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At the Trough
In a future where schools have no teachers and no classrooms, Jennifer Calderon is the perfect student. Every day she watches her video modules, plays her edu games, and never misses an answer. Life is comfortable in the Plex, a mile-wide apartment building. Corporations and brand names surround her and satisfy her every want and need.
Then one day, her foul-mouthed, free-spirited, 90’s-kitsch-wearing girlfriend Melody disrupts everything. She introduces her to a cynical, burned-out former teacher, who teaches them the things no longer taught in school. Poetry. Critical thinking. Human connection.
But these lessons draw the attention of EduForce, the massive corporation with a stranglehold on education. When they show how far they are willing to go keep their customers obedient, Jennifer has to decide what is most important to her and how much she is willing to sacrifice for it.
Then one day, her foul-mouthed, free-spirited, 90’s-kitsch-wearing girlfriend Melody disrupts everything. She introduces her to a cynical, burned-out former teacher, who teaches them the things no longer taught in school. Poetry. Critical thinking. Human connection.
But these lessons draw the attention of EduForce, the massive corporation with a stranglehold on education. When they show how far they are willing to go keep their customers obedient, Jennifer has to decide what is most important to her and how much she is willing to sacrifice for it.
294 pages, ebook
First published May 13, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
May 11, 2019
3.5 Stars. This was a hard one to rate. It was about 3 stars for my personal level of enjoyment but I’m giving the book and extra half star because it was well written. I picked this book up hoping for either sci-fi or something similar to The Hunger Games. Not the actual games part but the whole rebelling against an oppressive government part. I guess this book was a little bit about that, but not really in the way I was hoping for. Instead this book is very cerebral. And because of that the pace could really slow at times.
This is a story about what could happen if corporations took control over education. How you could get a person to learn only what you decide is best for them, thus keeping the population controlled, and the people in power in power. Considering who our Secretary of Education is, and the fact she would love to defund the public school system, this book was a little scary than it should have been.
Since I mostly read lesfic I do want to mention I don’t consider this lesfic. This is more a book with LGBTQ characters. There is a slight wlw relationship but this book is not a romance.
If you want to read something really cerebral that will make you think, this might be for you. It wasn’t really my personal taste, but I do think the author wrote a well written book.
An ARC was given to me for a honest review.
This is a story about what could happen if corporations took control over education. How you could get a person to learn only what you decide is best for them, thus keeping the population controlled, and the people in power in power. Considering who our Secretary of Education is, and the fact she would love to defund the public school system, this book was a little scary than it should have been.
Since I mostly read lesfic I do want to mention I don’t consider this lesfic. This is more a book with LGBTQ characters. There is a slight wlw relationship but this book is not a romance.
If you want to read something really cerebral that will make you think, this might be for you. It wasn’t really my personal taste, but I do think the author wrote a well written book.
An ARC was given to me for a honest review.
February 10, 2022
At The Trough is a story of perseverance, losing one’s grasp on reality and taking a stand against it. I was not prepared for the uncomfortable place that this book put in as I pondered education through EduForce, the misunderstanding around the role of teachers and the whole experiment that this whole world seems to be. The difficulty and unease is what makes this book brilliant. To confront hard issues, one has to face the realities and gravity of those realities have to play out for a significant amount of time to have an impact. At The Trough has that impact and here is how. As an educator and student myself, I connected with this book at so many levels and it is an immense pleasure to be able to reflect on education from a student and teacher point of view.
Some questions that I pondered because of this book: What makes school what it is? Is it the learning side, the regurgitation and repetition of knowledge? Is it about social values? Is it the connection to people? With COVID and intermittent online education through the pandemic, we have had the opportunity to ask some of these questions. As public health mandates evolve with each new variant and wave, every decision around education and work is under the lens and criticized. It is our pandemic situation which made my connection to this book even more solid. The education system in At The Trough looks nothing like ours today but that is not to say that we can’t get there ever.
And also what is learning without a teacher? What if that teacher was just someone online?
At the Trough is a well-written story. It gave me so much to think about that as I wrote this review, I decided it was very much a 5 star read. Author Adam Knight thoroughly develops each character, sharing who the main people in their lives have been, how EduForce and the Plex lifestyle has affected them, how they live and how they want to live. This was not a comfortable read for me and my expectation from the beginning was for a story that would have a lot of grays and an equally gray ending. That is life in its truest form.
