, respectively. Ahern has published 18 novels to date and sold over 25 million copies internationally. She has earned critical acclaim, including the 2005 Irish Post Award for Literature, the 2005 Corine Literature Prize, and the 2009 Tatler Writer of the Year award.

Flawed tells the story of Celestine, a teenager living in a society where moral and ethical perfection is enforced by branding individuals with so-called questionable behavior. The Flawed, as they are known, are discriminated against under the guise of maintaining social order. When Celestine is branded as Flawed after helping an old man, she realizes that the system is unfair and oppressive.

This YA dystopian novel explores morality, Self-Agency, and oppression. Speaking about her inspirations, Ahern states:

The thread that links my work is in capturing that transitional period in people’s lives. I’m drawn to writing about loss, to characters that have fallen and who feel powerless in their lives. [...] My characters push through and as a result evolve, become stronger and better equipped for the next challenge that life brings. (Ahern, Cecelia. “Meet Cecelia”).

This guide is based on the 2016 Kindle edition of Flawed.

Plot Summary

Celestine North is a 17-year-old girl who lives in Humming City with her parents, her sister Juniper, and her brother Ewan. Her boyfriend, Art, is the son of Judge Crevan, the head of the Guild in charge of prosecuting people accused of moral or ethical wrongdoings. If they are found guilty, they are branded as Flawed and made to follow strict rules of conduct. Although not technically criminals, the Flawed are discriminated against and stigmatized as scapegoats for people’s moral anxieties. At the beginning of the story, Celestine naively believes that the system is fair and meant to protect society at large. She lives a happy life as a popular, attractive girl with a loving boyfriend and family, enjoys school and mathematics, and prides herself on being perfect.

When she notices an old Flawed man struggling on the bus, Celestine intervenes to offer him a seat. In doing so, she helps him to a regular seat rather than those reserved for the Flawed. This leads to her being accused of aiding a Flawed, and therefore being branded as Flawed herself. She is taken to a holding cell, where she meets Carrick Vane, a young man awaiting trial. Judge Crevan, whom Celestine initially believes is trying to help her, reveals his hypocrisy when he asks her to lie to the jury about what happened on the bus.

When Celestine publicly defies him and explains that she acted out of compassion, Crevan turns on her. He gives her six brands, thus marking her as the most Flawed individual in history. By then, the public has become highly invested in Celestine’s trial, and political and media figures start using her to further their agendas. Pro-Flawed groups paint her as a symbol of hope and defiance, while anti-Flawed groups deem her a perfect poster girl for the system.

At first, Celestine is devastated by her new social status and the restrictive rules she has to follow. She feels like she has lost control over her own narrative and is isolated from everyone. Carrick, who swore he would find her before her branding, has seemingly disappeared. Art has run away, torn between his loyalty to his father and his love for Celestine. Juniper distances herself from her sister out of guilt for not supporting her during the trial. In contrast, Celestine’s grandfather, Cornelius, who was ostracized from the family for spreading conspiracy theories about the Guild’s corruption, now becomes her strongest ally.

Guild journalist Pia Wang starts a series of interviews with Celestine. While she initially does not believe the young girl’s claims about Crevan’s hypocrisy, she changes her mind when she starts investigating him. Realizing that the entire Flawed system is itself flawed, Pia switches sides to take down Crevan. She also introduces Celestine to a movement that supports the Flawed cause. Alpha Dockery, Celestine’s math teacher, is a prominent figure in the cause and invites Celestine to speak at a meeting.

Celestine goes with her grandfather, but the meeting is broken up by Whistleblowers, the Guild’s enforcers. Celestine and her grandfather flee; her grandfather is injured. While shopping for medical supplies in a supermarket, Celestine stands up to an abusive police officer and a riot breaks out. Carrick carries her out, and she later wakes up at home. Judge Crevan tries to detain her, but her family helps her escape. Before she leaves, Juniper explains that she has been helping Art hide because they both felt guilty for letting Celestine down. Eventually, Celestine goes on the run to find Carrick again.