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The Limit
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Expected 31 Dec 30When his family exceeds its legal debt limit, thirteen-year-old Matt is sent to the Federal Debt Rehabilitation Agency workhouse, where he discovers illicit activities are being carried out using the children who have been placed there.
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First published September 7, 2010
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About the author
Kristen Landon
10 books87 followersKristen Landon always thought it would be nice to live in a place where winter never gets too cold. Besides one lovely winter in California, she has spent her life bouncing back and forth between Michigan and Utah – both great places in the spring, summer, and fall. She now lives with her husband and four children in a home with fabulous views of Utah’s beautiful mountains out every window.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 542 reviews
January 25, 2013
I read this for a middle school book club. It's worth noting that they loved it.
For a grown-up...I don't know.
There's a scene towards the end where the main character foils the main bad guy's escape attempt by precision shooting basketballs through the roof of some sort of helicopter. Somehow this keeps the bad guy so off balance that she can't fly a helicopter. Imagine, if you will, that Pop-a-Shot game from Chuck E. Cheese, but set to Michael Bay music and Michael Bay visuals of helicopters taking off from a roof.
This is always an awkward part of media for younger audiences. A boy of 15 has to physically stop a woman criminal from escaping, but nobody's about to write a scene where he stabs her in the jugular with a box cutter. They always have to figure out a way for the kid to stop her using a Nerf gun or fart powder or some such nonsense.
Sort of like Home Alone. Which was always baffling because given the option between being shot or crushed by a massive rolling tool chest, I might have to opt for the shooting. Or climbing a rope and being suspended three stories in the air as the bottom end of the rope is lit on fire? Screw that. Home Alone is an early predecessor to Saw, no doubt.
Also, sometimes these kids are a little overly nice to their parents. In this book, if your parents overspend the government stops by and takes you to a work house, basically an office version of a labor camp. So not all that different from what most adults do now, but I digress.
So this kid gets taken to the labor camp, and meanwhile his idiot parents continue to spend money and go deeper into debt? What the hell!? And, AND, near the end of the book the mom is really hounding for an Attaboy when she says how she managed to not buy a new dress. WOW! THANKS, MOM! A few more weeks of this and I might be able to leave the forced labor camp where they may or may not be doing weird experiments on my brain. Swell!
For a grown-up...I don't know.
There's a scene towards the end where the main character foils the main bad guy's escape attempt by precision shooting basketballs through the roof of some sort of helicopter. Somehow this keeps the bad guy so off balance that she can't fly a helicopter. Imagine, if you will, that Pop-a-Shot game from Chuck E. Cheese, but set to Michael Bay music and Michael Bay visuals of helicopters taking off from a roof.
This is always an awkward part of media for younger audiences. A boy of 15 has to physically stop a woman criminal from escaping, but nobody's about to write a scene where he stabs her in the jugular with a box cutter. They always have to figure out a way for the kid to stop her using a Nerf gun or fart powder or some such nonsense.
Sort of like Home Alone. Which was always baffling because given the option between being shot or crushed by a massive rolling tool chest, I might have to opt for the shooting. Or climbing a rope and being suspended three stories in the air as the bottom end of the rope is lit on fire? Screw that. Home Alone is an early predecessor to Saw, no doubt.
Also, sometimes these kids are a little overly nice to their parents. In this book, if your parents overspend the government stops by and takes you to a work house, basically an office version of a labor camp. So not all that different from what most adults do now, but I digress.
So this kid gets taken to the labor camp, and meanwhile his idiot parents continue to spend money and go deeper into debt? What the hell!? And, AND, near the end of the book the mom is really hounding for an Attaboy when she says how she managed to not buy a new dress. WOW! THANKS, MOM! A few more weeks of this and I might be able to leave the forced labor camp where they may or may not be doing weird experiments on my brain. Swell!
June 10, 2012
Things I liked about the book:
1. It was fast paced. This is the only thing I thought the author excelled at. She left just enough suspense to keep me reading. I wanted to know how they would escape.
BUT this is where the things I didn't like about the book come into play:
1. They don't escape. The dystopia in this book (one would think) would be that they had to work in a workhouse as children. But no, the dystopia was the unfair treatment in the workhouse. Why are they still working in the workhouse!?!? Which brings me to this point:
2. Why did his mom not fight for him in the beginning? Welp, see ya son. And then again when he sneaks back home he just willingly walks back into the arms of Gorilla Man. And then the four kids go willingly with Crab Lady. No fight any time. WHAT!?
3. The names Honey Lady, Crab Lady, and Gorilla Man were getting on my last nerve, especially since he knew Smoot's real name. We got the picture.
4. Matt knew from his lunch lady that he was almost out of money. Why did he keep spending? Why didn't he tell his parents.
5. Why are his parents retarded? Matt is a genius and his parents can't even add and subtract from their bank account.
6. I'm bringing up this point again because it's so annoying. Why are they still in the workhouse? What parent in a democratic country would actually let the government take their kids and then when they found out the program was screwing their kids let them stay? What police force would let this continue?
7. The dialogue was so far from being natural it was hard to swallow.
8. Paige is the only character I liked and she wasn't even a main character. I didn't sympathize with any other character.
9. I think I'm angry because I love dystopia and the idea of this book is so much better than the actual book. My high hopes were completely shattered.
10. If the money comes from
paychecks of the families why do they even take kids in the first place? The money isn't the governments. I could see if the government had all the money and allotted each family a certain amount and if they went over a kid was taken. But if the money isn't the governments in the first place, why do they have a say? It is so illogical.
1. It was fast paced. This is the only thing I thought the author excelled at. She left just enough suspense to keep me reading. I wanted to know how they would escape.
BUT this is where the things I didn't like about the book come into play:
1. They don't escape. The dystopia in this book (one would think) would be that they had to work in a workhouse as children. But no, the dystopia was the unfair treatment in the workhouse. Why are they still working in the workhouse!?!? Which brings me to this point:
2. Why did his mom not fight for him in the beginning? Welp, see ya son. And then again when he sneaks back home he just willingly walks back into the arms of Gorilla Man. And then the four kids go willingly with Crab Lady. No fight any time. WHAT!?