I received a complimentary review copy of this book from BookSirens for an honest review. This book was so good!!
Some questions that I pondered because of this book: What makes school what it is? Is it the learning side, the regurgitation and repetition of knowledge? Is it about social values? Is it the connection to people? With COVID and intermittent online education through the pandemic, we have had the opportunity to ask some of these questions. As public health mandates evolve with each new variant and wave, every decision around education and work is under the lens and criticized. It is our pandemic situation which made my connection to this book even more solid. The education system in At The Trough looks nothing like ours today but that is not to say that we can’t get there ever.
And also what is learning without a teacher? What if that teacher was just someone online?
At the Trough is a well-written story. It gave me so much to think about that as I wrote this review, I decided it was very much a 5 star read. Author Adam Knight thoroughly develops each character, sharing who the main people in their lives have been, how EduForce and the Plex lifestyle has affected them, how they live and how they want to live. This was not a comfortable read for me and my expectation from the beginning was for a story that would have a lot of grays and an equally gray ending. That is life in its truest form.
I received a complimentary review copy of this book from BookSirens for an honest review. This book was so good!!
April 5, 2022
This was a great dystopian read!
August 19, 2019
This book was hard to put down. Well written with characters you wanted to get to know better.
November 13, 2019
Such a well thought and drafted story. I like how the different aspects of EduForce was brought to light. The intersections of the characters had the change of events.
More to it, I love the way how poetry was beautifully described and given importance to.
Being a poet myself, I totally adore how it makes you think and decipher.
I received an ARC for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
More to it, I love the way how poetry was beautifully described and given importance to.
Being a poet myself, I totally adore how it makes you think and decipher.
I received an ARC for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 4, 2020
3.75/5
This is a book exploring the good and bad of traditional and online education. Which makes it especially appropriate considering the covid- 19 pandemic going on right now.
In this alternate universe, the education system is controlled by EduForce. Teachers are no more in this world - well, they do exist, they just help to flag suspicious essays, not mark them - instead it is just videos and edugames. The only onscreen “teachers” students view are actors. Your score in the edugames leads to your final GPA. Charles Winston, a former teacher in a school, connects with Melody Park after reading one of her essays. They meet up, and as more people join, they form the “rooftop readers club”.
As mentioned above, the book mainly explores the pros and cons of their current education system, and the old one. Throughout their journey, the students’ view of education changes, as well as EduForce’s interest in them.
Sometimes, I do find that the book throws in some random elements that, while may be interesting, are not that relevant to the big picture. Some examples are Jennifer’s (one of the main characters) and Charles’ side plot with their family.
- Jennifer’s plot is about her parents, I find her mother an interesting character to have, but her father just appeared, and disappeared. He was needed to pull the plot forward (for Jennifer and her mother’s relationship), but I would prefer the loose end to be tied.
- Charles’ side plot was more plot relevant, but not as interesting. I think it was because of the lack of information about his past that made it harder for me as a reader to connect to him, so when the side plot did go on to affect the story, I did not care that much.
The book also explores a lot about poetry. I am not that big of a fan of poetry, but this book really made me appreciate poetry more.
Something I like about the book was how the characters all made different choices in the end, which shows how differently education impacts students. The ending was also quite open in regards to which education system was better. The characters were also quite intricately written, sometimes you think that a character is going this way, but nope, (s)he is going another way, and it still makes sense. Everybody’s actions impact others, and you don’t exactly understand everybody’s intentions/priorities until towards the end.
In the end, this book did slightly change my view on the education system. I personally preferred online education before reading this, and I still prefer it, but it made me more appreciative of school in general, even though with school beginning recently, I am not really enjoying it that much (whoops). Either way, this was a thought provoking read that made me appreciate life even more.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This is a book exploring the good and bad of traditional and online education. Which makes it especially appropriate considering the covid- 19 pandemic going on right now.
In this alternate universe, the education system is controlled by EduForce. Teachers are no more in this world - well, they do exist, they just help to flag suspicious essays, not mark them - instead it is just videos and edugames. The only onscreen “teachers” students view are actors. Your score in the edugames leads to your final GPA. Charles Winston, a former teacher in a school, connects with Melody Park after reading one of her essays. They meet up, and as more people join, they form the “rooftop readers club”.
