Lennon has been chosen because - like everyone else at the school - she is special. She possesses the innate gift of persuasion: the ability to wield her will like a weapon and to use it to control others and, in rare cases, matter itself. After passing the gruelling exam, Lennon must now learn how to master this devastating power. While persuasion takes a heavy toll on her body and her mind, she is captivated by all that surrounds her - her studies, Drayton?s lush, moss-draped campus, her brilliant classmates and, most of all, by Dante, the charismatic adviser who both intimidates and enamours her.