The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne, written by Jonathan Stroud. Yearling, Penguin Random House. 2021. $12.49 ages 12 and up

 

"The mists parted. There behind the woman, limping
extravagantly: a stocky man in a bowler hat and long 
gray coat, gun held ready at his side. 
"Albert," Scarlett said. "You need to come with me."
There was no response when she grabbed him by the 
sleeve. He was inert, a spent battery, a broken spring. 
He was still staring back toward the woman as Scarlett
wrenched him into action, pulled him with her toward
the arch, sweeping up her bags as she did so."

When I received a copy of The Notorious Scarlett and Browne last year, I spent some time looking for information about the book and its story. It seemed a book I would enjoy reading. But, wait! There was a first book in the promised trilogy, and I hadn't yet read anything about it. So, I got a copy and have just finished it. It has been a terrific incentive for me: I read it every day while pedalling a stationary bike as part of my therapy following knee replacement surgery. The second awaits. I am sure it will be just as compelling! 

First things first. Scarlett McCain is an accomplished bank robber, outrunning the law and keeping to herself as much as possible. When she rescues Albert Browne from a bus crash on the roadside, she has no idea that it will change her life in many ways. As they run from the armed men pursuing them, she realises they are not tracking her. They are after Albert, who has escaped from Stonemoor and Dr. Calloway, an evil woman who uses torture and cruel experiments on children who exhibit unusual powers that she can use for her own diabolical reasons. 

Their flight for freedom and safety for Albert lasts twelve days and is largely spent on a river raft whose pilot is a crochety old man with little charm, but needed and practical knowledge of the journey that will get them to the Free Isles. Joe hires his raft to anyone who can pay the price. He is caregiver for his young mute granddaughter. Just as Albert's unusual mental powers make him an outcast in a dystopian England, Effie is sure to be a target when she is recognized as being unable to speak. They are a motley crew. 

Their journey is wrought with the tension of the endless chase, giant birds, an unexpected meeting with the Tainted (cannibals who inhabit the wilds of this post-apocalyptic world), the social order established by the Faith Houses that have control over towns along the way, and the perils of the river itself. 

The cast of characters is strong, the barbed and often humorous conversations between Scarlett and Albert are engaging, and the constant danger keeps the reader on edge at every turn. The abilities of both Scarlett and Albert, though very different, are integral to the promise of more adventures to come. Readers will very much enjoy the spirited action, the powerful setting, and the relationship established through often laugh-out-loud dialogue.  

If you are looking for adventure and characters to admire, start with this first book and be prepared to move quickly to the next as I have just done. 

https://youtu.be/CmwsZ9q54ck?si=WrnZefKr6C6e7dcB

The Scorpion Rules, written by Erin Bow. Margaret K. McElderry Books, Simon & Schuster, 2015. $19.99 ages 14 and up

“Did you know, the man who invented the atomic bomb once said that keeping peace through deterrence was like keeping two scorpions in one bottle? You can picture that, right? They know they can't sting without getting stung. They can't kill without getting killed. And you'd think that would stop them." He gave the book another boot, and it flipped closed with a snick. "But it doesn't."

Once again, I read a book while working on a jury that I would not likely have read! I know Erin Bow to be a talented and respected writer whose books have won accolades and awards galore. But, this was a dystopian novel that cautions us to think clearly about how our behaviors today in relation to the Earth are going to impact the future of the planet. I don't often read dystopian novels - and that is my 'bad'. It is a chilling look, full of unexpected twists, terrific characters and an incredibly well-constructed narrative!

The effects of war and pandemics have laid waste to Earth as we know it today. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has determined that something be done with the humans who have caused such catastrophe. Talis, the AI ruler, decides that there is only one way to prevent war between nations - each nation on the planet will send a royal child as hostage to a controlled Precepture. Should any nation declare was, their hostage will be killed.

Greta is the Duchess of Halifax and Crown Princess of the Pan Polar Confederacy, sent as a 5 year old to ensure peace for her country. At close to 18 and ready for release, she is seen as a leader among the other teenage hostages. She is well-educated, brilliant and prepared for death with dignity if the situation arises. Then, she meets Elian.

