In a dystopian nation defined by power and ruthless control, the fate of firstborn children is sealed from the moment they draw their first breath. Taken from their families, numbered, and molded into unwavering government tools, these children are forbidden to form any emotional ties that might hinder their unwavering loyalty to their nation.
Jonathan, a second born son, is condemned to a life as a factory worker. But beneath the mask he wears as an obedient citizen, an unbreakable bond ties him to his older brother, 314.
A secret that could cost both of them their lives.
This, along with the sequel (The Numbered and the Nameless), are some of Ellette Ulmer's finest works. They are set in a dystopian world where there is no freedom, the first born is the government's, and death could be waiting at any door. It follows a young man named Jonathan who doesn't know anything but death, betrayal, and destruction. But where it leads is into life.