As mentioned above, the book mainly explores the pros and cons of their current education system, and the old one. Throughout their journey, the students’ view of education changes, as well as EduForce’s interest in them.
Sometimes, I do find that the book throws in some random elements that, while may be interesting, are not that relevant to the big picture. Some examples are Jennifer’s (one of the main characters) and Charles’ side plot with their family.
- Jennifer’s plot is about her parents, I find her mother an interesting character to have, but her father just appeared, and disappeared. He was needed to pull the plot forward (for Jennifer and her mother’s relationship), but I would prefer the loose end to be tied.
- Charles’ side plot was more plot relevant, but not as interesting. I think it was because of the lack of information about his past that made it harder for me as a reader to connect to him, so when the side plot did go on to affect the story, I did not care that much.
The book also explores a lot about poetry. I am not that big of a fan of poetry, but this book really made me appreciate poetry more.
Something I like about the book was how the characters all made different choices in the end, which shows how differently education impacts students. The ending was also quite open in regards to which education system was better. The characters were also quite intricately written, sometimes you think that a character is going this way, but nope, (s)he is going another way, and it still makes sense. Everybody’s actions impact others, and you don’t exactly understand everybody’s intentions/priorities until towards the end.
In the end, this book did slightly change my view on the education system. I personally preferred online education before reading this, and I still prefer it, but it made me more appreciative of school in general, even though with school beginning recently, I am not really enjoying it that much (whoops). Either way, this was a thought provoking read that made me appreciate life even more.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 12, 2019
Title: At The Trough
Author: Adam Knight
Publisher: NineStar Press
ISBN: 9781950412679
Buy Link: https://ninestarpress.com/product/at-...
Reviewer: Teresa Fallen Angel
Blurb:
In a future where schools have no teachers and no classrooms, Jennifer Calderon is the perfect student. Every day she watches her video modules, plays her edu games, and never misses an answer. Life is comfortable in the Plex, a mile-wide apartment building. Corporations and brand names surround her and satisfy her every want and need.
Then one day, her foul-mouthed, free-spirited, 90’s-kitsch-wearing girlfriend Melody disrupts everything. She introduces her to a cynical, burned-out former teacher, who teaches them the things no longer taught in school. Poetry. Critical thinking. Human connection.
But these lessons draw the attention of EduForce, the massive corporation with a stranglehold on education. When they show how far they are willing to go keep their customers obedient, Jennifer has to decide what is most important to her and how much she is willing to sacrifice for it.
Total Score: 5/5
Summary:
Imagine living in a world where the government ruled everything including all public education. Now school in this world has not classrooms and the students learn by watching online videos and pass or fail by playing games. All the time they are continuously bombarded with advertisements to purchase products offered through the edu games. Now this is the life that Jennifer has always lived and she is proud of her perfect 5.0 score is hopes that it will get her out of the Plex towards a better life. Jennifer’s only rebellion is her girlfriend Melody who is everything she isn’t, a free spirit who believes in the way things used to be. Now everything changed when Melody received a message from an online teacher, Charles Winston, something that isn’t supposed to happen. Charles has followed the rules for years until he sees a spark in Melody’s essay that he can’t ignore. This is the beginning of discoveries From the past that could change everything for Charles, Jennifer, Melody and the rest of his students.
The past has taught us that the governmental control over the citizens life needs to be closely monitored to prevent many of of the problems seem in this story. It was sad to see how education kept the students isolated with little input except for what they learned in the edu games. To experience the danger Charles and his students put themselves in to understand more about the world around them. This was a fascinating warning about one such future and how strong the human spirit really is.
Author: Adam Knight
Publisher: NineStar Press
ISBN: 9781950412679
Buy Link: https://ninestarpress.com/product/at-...
Reviewer: Teresa Fallen Angel
Blurb:
In a future where schools have no teachers and no classrooms, Jennifer Calderon is the perfect student. Every day she watches her video modules, plays her edu games, and never misses an answer. Life is comfortable in the Plex, a mile-wide apartment building. Corporations and brand names surround her and satisfy her every want and need.