3. The names Honey Lady, Crab Lady, and Gorilla Man were getting on my last nerve, especially since he knew Smoot's real name. We got the picture.
4. Matt knew from his lunch lady that he was almost out of money. Why did he keep spending? Why didn't he tell his parents.
5. Why are his parents retarded? Matt is a genius and his parents can't even add and subtract from their bank account.
6. I'm bringing up this point again because it's so annoying. Why are they still in the workhouse? What parent in a democratic country would actually let the government take their kids and then when they found out the program was screwing their kids let them stay? What police force would let this continue?
7. The dialogue was so far from being natural it was hard to swallow.
8. Paige is the only character I liked and she wasn't even a main character. I didn't sympathize with any other character.
9. I think I'm angry because I love dystopia and the idea of this book is so much better than the actual book. My high hopes were completely shattered.
10. If the money comes from
paychecks of the families why do they even take kids in the first place? The money isn't the governments. I could see if the government had all the money and allotted each family a certain amount and if they went over a kid was taken. But if the money isn't the governments in the first place, why do they have a say? It is so illogical.
June 5, 2014
This is a fairly good book, it is fast paced and has very good character developement, how ever I thought the ending could have been a bit better. Even with that it is a good book I would probably read a sequel if there was one.
November 22, 2016
Good book, kept me on the edge of my seat.
May 5, 2011
This is a fast paced action packed book. I loved this book. I just couldn't stop reading it.
Matt is a teenager living his life when his family goes over the limit. He is in a family just to get snatched up and taken to a workhouse. If you want to know more read this exciting novel.
Matt is a teenager living his life when his family goes over the limit. He is in a family just to get snatched up and taken to a workhouse. If you want to know more read this exciting novel.
April 18, 2012
Do not pay for The Limit with a credit card. You'll just feel silly afterwards. The Limit was published in 2010, but a paperback edition just came out in December.
***WARNING: SOME PLOT SPOILERS***
In the near future, America has instituted some strict new policies concerning family debt. If a family exceeds its debt limit, any children over 13 years old can be taken to a workhouse until their credit is restored. When this very thing happens to our protagonist, Matt, he discovers first-hand all the pitfalls and dangers of the system. Taken from his screaming family moments after their limit is breeched, he is whisked away by a mysterious woman who runs a workhouse for the government.
Matt is a smart kid, so he begins working on the “top floor,” where talented children perform all manner of computer-oriented tasks for the government or various clients. Their lives are actually quite cushy: private rooms, a pool, all the food they can eat, and the freedom to buy anything off the internet that they may want. The only restriction is that they are confined to the top floor, and for many, this restriction is pointless because they don’t want to leave.
Matt enjoys his life and work at first, despite not hearing from his family at all (his cell phone and email won’t operate properly…plot point!). But even as he begins to make friends, he starts to learn darker secrets about the workhouse, and he wonders if he’ll ever be able to go free.
Kristen Landon’s first middle-grade novel is refreshing on a couple of levels. First, there is zero paranormal activity and no zombie presence. Second, it discusses (albeit sketchily) a real-world problem: financial responsibility of individuals and families. Of course, since this is a “thriller,” those discussions are sandwiched between multiple action sequences and shocking plot revelations, and thus are not really resolved.
Matt’s fellow “top floor” prisoners display a full range of attitudes toward debt. One boy deliberately spends everything he earns on useless products so that his hated family remains in debt. On the other end of the spectrum, another girl nearly drives herself to exhaustion to be reunited with her family. Matt himself is conflicted, especially after he gets exposed his parents’ own juvenile attitudes toward money, which are what landed him in the workhouse in the first place.
These issues alone should be enough to fuel a novel, but Landon adds yet another element. Is the woman who runs the workhouse corrupt? Is she gaming the system to take advantage of child labor for fun and profit? (You get one guess.) As Matt and his friends work to reveal the truth, the stake grow higher. Matt’s sister is also sent to the workhouse, as his family continues to run into ever deeper debt. Even worse, many of the children inside the workhouse are getting violent headaches and seizures. People disappear. Matt has no idea who to trust.
The emphasis on the flashier elements of the plot obscure the perhaps more important idea of financial responsibility, which sort of drops out of the story. In the end, 13-year-old Matt resolves never to exceed his limit and to be in control of his own life. Great. But who doesn’t say that? Landon touches on some of the reasons for the various families’ debts (keeping up appearances, medical bills, etc...) but doesn’t address anything in depth, mostly because the childrens’ perspective limits their knowledge.
In the end all we know is that debt=bad. The evil in the story is reduced to the actions of a few rogue adults, and once they are neutralized, the protagonist is again loose in a world where the larger systemic issues are exactly the same as in the beginning. Sure, his parents make new promises and Matt has a few new lessons under his belt (as well as a touch--but only a touch--of cynicism). But I closed the book wondering if our hero hadn’t fallen out of the frying pan and into the fire. If Landon plans a sequel, maybe we’ll find out.
***WARNING: SOME PLOT SPOILERS***
In the near future, America has instituted some strict new policies concerning family debt. If a family exceeds its debt limit, any children over 13 years old can be taken to a workhouse until their credit is restored. When this very thing happens to our protagonist, Matt, he discovers first-hand all the pitfalls and dangers of the system. Taken from his screaming family moments after their limit is breeched, he is whisked away by a mysterious woman who runs a workhouse for the government.
Matt is a smart kid, so he begins working on the “top floor,” where talented children perform all manner of computer-oriented tasks for the government or various clients. Their lives are actually quite cushy: private rooms, a pool, all the food they can eat, and the freedom to buy anything off the internet that they may want. The only restriction is that they are confined to the top floor, and for many, this restriction is pointless because they don’t want to leave.
Matt enjoys his life and work at first, despite not hearing from his family at all (his cell phone and email won’t operate properly…plot point!). But even as he begins to make friends, he starts to learn darker secrets about the workhouse, and he wonders if he’ll ever be able to go free.