Elian, a hostage from an enemy nation threatening war with Greta's country over water rights, is bent on creating chaos for their handlers, and for Talis. He is unruly, and brazen in his dealings with authority. His presence and actions put all of the hostages at risk. Watching what happens to Elian following any altercations with authority is disturbing to all of them. Greta's perceptions of her life as it has been lived take a sharp turn, allying her with Elian. Will the threat of war between their two nations change that alliance? Will humans continue to destroy Earth even when their own children are the price to be paid? Does the often disrespectful, and almost always humorous, Talis have a better perspective on successful leadership than proven world leaders? There are many questions to be considered by thoughtful and inspired readers. Are there any easy answers?

Beautifully imagined and written, it is a book that deals with grand questions, violence, romance and dark humor and challenges readers to have an opinion.
 If you have not yet any other books by Erin Bow, this is sure to set you on a path to remedy that!

Transferral, written by Kate Blair. Dancing Cat Books, 2015. $14.95 ages 12 and up

"There must be another way to find the girl, a safer way. There's another crate here, a step out of this nightmarish market. I slip in my haste to get out. Where's the exit? I've been spun around, I don't know which way is south. I'm hemmed in on all sides by the graffiti-strewn walls of the estate, by the foggy rain, by the people and the smell of sweat, the sour scent of alcohol on breath ... "

I have read a few dystopian novels in the past few months - they are not my usual fare. They were on the reading list for a book jury for the Canadian Children's Book Centre. Whenever I read the books on our list, I am astounded by the variety of books being published in Canada. I always read some that I was not likely otherwise pick up. It is a real learning experience for me, and for my fellow jury members.

One that I found intriguing is this one. Talia lives in London, and is the daughter of a man wanting to be Prime Minister. The reality of Talia's life is that she is shielded from the world of poverty and desperation that many 'criminals' inhabit.  She is living at a time when society's criminals are sentenced to be injected with a variety of diseases, dependent upon the crime they have committed. Shoplifting may result in a cold or the flu; more serious crimes might have the criminal infected with polio or something worse (is that possible?). She supports her father's position on crime - until she comes face to face with the results of a misunderstanding and machinery of political power.

Guilt is evident for all those who display any type of illness or disease. Their place in London is one of alienation and despair. There is much in Kate Blair's story to attract attention and to engage her intended audience ... conflict with one's parents, political corruption, romance, the contrast between those who have everything and those who have nothing, the treatment of those people considered criminal for any number of minor and unpredictable reasons. She maintains a quick pace and assures that her readers are carried along, always wondering what the final pages might bring.

Talia is complicated, living with the guilt that she could not save her mother and younger sister from a homicidal maniac. She wants to live in a world where such a thing will never happen again. But, she makes discoveries about all that she has been given to believe when she does what she thinks is right for Tig. only to discover that nothing was as it appeared. As she learns more, her motivation is strong to make things right. Life is not always black and white, as she has been led to believe.

The dystopian world built by the author is compelling, realistic,  and frightening. It left me asking myself some uncomfortable questions, as I am sure it will do for all readers. I think it would make a terrific readaloud for a middle years classroom, or an awesome novel study with a group of interested teens. It's worth your time and attention.

The Scorpion Rules, by Erin Bow. Margaret K. McElderry Books, Simon & Schuster. 2015. $22.99 ages 13 and up

"So we chose. Yes to magnetically launched suborbitals and retroviruses that could rewrite a faulty gene. No to petroleum-driven personal transportation and chemical fertilizers. Yes to transcranial magnetic psychotherapy. No to robotic labor - except in an extreme case like the Precepture, where stakes are high and humans cannot be trusted. Yes to cargo zeppelins."

You will know young teens who are big fans of Erin Bow's writing. So, you also know who will want to read this book as soon as it is available for borrowing. They are sure to talk about it with friends and pass it on as soon as they have finished reading it themselves.

Wars were a part of the world for too long ... in the past four hundred years there has been a big change, initiated by Talis, the leading AI who keeps everything in line. The
world is now as peaceful as it has ever been. Part of his plan guarantees thoughtful consideration and much negotiation before one country declares war on another:

"In the Dark Ages of Europe, kings had exchanged their own children as hostages to secure treaties. Each king  knew that if they broke the peace, their own sons would be the first to die.

The royal hostages of those days were raised in enemy courts. In the Age of Talis, we are raised in  a handful of Preceptures, scattered around the globe. We are raised together equitably, and we are educated impeccably, and we are treated as well as can be managed. And if war comes, we are still the first to die.

And therefore, war does not come."