Then one day, her foul-mouthed, free-spirited, 90’s-kitsch-wearing girlfriend Melody disrupts everything. She introduces her to a cynical, burned-out former teacher, who teaches them the things no longer taught in school. Poetry. Critical thinking. Human connection.
But these lessons draw the attention of EduForce, the massive corporation with a stranglehold on education. When they show how far they are willing to go keep their customers obedient, Jennifer has to decide what is most important to her and how much she is willing to sacrifice for it.
Total Score: 5/5
Summary:
Imagine living in a world where the government ruled everything including all public education. Now school in this world has not classrooms and the students learn by watching online videos and pass or fail by playing games. All the time they are continuously bombarded with advertisements to purchase products offered through the edu games. Now this is the life that Jennifer has always lived and she is proud of her perfect 5.0 score is hopes that it will get her out of the Plex towards a better life. Jennifer’s only rebellion is her girlfriend Melody who is everything she isn’t, a free spirit who believes in the way things used to be. Now everything changed when Melody received a message from an online teacher, Charles Winston, something that isn’t supposed to happen. Charles has followed the rules for years until he sees a spark in Melody’s essay that he can’t ignore. This is the beginning of discoveries From the past that could change everything for Charles, Jennifer, Melody and the rest of his students.
The past has taught us that the governmental control over the citizens life needs to be closely monitored to prevent many of of the problems seem in this story. It was sad to see how education kept the students isolated with little input except for what they learned in the edu games. To experience the danger Charles and his students put themselves in to understand more about the world around them. This was a fascinating warning about one such future and how strong the human spirit really is.
May 13, 2019
When I picked this book I thought I would be reading a dystopia similar to Divergent and some other dystopias. Even though it started that way, it became much more than this, very quickly.
In a world where people live in Plexes, huge complexes housing most of the population, going out is no longer necessary. Students learn through screens and adults work within the Plex. Jennifer is a perfect student, with top grades. Her goal is to get in the best universities and land a good job after graduating. Her girlfriend Melody is the opposite. She's a free spirit, who enjoys the outdated things that are books and poetry. When Melody meets Charles Winston, a former teacher who remembers how life used to be before the automatisation of the world, she brings Jennifer and a couple friends along for a spiritual journey that will stick with them forever.
As I said, I expected this books being about freeing oneself from the grasp of the screens, while the characters would be leading some grand revolution in the country. I was dead wrong. This is much more than this. This is about freeing your spirit, doing what you love and learning to share it with people you care about. The characters are leading a silent revolution to gain slivers of knowledge, through various processes, together, while the society always taught them they did not need anyone besides virtuals teachers. All in all, this is a very poetic story, which brought some peace and kindness to my heart. I'm simply a little confused about a storyline happening in the middle of the book which was kind of pointless to me, but other than that, I enjoyed the plot !
As for the characters, I mostly loved them, besides the main one... Jennifer is the one that evolves the most throughout the books, but I couldn't connect with her. However, I loved Jean Paul and Melody, who both moved me; Jean Paul with his desire to fit in, and Melody who wanted nothing more than to get out. Winston, the teacher was a great character, and I loved the ending Adam Knight gave him, even though he was a bit stereotyped and biased regarding the way education should be. Even Peter, last member of this little club pulled one of my heart strings.
Every one of those character has something special, a soul. The writing style for this book was surprisingly good, if sometimes dragging on, and I would definitely recommend it for dystopia and poetry/litterary books fans.
Thank you to NineStar Press and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review !
In a world where people live in Plexes, huge complexes housing most of the population, going out is no longer necessary. Students learn through screens and adults work within the Plex. Jennifer is a perfect student, with top grades. Her goal is to get in the best universities and land a good job after graduating. Her girlfriend Melody is the opposite. She's a free spirit, who enjoys the outdated things that are books and poetry. When Melody meets Charles Winston, a former teacher who remembers how life used to be before the automatisation of the world, she brings Jennifer and a couple friends along for a spiritual journey that will stick with them forever.