Kristen Landon’s first middle-grade novel is refreshing on a couple of levels. First, there is zero paranormal activity and no zombie presence. Second, it discusses (albeit sketchily) a real-world problem: financial responsibility of individuals and families. Of course, since this is a “thriller,” those discussions are sandwiched between multiple action sequences and shocking plot revelations, and thus are not really resolved.
Matt’s fellow “top floor” prisoners display a full range of attitudes toward debt. One boy deliberately spends everything he earns on useless products so that his hated family remains in debt. On the other end of the spectrum, another girl nearly drives herself to exhaustion to be reunited with her family. Matt himself is conflicted, especially after he gets exposed his parents’ own juvenile attitudes toward money, which are what landed him in the workhouse in the first place.
These issues alone should be enough to fuel a novel, but Landon adds yet another element. Is the woman who runs the workhouse corrupt? Is she gaming the system to take advantage of child labor for fun and profit? (You get one guess.) As Matt and his friends work to reveal the truth, the stake grow higher. Matt’s sister is also sent to the workhouse, as his family continues to run into ever deeper debt. Even worse, many of the children inside the workhouse are getting violent headaches and seizures. People disappear. Matt has no idea who to trust.
The emphasis on the flashier elements of the plot obscure the perhaps more important idea of financial responsibility, which sort of drops out of the story. In the end, 13-year-old Matt resolves never to exceed his limit and to be in control of his own life. Great. But who doesn’t say that? Landon touches on some of the reasons for the various families’ debts (keeping up appearances, medical bills, etc...) but doesn’t address anything in depth, mostly because the childrens’ perspective limits their knowledge.
In the end all we know is that debt=bad. The evil in the story is reduced to the actions of a few rogue adults, and once they are neutralized, the protagonist is again loose in a world where the larger systemic issues are exactly the same as in the beginning. Sure, his parents make new promises and Matt has a few new lessons under his belt (as well as a touch--but only a touch--of cynicism). But I closed the book wondering if our hero hadn’t fallen out of the frying pan and into the fire. If Landon plans a sequel, maybe we’ll find out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 5, 2016
In some kind of alternate world -- clearly not our own near-future -- there's a law that, if you go over your credit limit, one of your kids is taken off to a workhouse. The workhouses aren't grim places, despite the fact that their business is slavery. Once the kid has done enough work -- solving online problems for a company, perhaps -- to earn sufficient dosh to bring the family debt back under the limit, said kid can go home.
In theory, at least.
13-year-old math genius Matt is snatched for the workhouse because of his spendthrift mother and his financially naive father. Next he knows, he's on the Top Floor, where he and a few other superbright kids do advanced scientific work online. Since they're allowed to order whatever they want by way of food and luxuries, some of the kids have no desire ever to go home. Matt's halfway inclined that way himself, although he's puzzled as to why his parents never answer any of his emails. When he voices his concerns to the workhouse manager, Sharlene Smoot aka Honey Lady, she merely glosses over the issue.
Matt and his pals become suspicious that all is not as it should be in the workhouse -- although it's difficult for them to be sure, because of course none of them have any experience of any other workhouse to enable a comparison. Aside from the difficulties of communicating with the outside world, there's the fact that kids on the lower floors not infrequently get weird headaches, nausea and seizures. When Matt's younger sister Lauren shows up at the workhouse -- Mom and Dad haven't learned much from the loss of one kid, so have squandered their way to the loss of a second -- and even more so when she has a seizure in front of him, the stench of that rat grows so strong that Matt and his buddies realize they really must do something . . .
This is billed as a middle-grade novel, but reads as a YA novel whose YA is a tad younger than usual. (Maybe all middle-grade novels do. It's a genre with which I'm not overwhelmingly familiar.) As such, it's really quite enjoyable, at least in its earlier and later stages. The central section gets a bit bogged down, because Matt is restricted to the Top Floor and its few inhabitants, so there's not a great deal of room for either action or the development of amazing concepts. But Landon's a good enough writer that I was never bored.
I was a little worried by the ending, however. It's no spoiler to tell you that Honey Lady and her associate, Crab Woman, are crooks, and that Matt and his buddies get the pair's hash settled in due course. But it concerned me a bit that, once this has been sorted out, Matt still thinks the economic dystopia within which he lives is pretty okay. My assumption is that the novel is in part a satire of the lunacy of austerity politics and its application to consumption-based societies. It may be that Landon was setting things up for sequels; if not, the ending is as bleak as that of Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-four, with Matt accepting rather than rebelling against or even putting a dent into the ideology of the oppressor state.
I do hope a lot of kids read this novel and find that its subtext kicks up questions within them about the kind of society they're usually encouraged to accept as the norm. Even if this doesn't happen, Landon has a good tale to tell and does the telling well.
In theory, at least.
13-year-old math genius Matt is snatched for the workhouse because of his spendthrift mother and his financially naive father. Next he knows, he's on the Top Floor, where he and a few other superbright kids do advanced scientific work online. Since they're allowed to order whatever they want by way of food and luxuries, some of the kids have no desire ever to go home. Matt's halfway inclined that way himself, although he's puzzled as to why his parents never answer any of his emails. When he voices his concerns to the workhouse manager, Sharlene Smoot aka Honey Lady, she merely glosses over the issue.
Matt and his pals become suspicious that all is not as it should be in the workhouse -- although it's difficult for them to be sure, because of course none of them have any experience of any other workhouse to enable a comparison. Aside from the difficulties of communicating with the outside world, there's the fact that kids on the lower floors not infrequently get weird headaches, nausea and seizures. When Matt's younger sister Lauren shows up at the workhouse -- Mom and Dad haven't learned much from the loss of one kid, so have squandered their way to the loss of a second -- and even more so when she has a seizure in front of him, the stench of that rat grows so strong that Matt and his buddies realize they really must do something . . .
