All Good Children

So. The CLA YA Book award committee states that "Austen's novel explores the nature and value of creativity, individuality and non-conformity with memorable characters and a gripping plot."

Huh.

Can't really say that I found either the characters memorable, nor the plot gripping. I thought it was a good plot, don't get me wrong. But gripping isn't really the word I would use to describe it. It really reminded me of Brave New World in the beginning, the way Max talked about the throwaways and the genetically superior kids, which I liked because BNW was a really interesting book. But I liked it better because of the faster moving plot. I think when you do a novel like this, creating a new world out of our own, you really need to move fast otherwise the reader can get too bogged down in the details and lose interest. 

The novel definitely explored all of the aspects the CLA states, but I think it could have been done in a more exciting way. This book didn't grip me at all, and I even had a hard time remembering anything about it after I had read it. So it wasn't very memorable at all, which I think is a hallmark of a good book. 

That being said, I can see how this book would appeal to younger readers, as it is intended to. Especially for those younger readers who like a slower paced read, who will really take the time to sit back and contemplate the issues that the book puts forth. I also think it's an interesting dichotomy to The Hunger Games, in which the masses are controlled through fear and violence. Here they are made to be peaceable little zombies. So definitely an interesting compare/contrast study could be done with those two books. 

But I just didn't find it all that memorable or exciting. :(