As I said, I expected this books being about freeing oneself from the grasp of the screens, while the characters would be leading some grand revolution in the country. I was dead wrong. This is much more than this. This is about freeing your spirit, doing what you love and learning to share it with people you care about. The characters are leading a silent revolution to gain slivers of knowledge, through various processes, together, while the society always taught them they did not need anyone besides virtuals teachers. All in all, this is a very poetic story, which brought some peace and kindness to my heart. I'm simply a little confused about a storyline happening in the middle of the book which was kind of pointless to me, but other than that, I enjoyed the plot !
As for the characters, I mostly loved them, besides the main one... Jennifer is the one that evolves the most throughout the books, but I couldn't connect with her. However, I loved Jean Paul and Melody, who both moved me; Jean Paul with his desire to fit in, and Melody who wanted nothing more than to get out. Winston, the teacher was a great character, and I loved the ending Adam Knight gave him, even though he was a bit stereotyped and biased regarding the way education should be. Even Peter, last member of this little club pulled one of my heart strings.
Every one of those character has something special, a soul. The writing style for this book was surprisingly good, if sometimes dragging on, and I would definitely recommend it for dystopia and poetry/litterary books fans.
Thank you to NineStar Press and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review !
August 18, 2019
Knight portrays America in the not-too-distant future year of 2051. Brick and mortar schools no longer exist; students receive their education entirely online through EduForce, a single, multi-billion dollar corporation, with 'courses' presented by paid actors. Most Americans live in the Plex, large apartment buildings where all needs are met comfortably and quickly. Only the ultra-wealthy live in single family homes.
The story revolves around Jennifer: a perfect student who completes her modules and edugames, and has hopes of obtaining the Scholarship with her perfect 5.0 GPA. Her life changes when her girlfriend, Melody, introduces her to Charles, a former high school teacher; living life in the Plex himself, but not ready to completely relinquish his former life as a teacher.
Knight's ability to weave a tale of life not far off, where AIPA (Artificial Intelligence Personal Assistants) know all our wants and needs based on day-to-day habits and purchases; solar powered trains provide nearly all Americans with transportation (cars and gasoline are virtually unheard of), and students are provided with a "one size fits all" education, is eerily familiar. This could easily have become a story so bleak it seems unrealistic. However, the author's ability to balance "the good" with "the bad" gives rise to more complex scenarios. Watered-down education is side by side with safer learning environments; impersonal cremations exist because burials are wasteful and inefficient; books are virtually extinct because people receive money for recycling books.
Perhaps the most frightening aspect of this, is that most of the changes described occur not through governmental regulation or bans, but from cultural pressure. Very little is illegal, just viewed as highly wasteful and out-dated. Fear of school shootings and violence pushes many parents to educate their students at home, thus removing the need for physical schools. Comfort and ease often outweigh challenging thought and decision-making.
The book still ties in common themes of greed, resistance, cultural deviation, and societal pressure. The characters are all people we have met in our own lives.
This book is an important read for both students and adults. It is a cautionary tale of both the current education system, and the dangers of living a passive, unquestioning life.
The story revolves around Jennifer: a perfect student who completes her modules and edugames, and has hopes of obtaining the Scholarship with her perfect 5.0 GPA. Her life changes when her girlfriend, Melody, introduces her to Charles, a former high school teacher; living life in the Plex himself, but not ready to completely relinquish his former life as a teacher.
Knight's ability to weave a tale of life not far off, where AIPA (Artificial Intelligence Personal Assistants) know all our wants and needs based on day-to-day habits and purchases; solar powered trains provide nearly all Americans with transportation (cars and gasoline are virtually unheard of), and students are provided with a "one size fits all" education, is eerily familiar. This could easily have become a story so bleak it seems unrealistic. However, the author's ability to balance "the good" with "the bad" gives rise to more complex scenarios. Watered-down education is side by side with safer learning environments; impersonal cremations exist because burials are wasteful and inefficient; books are virtually extinct because people receive money for recycling books.
Perhaps the most frightening aspect of this, is that most of the changes described occur not through governmental regulation or bans, but from cultural pressure. Very little is illegal, just viewed as highly wasteful and out-dated. Fear of school shootings and violence pushes many parents to educate their students at home, thus removing the need for physical schools. Comfort and ease often outweigh challenging thought and decision-making.
The book still ties in common themes of greed, resistance, cultural deviation, and societal pressure. The characters are all people we have met in our own lives.
This book is an important read for both students and adults. It is a cautionary tale of both the current education system, and the dangers of living a passive, unquestioning life.