This is billed as a middle-grade novel, but reads as a YA novel whose YA is a tad younger than usual. (Maybe all middle-grade novels do. It's a genre with which I'm not overwhelmingly familiar.) As such, it's really quite enjoyable, at least in its earlier and later stages. The central section gets a bit bogged down, because Matt is restricted to the Top Floor and its few inhabitants, so there's not a great deal of room for either action or the development of amazing concepts. But Landon's a good enough writer that I was never bored.
I was a little worried by the ending, however. It's no spoiler to tell you that Honey Lady and her associate, Crab Woman, are crooks, and that Matt and his buddies get the pair's hash settled in due course. But it concerned me a bit that, once this has been sorted out, Matt still thinks the economic dystopia within which he lives is pretty okay. My assumption is that the novel is in part a satire of the lunacy of austerity politics and its application to consumption-based societies. It may be that Landon was setting things up for sequels; if not, the ending is as bleak as that of Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-four, with Matt accepting rather than rebelling against or even putting a dent into the ideology of the oppressor state.
I do hope a lot of kids read this novel and find that its subtext kicks up questions within them about the kind of society they're usually encouraged to accept as the norm. Even if this doesn't happen, Landon has a good tale to tell and does the telling well.
September 12, 2010
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.
November 27, 2011
A fun "quickie" to read when you're feeling a bit nostalgic for the times when you thought one administrator with delusions of grandeur who will stop at nothing, including exploiting children, was villainous and monstrous instead of... pretty damn ordinary.
Liked:
Fast-paced and action packed.
This is like Dystopian Lite. It's easy and fast to read and its a fantastic concept that so much more could've been done with.
Tight writing with some moments of stunning brilliance.
Disliked:
The plot and characters stay pretty shallow. I don't know if it's because of the target audience (middle school) but it seemed too damn shallow, never going below any surface.
There were some plotting inconsistencies, the main of which being how did Matt's family overspend in the first place? I'm all about showing how easily one can find oneself buried in a mountain of debt without being a bad, lazy or unorganized person, but well, then that has to be actually shown.
RECOMMENDED FOR: Very young readers or readers new to the Dystopian genre, writers who are aiming at the middle school level maybe, and readers looking for a satisfying yet simple two-hour read.
Liked:
Fast-paced and action packed.
This is like Dystopian Lite. It's easy and fast to read and its a fantastic concept that so much more could've been done with.
Tight writing with some moments of stunning brilliance.
Disliked:
The plot and characters stay pretty shallow. I don't know if it's because of the target audience (middle school) but it seemed too damn shallow, never going below any surface.
There were some plotting inconsistencies, the main of which being how did Matt's family overspend in the first place? I'm all about showing how easily one can find oneself buried in a mountain of debt without being a bad, lazy or unorganized person, but well, then that has to be actually shown.
RECOMMENDED FOR: Very young readers or readers new to the Dystopian genre, writers who are aiming at the middle school level maybe, and readers looking for a satisfying yet simple two-hour read.
December 22, 2010
This book is anything, but "fast-paced" as the synopsis misleadingly convinces you to buy it. "The Limit" is possibly the worst book I have ever read. Kristen Landon writes as if she has lived in a leaking cardboard box her entire life. Lacking complete structure, this story fails to both entertain or intrigue readers of all reading levels. I only finished this book, to prove to myself that similar to those children in the Special Olympics that, "I can do it!" Where can I submit a request to Amazon for a refund on the $10 wasted purchasing this Grade A Bologna? As a reader, I am personally offended that someone would even consider publishing such garbage. Why James Dashner recommended this book leads me to believe he either A) owes Landon a significant amount of money, or B) is a habitual drug user. "The Limit" limits your imagination and leaves you in a mental state I can only describe as "most stupidest."
December 10, 2019
There's this new pile of books that are being displayed on our public library. I picked this up randomly without reading the synopsis. I just have to pick something up and take it home with me. Also, the cover was kind of fascinating so, why not? Later that night, I have nothing to do so I immediately dove into the story. It was a fast read and definitely refreshing and good. I don't know if it's because of the feeling and joy of finishing a book. But it's true that one of the reason why I didn't stopped in between was that the story is good, fast-paced--yes but almost didn't feel anything lacking. This made me think, maybe it would be fun if I get into the book and experience everything. Of course, knowing that I always have REALITY I can go back to.
September 10, 2025
You know what? I finished this in a day and it was fantastic. The need to escape and outsmart evil is a great plot. The main character was enjoyable to follow along too and strangely I like that the resolution wasn't "no workhouses". I would read again!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 7, 2020
Truley Gripping
July 31, 2023
23-24 Battle of the Books read
June 6, 2024
If you're looking for a dystopian novel to give the kiddos that's less intense than Hunger Games, this is it! Very exciting, smart kids who beat the system. They'll love it!
February 10, 2021
I read this for a school project, and I had never heard of it before. It was a fantastic story with an amazing premise! Really makes you think about how much money you spend...
December 11, 2014
See, for me, that blurb exerts far more tension than what the story did. Yeah, the threat is there but it's kind of cartoonish and the way it's told kind of waters down the tension that could be there.
To be fair, this is more of a middle grade novel than a young adult. Just the age of the MC and the style it was written in showcases that so I'm not a prime candidate to judge this one. But I think I can still make a few comments on it.
I loved the kids in this story. I just thought each one of them so individually unique, with their own quirks that stood out so vividly on the page that I felt they were right there next to me. Matt was so real and up until the end, even Honey Lady (a nickname Matt gave her that existed, for the most part, in his head) was exceptionally real. I think that was the strongest part of this book; the characters.
The world I could believe too. I'm not sure of the greater overall motive of the government to put spending caps on people or take their children away. It's really government spending and deregulation that ultimately screws over debt but that's beside the point. It felt real to me for personal reasons I won't go into. I kept being able to put myself in Matt's shoes and I found it horrifying. When you're that young you have such faith in your parents that they're doing right and when you find out they're not infallible, it hurts. In this world it just so happens the children that have to have that realization end up paying for it. Again, I don't really get the dynamics but I'll swallow it.