Greta is one of the Children of Peace. She is also Duchess of Halifax and Crown Princess of the Pan Polar Confederacy. One day while she and her classmates are studying the events of WWI, a classmate is claimed by a dreaded Swan Rider, and taken to his death as a result of war at home. His replacement is the headstrong, opinionated, and sarcastic Elian. He arrives aboard a ship, his hands lashed together at the wrists. Greta has always been obedient to the rules set for them. With Elian's arrival, she begins to have some questions of her own.

Talis' unexpected arrival at their Precepture, in the guise of a young woman, brings further change to Greta's role in the group. Talis is full of dark humor, great power and an unflinching determination to ensure his dominance as the world's leader. That world is unique and chilling.

This is a tale of love and war, of power and submission, of right and wrong, and of trying to be true to yourself while also looking for the greater good. It is often violent, yet also full of heart. There are real moments of humor and light, accompanied by much darkness and some difficult decisions.

It affords its readers a chance to think thoughtfully about some tough questions, and consider our actions on Earth today, not in some distant future. There are characters here who have a tremendous impact. They beg us to ask some very important questions: Is violence the answer? How long can we sustain ourselves in a world that takes little notice of what chaos we are creating? Will tensions over water between their two countries result in war and ultimately then death for Greta and Elian? Can Greta continue to believe that she will go to her death quietly as she has always planned?

It is a challenging read, full of suspense and thought-provoking.

Maggot Moon, written by Sally Gardner. Candlewick Press, Random House. 2012. $19.99 ages 14 and up

"By now I was near the wall that runs along the side of the railway track. A word to describe that wall would be impenetrable. See. I might not be able to spell but I have a huge vocabulary. I collect words - they are sweets in the mouth of sound.
The wall was built so high that Gramps and me, whose garden backed up to it, couldn't see over the fricking thing."  

Oh boy! This is one of those books where I have 'sticky-noted' page after page. It is the outstanding writing...Sally Gardner is a word master! She writes with such clarity and spellbinding turns of phrase:

"The man was coat-hanger thin, with a shock of gray hair. He had gray, bushy eyebrows, the only barricades against a large expanse of wrinkled forehead that threatened to tumble down in an avalanche of anxiety over the rest of his features."

Standish Treadwell is dyslexic. Although he doesn't communicate as others do, he has the most astonishing ideas and imagination. It is what draws him to Hector, who doesn't see Standish in the same way that others do. He appreciates his differences, and recognizes how truly gifted Standish is. He helps Standish deal with the bullies, and to see himself in a different light.

When Standish is called to the office one day, there is a man sitting in the corner:

"He looked as if he was made up out of a geometry set, all triangles and straight edges. He face was hidden by a hat. It wasn't at a rakish angle, not like they wear in the land of Croca-Colas. No, this hat was knife sharp with a brim that could slice a lie in half. He wore black-framed, eye-socket-fitting sunglasses."

The narration moves between past and present seamlessly and we learn that Hector has disappeared. Standish knows that Hector should never have gone to the other side of the wall. The Motherland has forbidden such a thing for everyone. Hector is gone because he saw what he was not supposed to see. His parents are gone, too. In this dark future world, differences are seen as a threat, and sameness is the ideal.  When Hector and his family disappear, it has a powerful effect on Gramps:

"What I remember about Gramps after the Lushes went was that he looked older, more worried, with each day that passed. We were being watched. One thing bled into another. The wound kept oozing grief, no matter how many bandages of "it will be all right.""

Through this finely drawn, unforgettable narrator, we see that world in a unique and powerful way. Standish is our guide through an ever unfolding story. There is so much pain and violence, laced with a hint of hope. He is a symbol for the imperfect; yet, he perfectly embodies a brave, impressive, incredibly astute young man who sees so much more than anyone can imagine. His quest to destroy the conspiracy being perpetrated on the rest of the world, and to find his best friend Hector, will keep you awake at night.

It is unceasingly real and immediate. It is the story of friends, of love and fighting to survive, and it ends as it should. It will break your heart, and you will never forget reading it.

"I say, "When you left, there was this huge hole. I couldn't walk around with a hole that size in the heart of me."
He says nothing but I know he is listening. Words are the only medicine I have.
"You make sense of a world that is senseless. You gave me space boots so that I could walk on other planets. Without you, I'm lost. There's no left, no right. No tomorrows, only miles of yesterdays. It doesn't matter what happens now because I've found you. That's why I'm here. Because of you. You who I love. My best friend. My brother."

I will read it again when I have had time to savor it, and to more fully appreciate the incredible story that it is.