September 11, 2019
I was offered an ARC of At The Trough. It took a bit of getting into, partly because At The Trough swaps between several point of view characters, one per chapter. So it took 2-3 chapters for each character to properly hook me into the story. Once I'd got there though it kept me up until 2am on a work night!
At The Trough is a very dystopian near future. Close enough that you can see the join into the present. It's a plausible, if very dark, future. This is part of what made it compelling to me. It's like Fahrenheit 451 or 1984 in that regard. A warning for the present to avoid the future where we don't realise that we're all enslaved.
It's not for the faint hearted. There are some unpleasant events, one of the key characters commits suicide. Another considers it. There's an exploration of what we classify as mentally ill. How this is subjective rather than objective. The subject matter is breaking out of education, and the book does that too. It's a pretty realistic and we'll thought through world. There isn't really a happy ever after ending.
The writing was good, there were a couple of moments of real tension, where I waited for the trap to spring shut. There were moments of pathos, and some subtle telegraphing to the reader while keeping the character unaware.
What I was a little disappointed by was that more could have been made of the world. There were some inconsistencies or unexplained bits. The poorer US people have been captured by corporations, which was reasonable. It was clear that the richer Americans were still living outside the Plex systems. There was some contact with a character in Mexico, but nothing to suggest that the outside world worked differently.
Also the ending, while not being happy, was rather too cosy. I'm hoping that perhaps there's a sequel where the heroes go on to do something about the system.
At The Trough is a very dystopian near future. Close enough that you can see the join into the present. It's a plausible, if very dark, future. This is part of what made it compelling to me. It's like Fahrenheit 451 or 1984 in that regard. A warning for the present to avoid the future where we don't realise that we're all enslaved.
It's not for the faint hearted. There are some unpleasant events, one of the key characters commits suicide. Another considers it. There's an exploration of what we classify as mentally ill. How this is subjective rather than objective. The subject matter is breaking out of education, and the book does that too. It's a pretty realistic and we'll thought through world. There isn't really a happy ever after ending.
The writing was good, there were a couple of moments of real tension, where I waited for the trap to spring shut. There were moments of pathos, and some subtle telegraphing to the reader while keeping the character unaware.
What I was a little disappointed by was that more could have been made of the world. There were some inconsistencies or unexplained bits. The poorer US people have been captured by corporations, which was reasonable. It was clear that the richer Americans were still living outside the Plex systems. There was some contact with a character in Mexico, but nothing to suggest that the outside world worked differently.
Also the ending, while not being happy, was rather too cosy. I'm hoping that perhaps there's a sequel where the heroes go on to do something about the system.
May 16, 2019
A Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Review
When I read the blurb of “At the Trough”, I was thrilled to finally find a classic YA dystopia with an LGBT+ couple. But that’s not what I got, so I was a bit disappointed.
There are so many YA dystopian novels out there, with two teenagers in a forbidden love, fighting to overthrow the system and I love that genre. But I have yet to find a book with a couple that’s not m/f. I had hoped that this book would finally be the first book with a f/f pairing with that setting. Needless to say, I was quite disappointed when it turned out that “At the Trough” was more a philosophical debate about the school system.
Other than that, I had a couple issues with the story. First of all, the timeline didn’t quite work out for me. The book is set in 2051 and the world as we know it doesn’t exist anymore. That’s only 32 years from now, so not all that far in the future. I found it hard to believe that everything is so very different, without any sort of natural disaster or war or something else to jump-start such a major change in society. It all started in the 2030s, which is just 20 years from now, and I just don’t see that coming.
I didn’t feel the romance between Melody and Jennifer at all. Best friends with benefits, sure, but lovers? Not so much. Maybe a little background info would have worked. We never learned how these two very different young women met and fell in love. We never learned anything about Melody’s past.
On one occasion, I found a pretty serious mistake. Charles tells his students about Kafka and calls him a “German writer”. And that’s just plain wrong. There’s a difference between German-speaking and German, just like there’s a difference between English-speaking and English. If you have to pin a nationality on Kafka, it would have to be Czech. Charles, a literature-loving teacher, would never have made that mistake, so it was clearly a research mistake.