The parts leading up to the workhouse were really good, grinding in tension in the background through backstory and hint-dropping. I liked it. But I think it unhinged a little bit once the workhouse came into play. I liked THE BIG REVEAL towards the end but I think the context could have been a little better. I don't want to give anything away so I'll say that the threat isn't all that present in the way it's presented. Good for trickery but, to me anyway, bad for the ultimate execution of it.
The biggest thing that threw me, though, was that every adult seemed to be suffering from Idiot Adult Syndrome. Not as common in YA (I don't think, at least not in what I've read) but much more prevalent in MG where all of the adults end up being dopes for the sake of allowing the kids to rise to the top and solve the problem. I likened it to those really obnoxious live action shows on Disney or Nickelodeon where the parents are just caricatures of what parents really are. I absolutely facepalmed a few times with some of these adults, especially towards the end. All I'll say is, to save the plot, if you're a member of SWAT and need to rely on kids to connect the dots in front of your face for you, you need to lose your job for the safety of the greater public.
I was ultimately okay with the book until the end when every adult in the story turned into a raging moron. That just aggravated me. I understand that the kids need to be the ones to solve the problem in these books but it doesn't make them look any better to plop them in a pool full of idiots. Really, it was a good story. I enjoyed it. I didn't think it carried the amount of tension it would have liked to (especially by the way of the blurb) but it was enjoyable. Just beware of idiot adults. They run rampant in The Limit.
To be fair, this is more of a middle grade novel than a young adult. Just the age of the MC and the style it was written in showcases that so I'm not a prime candidate to judge this one. But I think I can still make a few comments on it.
I loved the kids in this story. I just thought each one of them so individually unique, with their own quirks that stood out so vividly on the page that I felt they were right there next to me. Matt was so real and up until the end, even Honey Lady (a nickname Matt gave her that existed, for the most part, in his head) was exceptionally real. I think that was the strongest part of this book; the characters.
The world I could believe too. I'm not sure of the greater overall motive of the government to put spending caps on people or take their children away. It's really government spending and deregulation that ultimately screws over debt but that's beside the point. It felt real to me for personal reasons I won't go into. I kept being able to put myself in Matt's shoes and I found it horrifying. When you're that young you have such faith in your parents that they're doing right and when you find out they're not infallible, it hurts. In this world it just so happens the children that have to have that realization end up paying for it. Again, I don't really get the dynamics but I'll swallow it.
The parts leading up to the workhouse were really good, grinding in tension in the background through backstory and hint-dropping. I liked it. But I think it unhinged a little bit once the workhouse came into play. I liked THE BIG REVEAL towards the end but I think the context could have been a little better. I don't want to give anything away so I'll say that the threat isn't all that present in the way it's presented. Good for trickery but, to me anyway, bad for the ultimate execution of it.
The biggest thing that threw me, though, was that every adult seemed to be suffering from Idiot Adult Syndrome. Not as common in YA (I don't think, at least not in what I've read) but much more prevalent in MG where all of the adults end up being dopes for the sake of allowing the kids to rise to the top and solve the problem. I likened it to those really obnoxious live action shows on Disney or Nickelodeon where the parents are just caricatures of what parents really are. I absolutely facepalmed a few times with some of these adults, especially towards the end. All I'll say is, to save the plot, if you're a member of SWAT and need to rely on kids to connect the dots in front of your face for you, you need to lose your job for the safety of the greater public.
I was ultimately okay with the book until the end when every adult in the story turned into a raging moron. That just aggravated me. I understand that the kids need to be the ones to solve the problem in these books but it doesn't make them look any better to plop them in a pool full of idiots. Really, it was a good story. I enjoyed it. I didn't think it carried the amount of tension it would have liked to (especially by the way of the blurb) but it was enjoyable. Just beware of idiot adults. They run rampant in The Limit.
December 8, 2011
In the story, “The Limit”, the government puts a debt limits on every family. If they go over the debt limit, the oldest children are taken away to workhouses, to work off their parents’ debt. When Matt (the main character in the novel) is taken away from his home, and taken to the workhouse because his parents exceeded their debt limit. If this ever happened to me and my family, I would be afraid because I would be the one taken away.
Overall, this book is really fun and interesting to read, and it doesn’t take too long to finish the book. One thing I really enjoyed throughout the book was yes, how quickly you could finish the book, but also how they built up to the middle of the book. Kirsten was able to really hook the person, especially in the beginning; The fact that Matt’s family went over the limit one random day at the store, next thing you know Matt is in the black limo riding off to the FDRA (what they called the workhouse). All of this happened quite early in the book.
However, I disliked how the author over exaggerated Matt’s computer/hacking skills. It seems that he can hack into anything within only couple of days (probably depending on the security level), which in my opinion is a bit exaggerated. For example: “Ready to start hacking. What about you, Matt? You up for a tough one tonight? What should we try? The school. I want to check my grades. Lame, Lester. You can do that legally through the front door” (Page 124). Right there is a perfect quote of how easy it is for Matt, and even his friends, Brennan and Lester to hack into anything in a really short amount of time.
In my opinion, the book was really well written, with lots of action (especially in the beginning) and some nice humour in it. I would really recommend this book for teenagers and anyone who would enjoy a nice simple read.
Overall, this book is really fun and interesting to read, and it doesn’t take too long to finish the book. One thing I really enjoyed throughout the book was yes, how quickly you could finish the book, but also how they built up to the middle of the book. Kirsten was able to really hook the person, especially in the beginning; The fact that Matt’s family went over the limit one random day at the store, next thing you know Matt is in the black limo riding off to the FDRA (what they called the workhouse). All of this happened quite early in the book.
However, I disliked how the author over exaggerated Matt’s computer/hacking skills. It seems that he can hack into anything within only couple of days (probably depending on the security level), which in my opinion is a bit exaggerated. For example: “Ready to start hacking. What about you, Matt? You up for a tough one tonight? What should we try? The school. I want to check my grades. Lame, Lester. You can do that legally through the front door” (Page 124). Right there is a perfect quote of how easy it is for Matt, and even his friends, Brennan and Lester to hack into anything in a really short amount of time.
