“Things are not always what they seem; the first appearance deceives many; the intelligence of a few perceives what has been carefully hidden.” (Phaedrus Augusti Libertus) The Jewel by Amy Ewing is a dystopian novel that focuses on the life of Violet Lasting a teenager who has been forced into the life of being a surrogate. Violet lives in the lowest social hierarchy that there is (The Marsh). The royalty in “The Jewel” force her and the other surrogates from the Marsh to carry and birth their children after they purchase them. It is believed that girls from the lowest social class have special abilities and powers that the royalty do not. In this book we follow Violet through her journey as a surrogate and her struggle to remain true to herself
