Allegra Goodman's The Other Side of the Island
Somehow it had completely escaped my attention that Goodman--author of a ton of books that I like, mostly sorts of social commentaries--wrote a YA dystopian novel. Now you guys know I love YA dystopian novels, and since I also love Goodman, I had to check this one out. Interestingly, it totally reads like the first book of a trilogy, but it's a standalone novel with an ambiguous ending (a la The Giver?). The world this story takes place in has a menacing ruler, but instead of Big Brother, she's Earth Mother. Our protagonist is Honor, who moves to the city with her parents after an apparently unconventional upbringing. Desperate to fit in with everyone else, she's constantly dismayed by her rebellious parents. But when they disappear, she has to put her worries aside and face some harsh truths. The story is also notable for a sinister librarian. A-.
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