In my opinion, the book was really well written, with lots of action (especially in the beginning) and some nice humour in it. I would really recommend this book for teenagers and anyone who would enjoy a nice simple read.
December 30, 2010
I'm on the fence for this one.
The premise is incredibly intriguing, particularly at this moment in economic history. I haven't come across many middle-grade titles, other than Gary Paulsen's Lawn Boy, that talk about money in a real and honest way. Landon's description of clueless parents, who care for their children, but not their finances, who fall for get-rich-quick-schemes and have difficulty pulling themselves out of debt is woefully honest. The scene in which Matt's mom learns her limit has been reached -- in public, at a cashier's line -- is so well described. Who hasn't overheard someone's credit card been declined, or worse, had it happen to themselves? It's that much worse when it happens to a mother in front of their children, and the book is a little unflinching in that regard.
Buuuutttt.... the kids are then sent off to a paradise-esque playground...um, oh, workhouse? I think this section of the book could have benefited from a little more grit. The underlying mystery unlocked by Matt and his fellow Top Floorers is compelling, but between the day he first set foot into the building and the unlocking of the secret, Landon almost lost me. I didn't buy the swimming pools, the unlimited access to online stores, the sneaky peeky of a first kiss thrown in there. The plotline between those two points is clunky and cost me the rah-rah-rah I needed to feel for Matt.
That being said, I will be excited to add this title to our school library's collection. Not only does it touch a nerve with regards to money, commerce and self-control, I like that there is a neatly tied ending that does not promise a series.
The premise is incredibly intriguing, particularly at this moment in economic history. I haven't come across many middle-grade titles, other than Gary Paulsen's Lawn Boy, that talk about money in a real and honest way. Landon's description of clueless parents, who care for their children, but not their finances, who fall for get-rich-quick-schemes and have difficulty pulling themselves out of debt is woefully honest. The scene in which Matt's mom learns her limit has been reached -- in public, at a cashier's line -- is so well described. Who hasn't overheard someone's credit card been declined, or worse, had it happen to themselves? It's that much worse when it happens to a mother in front of their children, and the book is a little unflinching in that regard.
Buuuutttt.... the kids are then sent off to a paradise-esque playground...um, oh, workhouse? I think this section of the book could have benefited from a little more grit. The underlying mystery unlocked by Matt and his fellow Top Floorers is compelling, but between the day he first set foot into the building and the unlocking of the secret, Landon almost lost me. I didn't buy the swimming pools, the unlimited access to online stores, the sneaky peeky of a first kiss thrown in there. The plotline between those two points is clunky and cost me the rah-rah-rah I needed to feel for Matt.
That being said, I will be excited to add this title to our school library's collection. Not only does it touch a nerve with regards to money, commerce and self-control, I like that there is a neatly tied ending that does not promise a series.
May 10, 2011
The Limit Book Review
By: Jerome Chan
“The Limit” is a really enjoyable book to read. The author Kristen Landon uses a really good plot, which has many creative ideas and storylines. I haven’t read a book like this before. What I found really interesting about the book was it focused on the protagonist throughout the story. It was like seeing through the character eyes, the surprises, twists and victory. I also like how the book relates to every teenager. The plot of the book is, if your family goes over “the limit” then there are consequences. Like being watched by the government to make sure you don’t go over the limit again. But in the book the consequence is sending your kids to a workhouse for a certain amount of time depending on how much you went over and if you do send one of your kid away then your “limit” goes up. Every teenager would be scared if this happens in our world.
What I didn’t like about the book was the end because throughout the book it was building a climax for a really big surprise but it ended really weak. There were a lot of quotes in the book said from Matt the main character. About how he was going to get away from this place and show everybody that the workshop isn’t as nice as it seems. The quotes were building to a really big surprise but it actually didn’t.
Overall the whole book was well written it had a lot of action, humor and surprises to it. It would be even better if there were a series to this book because it would have different settings and new characters to read about. I would recommend people who like adventure and fiction to read this book.
By: Jerome Chan
“The Limit” is a really enjoyable book to read. The author Kristen Landon uses a really good plot, which has many creative ideas and storylines. I haven’t read a book like this before. What I found really interesting about the book was it focused on the protagonist throughout the story. It was like seeing through the character eyes, the surprises, twists and victory. I also like how the book relates to every teenager. The plot of the book is, if your family goes over “the limit” then there are consequences. Like being watched by the government to make sure you don’t go over the limit again. But in the book the consequence is sending your kids to a workhouse for a certain amount of time depending on how much you went over and if you do send one of your kid away then your “limit” goes up. Every teenager would be scared if this happens in our world.
What I didn’t like about the book was the end because throughout the book it was building a climax for a really big surprise but it ended really weak. There were a lot of quotes in the book said from Matt the main character. About how he was going to get away from this place and show everybody that the workshop isn’t as nice as it seems. The quotes were building to a really big surprise but it actually didn’t.
Overall the whole book was well written it had a lot of action, humor and surprises to it. It would be even better if there were a series to this book because it would have different settings and new characters to read about. I would recommend people who like adventure and fiction to read this book.
June 15, 2011
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.
April 6, 2011
Another corporate oligarchy/money equals life kind of dystopian future, so you'd think I'd be really into it, but this book is pretty ridiculous.
Basically every family has a budget limit and if you go over it, even a dime, one of your kids is whisked off and thrown into a work camp until you get back under your limit.
The book is REMARKABLY preachy when it comes to people going over their limit -- even the main character, Matt, can't imagine why his parents would spend more than they have. In this current economic climate with people using credit cards and so on, on the one hand The Limit makes a responsible argument for not living on credit, but on the other, it's pretty insulting to people who have had to borrow on occasion.
So Matt's parents go over the limit and he's sent to a work camp, which is super fancy and basically like Google Labs or a Montessori school - he's given great food, meets gifted kids, and has the opportunity to pursue his love of math and science.
