A National Book Award winner

A Newbery Honor Book

A Printz Honor Book

A clone grapples with his sense of self against the backdrop of the dangerous world of drug trafficking in this acclaimed and internationally bestselling young adult classic about what it means to be human.

Matt Alacrán wasn’t born. He was harvested.

His DNA came from El Patrón, the drug-lord ruler of the country of Opium. Most people hate and fear clones like Matt—except for El Patrón. El Patrón loves Matt as he loves himself, because Matt is himself.

As Matt struggles to understand his existence, he is threatened by a sinister cast of characters, and realizes escape is his only chance to survive. But escape from the Alacrán Estate is no guarantee of freedom.