Rave New World

SparkNotes Smart Novels

by Lynne Hansen, SparkNotes

It's the year 2157, and every pleasure that doesn't turn people into dutiful consumers has been classified as an addiction and outlawed. Jaden Emory's job is to find out people's hidden addictions--and root them out. But when rebellious raver Ally Fayre enters the picture, it's Jaden who becomes addicted...to her.

Smart Novels are compelling, full-length novels with edgy and mature themes that will appeal to teens. Each book showcases more than 1,000 vocabulary words frequently included on the SAT. Brief definitions appear on the same page so that readers can quickly access and digest the meanings as they read along.

190 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Lynne Hansen is the author of seven dark novels for teens. You can read more about her at her website at www.LynneHansen.com."

Reviews

[Robert Alexander Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐ A Practical, Accessible Tool for Teen Readers

This book was read in the context of teaching and exam preparation, and it works well within that purpose. As part of the SparksNotes Smart Novels series, it is clearly designed to be accessible, readable, and relevant to high school students. The language is straightforward, the pacing is manageable, and the subject matter connects easily with teenage experiences. It functions especially well for English language learners and for students preparing for standardized exams such as the SAT or ACT.

Its strengths are also its limitations. The book is intentionally basic, with simplified language and a narrow focus, because it is meant to support exam preparation rather than literary depth. Within those boundaries, it succeeds. The themes of peer pressure, identity, substance use, personal choices, and growing up are handled in a way that encourages discussion without overwhelming the reader. I would recommend this primarily for teachers, ESL contexts, and high school students, particularly those using it alongside other SparksNotes Smart Novels such as iHead Over Heels.

[Isabelle | Nine Tale Vixen · Rating 3 out of 5]

See, my parents thought that since I liked reading already, why not try and make it even more educational by getting me SAT-vocabulary focused books? The jury is still out on whether or not it worked, but this novel is so ... unique that it left quite an impression. And I barely noticed the vocabulary, so there's that too, I guess.

[book queen · Rating 1 out of 5]

That was bad. Like the plot was everywhere and so confusing. It kept me 'interested' to say the least. It was just crazy.

The ending was so unsatisfying. Like they removed her addiction and then she became a splitter and removed Jayden’s addiction. And then it ends. That’s it. Like what?

[Jake Creighton · Rating 3 out of 5]

The plot is weird at best and I don’t know that there’s an actual climax