Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry--(3 out of 4 stars)
This book reminded me a lot of The Giver. In fact, it is listed as a companion novel to her Newbery Award winning book. Gathering Blue has a female protagonist, Kira, who lives in a harsh post-apocalyptic society where only the strong survive. Kira should have been killed because of a deformity but she survives because she has a unique artistic gift.
This book is a great sci-fi novel and a powerful statement about the reality that artistic gifts are double-edged swords.