The plot didn’t really engage me. It felt a bit like a manifesto of the brilliant, wonderful school system and that’s not something I’m interested in. And the ending didn’t really work for me either.
Overall, “At the Trough” wasn’t what I expected at all and I was honestly disappointed by that. I guess you might like the book more, if you go in with the right expectations, but it just wasn’t for me.
The cover by Natasha Snow is alright.
When I read the blurb of “At the Trough”, I was thrilled to finally find a classic YA dystopia with an LGBT+ couple. But that’s not what I got, so I was a bit disappointed.
There are so many YA dystopian novels out there, with two teenagers in a forbidden love, fighting to overthrow the system and I love that genre. But I have yet to find a book with a couple that’s not m/f. I had hoped that this book would finally be the first book with a f/f pairing with that setting. Needless to say, I was quite disappointed when it turned out that “At the Trough” was more a philosophical debate about the school system.
Other than that, I had a couple issues with the story. First of all, the timeline didn’t quite work out for me. The book is set in 2051 and the world as we know it doesn’t exist anymore. That’s only 32 years from now, so not all that far in the future. I found it hard to believe that everything is so very different, without any sort of natural disaster or war or something else to jump-start such a major change in society. It all started in the 2030s, which is just 20 years from now, and I just don’t see that coming.
I didn’t feel the romance between Melody and Jennifer at all. Best friends with benefits, sure, but lovers? Not so much. Maybe a little background info would have worked. We never learned how these two very different young women met and fell in love. We never learned anything about Melody’s past.
On one occasion, I found a pretty serious mistake. Charles tells his students about Kafka and calls him a “German writer”. And that’s just plain wrong. There’s a difference between German-speaking and German, just like there’s a difference between English-speaking and English. If you have to pin a nationality on Kafka, it would have to be Czech. Charles, a literature-loving teacher, would never have made that mistake, so it was clearly a research mistake.
The plot didn’t really engage me. It felt a bit like a manifesto of the brilliant, wonderful school system and that’s not something I’m interested in. And the ending didn’t really work for me either.
Overall, “At the Trough” wasn’t what I expected at all and I was honestly disappointed by that. I guess you might like the book more, if you go in with the right expectations, but it just wasn’t for me.
The cover by Natasha Snow is alright.
August 22, 2019
This book focuses heavily on education and the advancement of technology, forcing children to no longer think for themselves and only being educated by the technology of EduForce, a company that has over taken civilisation. Families now live/ are trapped in plexes with the children watching videos and completing Edu games to succeed in education. Jennifer, the MC, has a perfect 5. She has never answered a question wrong and so thinks she is the smartest person in America until her girlfriend Melody meets Charles Winston, a teacher from before Eduforce, who changes the way she thinks about everything in this new advanced society. Jennifer had never even seen a poem before Charles shows the group and opens her eyes to all that she has missed out on due to the government taking over and controlling what is learnt. This book will really make you think about the possibilities for the future and how advanced technology isn’t always a good thing.
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
April 21, 2020
This is such a great novel! The characters hold so much resilience and true human traits. I could see a Charles Winston from my own life, a Melody Park, and even a Jennifer.
This is a dystopian, science fiction sort of novel that grasps you from the get-go. This story of an ever-achieving Jennifer hoping for a shot at the Scholarship and a way better life than her mama has shown her. This novel really takes what we have today and then explores tomorrow's possibilities. I could see a time where education is all technological and literature is destroyed. There have been so many novels regarding the loss of literature in the future. It is such a scary concept, yet so attainable by authors and brilliant minds, like Adam Knight.
If you like Fahrenheit 451 or just want to explore a possibility for tomorrow, give this a read. I know you won't regret it!
*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This is a dystopian, science fiction sort of novel that grasps you from the get-go. This story of an ever-achieving Jennifer hoping for a shot at the Scholarship and a way better life than her mama has shown her. This novel really takes what we have today and then explores tomorrow's possibilities. I could see a time where education is all technological and literature is destroyed. There have been so many novels regarding the loss of literature in the future. It is such a scary concept, yet so attainable by authors and brilliant minds, like Adam Knight.
If you like Fahrenheit 451 or just want to explore a possibility for tomorrow, give this a read. I know you won't regret it!
