Little Brother is a fantastic story - compelling, terrifying (not
in a horror way) and eye opening. I think it's a book that every
teenager (and probably every adult too) should read. It makes you
think twice about the things that you take for granted, and
definitely makes you want to go back to carrying cash instead of
cards. RFID blocking wallet? I think so!
I've heard Cory Doctorow's name mentioned over and over again, but
I'd never read anything by him. What caught my eye with Little
Brother was the blurb from Neil Gaiman on the book's cover:
"I'd recommend Little Brother over pretty much any book I've read
this year."
Wow! High praise, right? How could I pass this book by? The answer
is simple, I couldn't. And folks, here's some free advice, never
pass up a recommendation by Neil Gaiman. The man is a genius, and
he knows good books.
Little Brother is the story of Marcus, a high school hacker who
ends up being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Marcus and his
friends cut class and end up being near the center of a terrorist
attack on San Francisco. The teens get picked up by Homeland
Security and the story evolves from there. Doctorow deals with some
strong themes and very important ideas in Little Brother. This book
will make people think - think about what they are willing to give
up for the sake of safety, and think about whether or not that
safety is just an illusion. After reading Little Brother, I feel
very strongly that it's a book that should be read and taught in
High Schools. I think that the discussions that would arise from
this book would be invaluable and hugely important for a generation
of kids growing up in a world that is hugely different from the way
it was ten years ago. The issues that Doctorow raises with Little
Brother are ones that teenagers, and adults, really need to
consider as the world we live in creeps closer and closer to the
world of Orwell's 1984.
Doctorow's book, which would work as a modern day companion piece
to 1984, is very well written. The plot and characters are strong
and the pacing is fantastic. I really, highly, recommend this book.
It's an important work of fiction.