Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopian
Source: I received a copy to help facilitate my review. The opinions
expressed here are my own.
My Thoughts:
I originally did not have a date
set to review this book. I actually received
it on Friday. I just happened to have
half of the day off and decided to just peruse the book. I should know better. I couldn’t put it down. The author has created a world that is
beautiful and terrifying at the same time.
Meritropolis was created after a major event wiped out most of the
world. To survive they created a society
where they gave each inhabitant a score that told what you were worth to their
society. If your score dropped below 50
you were put outside the gates to survive. With all of the terrors that lived
outside the gates people didn’t survive.
There were the most fascinating and deadly combination creatures that
preyed on those outside the gate. You had gultures, which were a combination
of geckos and vultures, ramas were a combination
of a ram and a puma and a manateel which was a manatee and an eel. I honestly believe this last one came about
because of where the author lives.
Charley is the main character. At
age eight Charley and his ten year old Down’s Syndrome brother Alec were all
that was left of their family. They had
lost their parents in the Event. Charley
saw his brother removed and he was placed outside the gate. It was for this reason that Charley grew up
determined to get rid of the system that killed his brother. When he turns seventeen he is considered an
adult and no longer has to live underground.
He has one of the highest scores and is noticed by those in charge. The question is, if Charley is successful in
overthrowing this system will he and the others be better off or will they have
destroyed the only thing that has kept them alive all this time.
I asked for a physical copy because
I believed it would be a book that I should have on my shelves. I not only believe it, I am trying to figure
out where to fit it in as a read aloud to my students. Besides the violence this is a very clean
read. It opens the door for honest
conversations about what is morally right for everyone. I am hoping there is a sequel to this book
and look forward to reading it if so.
This is an author I definitely need to keep an eye on.
About the Author:
Joel Ohman is the author of
Meritropolis--"The Hunger Games meets The Village with a young Jack
Reacher as a protagonist". He lives in Tampa, FL with his wife Angela and
their three kids. His writing companion is Caesar, a slightly overweight Bull
Mastiff who loves to eat the tops off of strawberries.
Picture courtesy of:
http://www.amazon.com/Joel-Ohman/e/B00NFOGFV6
