September Wrap Up

3/5 Stars

The only book that I have finished this months was Slated by Teri Terry and I have no clue what to read. Like what do you pick up when you're not in the mood for anything?

Anyway, Slated... it's what you get when you look at the cover. A dystopian novel about a young girl who is different from everyone else her age.

...spoilers ....

The novel begins with Kyla at hospital in London on the day she is to assigned to a family where she will then be apart of. She is assigned to David (Dad), Sandra (mum), and Amy (sister) Davis. Her Doctor, Dr Lysandre, we learn is a renowned doctor who created the slating process. To be slated is the operation where children under the ages of 16 who are said to be criminals and terrorist are given a ‘new life’ and have their minds wiped and reestablished into society with new identities. Those who are slated wear Levo which monitor the mood of the individual. A 5 is the average complacent emotion but dropping down into lower digits puts the person's life at risk as a 2/1 will kill the individual. Kyla then goes to school and finds it hard to settle in as she question the society and government. She is very old to be slated and is repeatedly told this is her last chance - she does not know what that means. She meets a guy called Ben - he has been slated too. She seems to ‘recognise’ him. Ben and another girl named Tori are member of a group of Slated in that area that come together and talk about their feelings and how they’re coping.

When Tori, Kyla and Ben go to an annual faire Kyla notices the extreme law enforcement (the Lorders). Tori runs her mouth about how she hates the system. She is never seen again, she is returned.

After school one day, Kyla gets a lift with Amy and her boyfriend Jazz. Jazz takes them to his house where Kyla meets Mac. Mac introduces her to the ‘bad side’ of this society. She shows him a website of missing children and Kyla is on the list. This proving that someone out there is looking for her and that she was taking without her parents consent.

She then decides she likes running as it bring up her Levo. She has dreams about her past. Realises she is different as her brain works differently - meaning she’s creative and uses the right side of her brain (as she is left handed).

Kyla tells Ben about Mac who then introduces her to the guy who runs the website - he is a terrorist. He wants to take her to her parents but she says no as she doesn’t want to leave Amy and Ben.

A girl in her class who Kyla didn’t get along with is taken out of her english class by Lorders and it’s suggested that returned her. Kyla is then assaulted by Phoebe’s uncle.

The art teacher protests against Phoebe being slated and he too is publicaly taken away. Ben starts taking the drugs that the website guy gave them. His head feels ‘clearer’ but he just makes a stupid choice as he has to cut off his Levo. Kyla who has been having dreams about her cutting off Levos of people with diamond tipped weapons suggests that he uses a diamond tipped weapon. Thy try take it off. He looses a lot of blood. Lorders come as dog barking/whining worries neighbours. His mum comes. He is taken away.

Kyla after being interrogated by the Lorders goes into the woods where her ‘mind is clear’ and she remembers who she is. We are not told who she is. She declares she will go after Ben. The novel ends on a cliffhanger.

***

The world building was lacking. The characters were stereotypically teenagers. Yet, besides these things, it was an enjoyable read and was helpful was a breeze to write about for my literature presentation. I would recommend this to anyone who is 13/14 and is unsure about what to read next.

#wrapup #dystopian #september #YA #youngadult