*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 20, 2020
The first portion of this book really hooked me in. I was fascinated by the world it presented and wanted to see more of the characters. I looked forward to settling down with it every night to read more.
Unfortunately that feeling didn't really last. The pace slowed down mid book and the author seemed to meander a bit. Whilst the intent was clearly to build this dystopian world and journey with our protagonist through it... what we ended up with was shallow character work (with the illusion of depth via poetry) and a manifesto on the American education system.
Nothing really stuck here but the potential was definitely there. Even the romance was half-hearted.
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Thank you to Book Sirens and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review
Unfortunately that feeling didn't really last. The pace slowed down mid book and the author seemed to meander a bit. Whilst the intent was clearly to build this dystopian world and journey with our protagonist through it... what we ended up with was shallow character work (with the illusion of depth via poetry) and a manifesto on the American education system.
Nothing really stuck here but the potential was definitely there. Even the romance was half-hearted.
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Thank you to Book Sirens and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review
October 18, 2019
Received as an ARC, this is an honest review. Set far into the future, America as we would recognize, no longer exists. Physical books, paper are alien to children whom spend their entire lives online; a giant, all encompassing corporation has control over your life and its future. When Jennifer, Melody and others meet Mr. Winston, a former teacher, it will radically change how they have been made to view their world. And the very dangerous risks to alter the status quo. A profound and insightful read. Highly recommended.
March 10, 2020
This novel presented some interesting characters and an alternative educational experience that was based on e-learning, an extended period of education, severe restrictions on the history topics to be discussed, and class-based tracks leading to (limited) employment opportunities. The book was engaging and I enjoyed reading it, despite having some difficulty following the history of this fictional future. This is a good offering for young adult readers especially.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions above are my own.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions above are my own.
June 7, 2019
I really enjoyed this novel. Very well written. Complete page turner.
A mixture of old school with the new and possibly scary vision of yet to come in human decision of our education. I definitely connected with the characters. A novel of so many choices and the understanding of the concept of our minds and if freewill still exists in our decisions.
Enjoy the journey. This story is one that will not be forgotten.
A mixture of old school with the new and possibly scary vision of yet to come in human decision of our education. I definitely connected with the characters. A novel of so many choices and the understanding of the concept of our minds and if freewill still exists in our decisions.
Enjoy the journey. This story is one that will not be forgotten.
June 10, 2019
Thought provoking
At the Trough is a chilling account of a future where the privatization of education eliminates schools and fuses simulated learning with consumerism. A daring few choose to explore something different, which costs them dearly. This book is about teaching and creativity, and what truly holds meaning in life. It is well written, suspenseful, and sometimes funny. A great read.
At the Trough is a chilling account of a future where the privatization of education eliminates schools and fuses simulated learning with consumerism. A daring few choose to explore something different, which costs them dearly. This book is about teaching and creativity, and what truly holds meaning in life. It is well written, suspenseful, and sometimes funny. A great read.
May 17, 2020
Good read
This book is an excellent commentary on our education system and learning in America. A lot of it resonated now with much of our e-learning practices during stay-at-home orders.
This book is an excellent commentary on our education system and learning in America. A lot of it resonated now with much of our e-learning practices during stay-at-home orders.
August 12, 2020
The new levin meets obe
A dystopia of coated, infantile education that makes special ed as we know it brain surgery. The price paid and the joy of true learning which cannot be practical.
A dystopia of coated, infantile education that makes special ed as we know it brain surgery. The price paid and the joy of true learning which cannot be practical.
January 7, 2020
Well written! And a scary concept of where our education system could be going in the not-so-distant future!
November 23, 2020
I just found this underwhelming and not for me. The premise was cool but the actual delivery was underwhelming and really needed work on it for it to hit the goal i thought it would. The characters were a bit weak for me and were a bit 2d overall.
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 16, 2020
I thought this was a great story that hooks you from the start. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 7, 2020
I finished this book a while ago I can’t believe I forgot to write a review! I think it’s mostly because I was shocked by how much I enjoyed it. I’m not a huge fan of dystopian novels but I think this one was executed well. Education and school is something I hold close to me so this topic was something that got my interest. There were dull moments and after they were talking their trip I found it hard to stay fully engaged.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Want to read
April 23, 2019eARC provided by NineStar Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. RTC!
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