Kid knows her school’s corporate sponsors not-so-secretly monitor her friendships and activities for market research. It’s all a part of the Game; the alternative education system designed to use the addictive kick from video games to encourage academic learning. Everyday, a captive audience of students ages 13-17 enter the nationwide chain store-like Game locations to play.
When a group calling themselves the Unidentified simulates a suicide to protest the power structure of their school, Kid’s investigation into their pranks attracts unwanted attention from the sponsors. As Kid finds out she doesn't have rights to her ideas, her privacy, or identity, she and her friends look for a way to revolt in a place where all acts of rebellion are just spun into the next new ad campaign.
This dystopian debut novel has been on my radar for a while now, being as it's, y'know, dystopian, and I like dystopian, and it has an intriguing concept. However, when I first heard about this novel I was also struggling through some less than stellar dystopians, and so I think some of the wariness and hesitancy transferred to my anticipation of this novel. Fortunately, Lenore just gave it a positive review over at her Dystopian August (yay!).
And also, now that I know more about The Unidentified's premise, I'd have to say it's also very timely, since just this summer a law was passed allowing corporations to publicly "donate" money to politicians they want to sponsor. I'm no politician and I hate politics and know very little about it, but tell me, how in the world does this law seem like a good idea? Did they lawmakers have a clue as to the amount of corruption and bribery that they basically just condoned? The level of corruption that is legal now?
Oh wait, they're all politicians. The well-being of the general population doesn't concern them as much as filling their pockets and making sure their yachts and mansions are safe...
(Bite me, government!)
The Unidentified will be published in hardcover by Balzer + Bray on October 5, 2010.
What a cool pick. I've surprisngly never heard of this book before. It sounds like it deals with some pretty relevant themes, too! I've got to read this once it's released.
ReplyDeleteI'm so excited for this one! Great pick :)
ReplyDeleteI've been desperate to read this one for a while, so I was pleasantly surprised to note how close the publication date is getting. Yay! Go Team Dystopian.
ReplyDeleteI'm reading it right now and I lOVE it. It kinda reminds me of MT Anderson's Feed, but it's better and more complex. It's a great dystopian read for anyone who loves this genre!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait for this book to come out. I love reading dystopian novels.
ReplyDeleteI've not heard about this book but I'm looking forward to it now. Sounds good.
ReplyDeleteHope you love it!
ReplyDeleteI just saw this on Lenore's blog as well. Definitely worth picking up on the premise alone but since you both are interested in it (and its dystopian) I'd say that the chances of not reading are pretty slim for me.
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