Still, idiotically, he can't figure out what's taking his parents so long to get him. Um, DUH, of COURSE they're charging your family for your room and board!
Matt gets all haughty but I can't really sympathize - is he expecting free gourmet meals while his parents scrimp? What does he think is going on? He's supposed to be a 15 year old genius.
It isn't until his parents go over the limit again and his sister is sent to the work camp that he really begins his rebellion.
I'll leave you some mystery there.
Basically every family has a budget limit and if you go over it, even a dime, one of your kids is whisked off and thrown into a work camp until you get back under your limit.
The book is REMARKABLY preachy when it comes to people going over their limit -- even the main character, Matt, can't imagine why his parents would spend more than they have. In this current economic climate with people using credit cards and so on, on the one hand The Limit makes a responsible argument for not living on credit, but on the other, it's pretty insulting to people who have had to borrow on occasion.
So Matt's parents go over the limit and he's sent to a work camp, which is super fancy and basically like Google Labs or a Montessori school - he's given great food, meets gifted kids, and has the opportunity to pursue his love of math and science.
Still, idiotically, he can't figure out what's taking his parents so long to get him. Um, DUH, of COURSE they're charging your family for your room and board!
Matt gets all haughty but I can't really sympathize - is he expecting free gourmet meals while his parents scrimp? What does he think is going on? He's supposed to be a 15 year old genius.
It isn't until his parents go over the limit again and his sister is sent to the work camp that he really begins his rebellion.
I'll leave you some mystery there.
January 13, 2011
Matt is a thirteen year old math wiz who lives in a future society where family debt is managed by the government. When families go over their limit, a child is taken from them and put into a work house where that child helps work off the family's debt. Usually they don't take kids as young as Matt, but things are changing. Matt is taken. He discovers the work house is more like a prison and is lied to about many things, including his ability to contact his parents.
The book was classified as dystopic. I guess technically it could fit there. But it didn't have that dark feel I've come to expect in a dystopic novel. It was more like a mystery where the kids at the workhouse uncover the corrupt dealings of their own particular workhouse. If they had not been the victims of a corrupt workhouse, then life would have been fine--other workhouses were painted as a good thing. That is why it probably didn't feel dystopic.
I found the plot predictable and simple. The writing was heavy with gerunds. I reminded myself as I read, that it was, after all, a middle grade book. I did however, find myself enjoying the storyline and had a desire to keep reading. That is a good thing.
I can comfortably recommend it to kids 8 to 12. They would not be as critical as I, and it does have a story I feel would appeal to kids
The book was classified as dystopic. I guess technically it could fit there. But it didn't have that dark feel I've come to expect in a dystopic novel. It was more like a mystery where the kids at the workhouse uncover the corrupt dealings of their own particular workhouse. If they had not been the victims of a corrupt workhouse, then life would have been fine--other workhouses were painted as a good thing. That is why it probably didn't feel dystopic.
I found the plot predictable and simple. The writing was heavy with gerunds. I reminded myself as I read, that it was, after all, a middle grade book. I did however, find myself enjoying the storyline and had a desire to keep reading. That is a good thing.
I can comfortably recommend it to kids 8 to 12. They would not be as critical as I, and it does have a story I feel would appeal to kids
November 3, 2011
In 13-year-old Matt's world, the government imposes debt limits on families. If they exceed the debt limit, the oldest children are taken away to workhouses, to work off their parents' debt. When Matt is dragged from his home and taken to the workhouse because his parents exceeded their debt limit, he thinks he will just be there a short time -- until he finds out the truth. There is a lot more happening in the workhouse than he thought.
I really liked the premise of this book, and I enjoyed the first half or so, but then it just seemed to become more and more unbelievable. Usually, when reading a dystopian novel, you take a little while to become accustomed to the new world, and then become even more immersed in the book. In this case, I found that the book just couldn't hold my interest. Many of Matt's investigational skills seem exaggerated, and the other characters in the book were very thinly drawn, so we didn't really know them.
I really liked the premise of this book, and I enjoyed the first half or so, but then it just seemed to become more and more unbelievable. Usually, when reading a dystopian novel, you take a little while to become accustomed to the new world, and then become even more immersed in the book. In this case, I found that the book just couldn't hold my interest. Many of Matt's investigational skills seem exaggerated, and the other characters in the book were very thinly drawn, so we didn't really know them.
December 29, 2012
This is a story that gets me to wonder what would happen to us today if we went over our credit limit? This is a story set, what seems, not too far in the future. Could this really happen to us now, could this help us control our spending if we knew the results.
That is what this story is about. Matt's parents are not unlike any other, living from paycheck to paycheck and believing everything is wonderful until....Mom goes to the grocery store and "goes over the limit". Not a problem, money will be in the bank in the morning, dad will take care of everything, or can he? Now there are people at the door and the want to take Matt away to this "wonderful" facility to help mom and dad reduce their debt.
Matt is placed on the top floor of the facility and told he can order anything he wants and/or needs. He soon finds out things aren't as terrific as promised. Matt, along with some new friends pull some pretty awesome schemes to find out what is really going on and what they can do to stop it.
As I said earlier, this hits abit closento home, could this be our future? Are our children in danger of being taken to a facility to get us out of debt? How far are away from this reality? Makes one think...
That is what this story is about. Matt's parents are not unlike any other, living from paycheck to paycheck and believing everything is wonderful until....Mom goes to the grocery store and "goes over the limit". Not a problem, money will be in the bank in the morning, dad will take care of everything, or can he? Now there are people at the door and the want to take Matt away to this "wonderful" facility to help mom and dad reduce their debt.
Matt is placed on the top floor of the facility and told he can order anything he wants and/or needs. He soon finds out things aren't as terrific as promised. Matt, along with some new friends pull some pretty awesome schemes to find out what is really going on and what they can do to stop it.
As I said earlier, this hits abit closento home, could this be our future? Are our children in danger of being taken to a facility to get us out of debt? How far are away from this reality? Makes one think...
