Release Date:October 5th, 2010
Genre: Futuristic, Partial-dystopian
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Pages: 336
Rating:
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Summary: 

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.

Review: This book was really interesting to read. It kind of reminded me of Scott Westerfeld's So Yesterday where brand-name is EVERYTHING.

One thing I noticed, is that these kids are so obsessed with branding that they didn't really seem to care about the products themselves. The main character, Kid, spends her whole life in The Game looking at brands, but never actually purchases any of it outside of The Game because she can't afford it.

So what's the point of the game? I wasn't really sure. Maybe someone else who has read it can explain it to me? It didn't seem to me like the kids were actually learning anything, besides how to become snobby brats. I would NEVER EVER send my child to someplace like The Game for school. It's utterly ridiculous. With that being said, it made for a fabulous plot-device.

And so, while I really liked the concept of this book, I think it tried just a little too hard to have a deep meaning. The whole book was clearly trying to "send the world a message," and while I liked that message, I think it took away from the story a little.

My recommendation? Get this one from the library. You might really like it, or you might get turned off because of the underlying "preachy" element.

Personally (except for the mild profanity) I really enjoyed it. I don't think I'll buy it, but I'll definitely put it on my list of "books to remember."