BookAse: Little brother by Cory Doctorow

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Little brother by Cory Doctorow

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Little Brother by Cory Doctorow

(Tor Teen, 2008)

ISBN-13: 978-0765319852

Hardcover: 382 p. List Price: $17.95

***** (5 out of 5 stars: excellent; nearly flawless; a must-have for all libraries serving youth)

“What’s the big deal? Would you rather have privacy or terrorists?”That is the question 17-year old Marcus Yallow of San Francisco, California struggles with in the wake of a modern-day terrorist attack which murders thousands and devastates the city’s infrastructure. After being seen with his three best friends near the scene of the incident on the day of the attack, the group becomes detained by the Department of Homeland Security who are suspicious of the teens’ DIY-style tech gadgets and their involvement in an international web ring of gamers and hackers. Over the course of a few days, a terrified Marcus is eventually released, only to realize that one of the friends is still missing, his house has been bugged, and the city has been transformed into a state of fear, paranoia, and scrutiny. Urgent to tell his story, rescue his friend, and combat what he sees as a fanatical police state in the making, Marcus assumes an alter-ego, “M1k3y”, who gathers a legion of devotees and “jammers” to fight back against the DHS with technological savvy and everyday objects such as personal gaming platforms.

In a nod to the Orwellian dystopic tradition, BoingBoing.net contributor Cory Doctorow creates a vivid and adventurous “what-if” portrait that is more reality than sci-fi. It’s great to see an author take on such sophisticated issues as politics, terrorism, and civil liberties and present them in a way that is not only accessible but meaningful to teens. The first Young Adult novel for the acclaimed writer and columnist, it will be curious to see where Doctorow takes his readers next, whether it will be bringing Marcus back for another adventure (though I don’t foresee this as the conflicts and characters in L.B. wrap up nicely and seem “one and off”) or whether he will pursue his other interests in steampunk or post-apocalypse. Another perk of this novel is the multicultural cast of characters, from Marcus’ close-knit group of friends to the various ethnic boroughs in which the teens live and go to school. Through the attention to sensuous details and vivid descriptions of his favorite hangouts, it is easy to empathize with Marcus’ need to save the home and city he so passionately loves from destroying itself from within; Doctorow allows San Francisco to be its own living, breathing “character” adding a unique dimension to the storytelling. Marcus voice is fresh and not in the least bit contrived, but balanced by the equally witty female counterpoints of Vanessa (“Van”) and Angela, fiercely independent, no-nonsense, street-savvy girls who give Marcus a run for his money. For teens that may be wary of the “techno-geek” lingo, urge them to give the story a shot, as Doctorow finely balances the “how-to” moments of machine building and computer programming so that it is on-point and factually accurate without being overwhelming. Readers might be surprised by their sense of curiosity and take a leap to the back of the book for tips by real life security experts and hackers (though that term is so ugly, I prefer the contributor’s term “digital pioneers”). Another value-added piece takes form of a bibliography of works both mentioned throughout by the characters and those which inspired Doctorow – your “read alikes” are already compiled for you!

If it is not clear from the worthy amount of praise that adorns the cover of this first edition from the likes of Neil Gaiman (Sandman, American Gods) and Scott Westerfeld (Uglies), then let it be said that this is a must have for all collections and one of the premier, stand-alone works to be published for YA in 2008; if I may be so bold as to predict that this will surely make the short list for the 2009 Printz Award nominees and other end-of the year “Best of” lists. Sure to spur controversy and discussion (this would be a great book club pick), this read will keep you thinking long after the final chapter about the future and vulnerability of free speech and human rights, as well as the promising inventive and rebellious spirit of the “millennial” generation.