September 3, 2010
I was reminded of a few books while reading this, but not in a bad way. (Books like H.I.V.E, The Mysterious Benedict Society, I.Q., and The Hunger Games.) The author didn't copy these books though. It seemed like she was influenced by the genre and wanted to make a contribution to it. I'm glad she did, too.
"The Limit" is set in the future, after technology has become way more influential than it already is, and when the government has created a budget "Limit" for each family. If you exceed this limit, your child could get taken to a workhouse where they will be forced to work at computers for hours on end to help your family get out of debt.
Matt, our main character, is quite bright, and finds himself on the top floor of a workhouse (the floors are seperated based on your smarts). They get an amazing pool, as much food and clothing as they want, and their own private bedrooms. But Matt sees beyond this mirage to what's really going on...
For readers who like technology, this book will be a treat for you.
"The Limit" is set in the future, after technology has become way more influential than it already is, and when the government has created a budget "Limit" for each family. If you exceed this limit, your child could get taken to a workhouse where they will be forced to work at computers for hours on end to help your family get out of debt.
Matt, our main character, is quite bright, and finds himself on the top floor of a workhouse (the floors are seperated based on your smarts). They get an amazing pool, as much food and clothing as they want, and their own private bedrooms. But Matt sees beyond this mirage to what's really going on...
For readers who like technology, this book will be a treat for you.
December 29, 2010
Interesting look into what could be the future. And as usual, I was really frustrated with the abuse of power some leaders use.
In the future every family has a spending limit, some more than others. If the family goes over the limit, the government takes a child from the family to work off their debt in a workhouse. After the family goes below the limit the child can go home.
Except one place is using the kids to make money.
The story follows Matt as he goes from spoiled kid to becoming a leader and being more financially responsible.
The characters were well-developed. The scenes were descriptive as well as the surroundings. The pacing is great for middle graders.
The shudders I felt from too much government involvement came from Ms. Landon's great tensions and motivators for the characters. Having the government control our spending makes me *shudder*
Is this book propaganda? Good question. If this book falls into the hands of younger teens, maybe it will help them spend more wisely. Is that a bad thing??
This is perfect
Rating: G
S: None
V: Bad guys
L: None
In the future every family has a spending limit, some more than others. If the family goes over the limit, the government takes a child from the family to work off their debt in a workhouse. After the family goes below the limit the child can go home.
Except one place is using the kids to make money.
The story follows Matt as he goes from spoiled kid to becoming a leader and being more financially responsible.
The characters were well-developed. The scenes were descriptive as well as the surroundings. The pacing is great for middle graders.
The shudders I felt from too much government involvement came from Ms. Landon's great tensions and motivators for the characters. Having the government control our spending makes me *shudder*
Is this book propaganda? Good question. If this book falls into the hands of younger teens, maybe it will help them spend more wisely. Is that a bad thing??
This is perfect
Rating: G
S: None
V: Bad guys
L: None
January 29, 2015
one word to describe this book would be AWESOMESAUCE.
This book is part of my ebook detox aka no-laptop?-resort-to-physical-book phase I'm currently in right now. Now, this may seem like a children's book but if you are, like me, someone who looks for signs and meanings in every happening in the book, you may see that this story is really happening around us.
It's basic, mother and father thinks they have enough money so they go around on spending spree and then turns out that they went over their limit so the government takes their kid to work for them while the parents sorts out their mess, meanwhile, turns out the government is doing evil things to the kids and blahblahblah I should probably stop or I'll tell the whole story here.
anyway, the thing i hate with this book is, here you are, super excited about the ending but it's like the climax took so long to get at, there are no whatever-you-call-that-after-climax-part and then the story ends. what I mean to say is, the ending is such a let down but why would you let that stop you from reading the book? :))
This book is part of my ebook detox aka no-laptop?-resort-to-physical-book phase I'm currently in right now. Now, this may seem like a children's book but if you are, like me, someone who looks for signs and meanings in every happening in the book, you may see that this story is really happening around us.
It's basic, mother and father thinks they have enough money so they go around on spending spree and then turns out that they went over their limit so the government takes their kid to work for them while the parents sorts out their mess, meanwhile, turns out the government is doing evil things to the kids and blahblahblah I should probably stop or I'll tell the whole story here.
anyway, the thing i hate with this book is, here you are, super excited about the ending but it's like the climax took so long to get at, there are no whatever-you-call-that-after-climax-part and then the story ends. what I mean to say is, the ending is such a let down but why would you let that stop you from reading the book? :))
February 1, 2012
This book is set in the futer, as a science fiction book. It is about a boy who has to go to a work house because his family went over their debt limit. He notices that something fishy is going on and decides to investigate. After descovering a plot to force children to either work for them until they are 18 or be used as test subjects in a crazy experiment that cause seizers and horrible head aches. The boy, along with other kids on his "floor" find a way to expose the villanous plot and save the children, but when the police come to investigate the few kids who know are locked in the basement. Finally the kids get out and reveal the truth. In the end the kids expose the plot and save all of the kids. My favorite part was when the main character escapes and runs home only to find his parents don't care what he says. This was an interesting book definately worth reading.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 11, 2011
I finished this in roughly 24 hours, which says a lot since I hardly had any free time at all last week. It was fast-paced and very interesting. I definitely recommend it. It was really hard to put down, although there were some major issues to overlook.
1 - Really, the government is going to take your teenagers and pre-teens and put them in workhouses? You have to go with the premise, otherwise there's no book.
2 - The teenage boy main character has some mad hacking skillz so he can hack into government computers? Really? Again, go with it, or there's no book.
3 - (slightly spoilery) His mom thinks she'll make tons of money off MLM? Really?
1 - Really, the government is going to take your teenagers and pre-teens and put them in workhouses? You have to go with the premise, otherwise there's no book.
2 - The teenage boy main character has some mad hacking skillz so he can hack into government computers? Really? Again, go with it, or there's no book.
3 - (slightly spoilery) His mom thinks she'll make tons of money off MLM? Really?
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