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3.35 AVERAGE
3.35 AVERAGE
I picked up this book because I thought it was a dystopia. But it's not really. I definitely have some reservations about this society's systems, but they definitely don't qualify as dystopia levels of horror. The only worrying aspect mentioned besides the workhouses for kids (who get younger and younger as the novel progresses) was that old people, when unable to care for themselves anymore, are forced in to homes. When this happens, all of their stuff, except for a few trinkets to serve as memorabilia, is sold off to pay for the costs of the old folk's home, which I'm sure is super nice.
I do wonder what happens when single people or married individuals without progeny go over their limit. They can't send a kid, so I guess they use the other three options, but that seems sort of uneven and unfair. For the most part though, the future seems pretty believable, although child labor laws might prevent it. Maybe not though, since the kids only work a couple hours each day, spending the rest of the work day on school work. The children at the workhouses actually get a better education than those in the schools, because they have personal tutoring tailored to their abilities.
As mentioned above, this is not a dystopia really. More of an adventure/thriller for children. I almost expected the story to end with "It would have worked, if it weren't for you meddling kids," accompanied by a fist shake. Landon's book is engaging and presents and interesting futuristic America, but definitely aimed at older children/younger teens.
I do wonder what happens when single people or married individuals without progeny go over their limit. They can't send a kid, so I guess they use the other three options, but that seems sort of uneven and unfair. For the most part though, the future seems pretty believable, although child labor laws might prevent it. Maybe not though, since the kids only work a couple hours each day, spending the rest of the work day on school work. The children at the workhouses actually get a better education than those in the schools, because they have personal tutoring tailored to their abilities.
As mentioned above, this is not a dystopia really. More of an adventure/thriller for children. I almost expected the story to end with "It would have worked, if it weren't for you meddling kids," accompanied by a fist shake. Landon's book is engaging and presents and interesting futuristic America, but definitely aimed at older children/younger teens.
Interesting concept - kids go to a workhouse when their parents go over their debt limit. Hopefully the kids will be able to help reduce the family debt and get back to real world life before they are released automatically when they turn 18. At the facility Matt is sent to, however, everything seems mysterious and shady - which of course is exactly the case. When Matt and other Top Floor workers figure out the truth, the best they can do is hope adults in the real world believe them and assist in sorting out the nefarious workhouse bosses. This could have easily been a 4 star read, but after that ending I was forced to demote it to a 3.
This is set in a society where every family has a set spending limit. If you go over, your oldest child (assuming they’re at least of high school–and then middle school–age) is sent to a workhouse to help your spending get back under the limit.
When Matt is taken to the workhouse, he doesn’t know what to expect. He’s pretty sure it’ll be creepy there, and that he’ll have to do a lot of menial labor.
Instead, it’s sort of like a big party. He’s on the top floor, which means there are really nice rooms (and single rooms for everyone, so he doesn’t have a roommate) and school and work are both really exciting. He can order whatever he wants for meals, and if he wants something fun, he can just order that, too.
The only downside is that he isn’t able to contact his family or friends. Cell phones don’t work and even though he emails them, he never hears back. And it’s kind of weird, the way they’re not allowed off the floor. But whatever–there’s even a pool!
I figured out what was going on–well, the general gist–long before Matt did. But this was still an incredibly fun book, and I both enjoyed and was terrified by the concept of a modified debtors’ prison.
I know that many people have credit card debt (I am one of them) but it was really scary to think about the fact that people would still let their spending get so out of control if they knew that their kids would be taken away from them because of it.
If you’re in the mood for a light dystopian novel, I’d recommend this very fun novel.
When Matt is taken to the workhouse, he doesn’t know what to expect. He’s pretty sure it’ll be creepy there, and that he’ll have to do a lot of menial labor.
Instead, it’s sort of like a big party. He’s on the top floor, which means there are really nice rooms (and single rooms for everyone, so he doesn’t have a roommate) and school and work are both really exciting. He can order whatever he wants for meals, and if he wants something fun, he can just order that, too.
The only downside is that he isn’t able to contact his family or friends. Cell phones don’t work and even though he emails them, he never hears back. And it’s kind of weird, the way they’re not allowed off the floor. But whatever–there’s even a pool!
I figured out what was going on–well, the general gist–long before Matt did. But this was still an incredibly fun book, and I both enjoyed and was terrified by the concept of a modified debtors’ prison.
I know that many people have credit card debt (I am one of them) but it was really scary to think about the fact that people would still let their spending get so out of control if they knew that their kids would be taken away from them because of it.
If you’re in the mood for a light dystopian novel, I’d recommend this very fun novel.