A softened, critical YA work in the tradition of Huxley, Orwell, and Capek, using a modern setting to show the dangers of a surveillance state, misuseA softened, critical YA work in the tradition of Huxley, Orwell, and Capek, using a modern setting to show the dangers of a surveillance state, misuse of technology, political backlashes, and demagogy.
It´s a bit unrealistic that teams of teens should stand a chance against the government of a leading state (view spoiler)[and that one of the mightiest secret services in the world has to torture teens to get information and is unable to avoid getting not just compromised, but even a bit hacked, lol. Cutting cost for any government service in real life just includes social issues, never the military (hide spoiler)], although it would have been too politically incorrect to use any of the states that come to mind when thinking about notorious incompetence and it sells, of course, better if most readers can associate themselves with it. The soft and friendly torturing to avoid physical evidence although is the same everywhere, if it´s not too expensive or outsourced in a public private partnership and a friendly conglomerate giving free samples of torturing and brainwashing equipment.
Critics may sure use Doctorow´s progressive political agenda to accuse him of agitation and writing a biased work, but most of what he uses as an exaggerated setting is just an extrapolated and in many states, if they can or could afford or self produce sufficient enough technology, very possible or already current situation. It´s so sexy for everyone, no matter if it´s to protect democracy, dictatorship, or one of the many fancy hybrid forms or wannabes, there is something in the special black ops Cassandra´s box that immediately after it´s initiation unexplainably and not scrutinized becomes essential for protecting the legal or illegal rights of the government. Although it didn´t exist until a day ago, now the state would of course collapse without it.
Sigh, if Doctorow was a writer in the adult genre, I would possibly read more of his works, not a great fan of YA that I am, and most of his other books also seem to be stable close 4 star ratings although I am not sure if this is because of the quality of his writing or because many dislike how he instrumentalizes the topics to show grievances and dangers of neoconservatism, his liberal neo economic fellow, the evilest colonizing neo, and the manipulation of patriotism to construct a bizarre golem of a beforehand already sick democracy that is not ultra zombie with a little box in the head for instructions by naughty shadow forces. Insert favorite conspiracy theory here if you like and are into that stuff to keep you going, I certainly am in the more realistic ones, so please don´t believe my agitative troublemaker drivel.
It speaks for itself that Doctorow, Colfer, and, well, unknown (also to me, pls tell me if you know one), and dead authors like Dahl seem to be the only ones that dare to write critical, though provoking, inconvenient works that don´t just let young people question, what might happen to underestimated ugly duck elf queen XY on her heroine quest to fight antagonist YZ and finally become happy with the first rude, meanwhile prude, finally screwed paladin ZY, but what´s going on in the real world their sleepwalking parents are wanting to haunt them by leaving this mess as a bequest.
It´s funny that it would be impossible to write a pro evil propaganda YA novel, letting all these important topics seem positive, because the opponents are in a such weak, defensive position that their only option is ignoring, throwing smoke grenades, and avoiding a large, public, emancipated debate about the topics at any cost. It could possibly be something like a stereotypical deterrent informing campaign with little Timmy trying to convince his leftist friend of the advantages of free market capitalism and necessary, well meaning surveillance, to help him avoid getting lost in a friendly black prison for positive psychology inspired brainwashing by well intentioned secret door breaks, reviewer screams, crackling of taser, body dragged across the floor.
Review soon to be exchanged with a version proofread and approved by the ministry of truth.
Mario the lone bookwolf
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Books:
doctorow-cory
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