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The House of the Scorpionby Nancy Farmer
AwardsWinner of the 2002 National Book Award for Young People's Literature
A 2003 Newbery Honor Book A 2003 Michael L. Printz Honor Book Winner of the 2005 Young Readers Choice Award (Junior Division) Synopses & ReviewsPublisher Comments:Matteo Alacrán was not born; he was harvested. His DNA came from El Patrón, lord of a country called Opium — a strip of poppy fields lying between the United States and what was once called Mexico. Matt's first cell split and divided inside a petri dish. Then he was placed in the womb of a cow, where he continued the miraculous journey from embryo to fetus to baby. He is a boy now, but most consider him a monster — except for El Patrón. El Patrón loves Matt as he loves himself, because Matt is himself.
As Matt struggles to understand his existence, he is threatened by a sinister cast of characters, including El Patrón's power-hungry family, and he is surrounded by a dangerous army of bodyguards. Escape is the only chance Matt has to survive. But escape from the Alacran Estate is no guarantee of freedom, because Matt is marked by his difference in ways he doesn't even suspect. Review:"Farmer's (A Girl Named Disaster; The Ear, the Eye and the Arm) novel may be futuristic, but it hits close to home, raising questions of what it means to be human, what is the value of life, and what are the responsibilities of a society. Readers will be hooked from the first page, in which a scientist brings to life one of 36 tiny cells, frozen more than 100 years ago. The result is the protagonist at the novel's center, Matt a clone of El Patrón, a powerful drug lord, born Matteo Alacrán to a poor family in a small village in Mexico. El Patrón is ruler of Opium, a country that lies between the United States and Aztlán, formerly Mexico; its vast poppy fields are tended by eejits, human beings who attempted to flee Aztlán, programmed by a computer chip implanted in their brains. With smooth pacing that steadily gathers momentum, Farmer traces Matt's growing awareness of what being a clone of one of the most powerful and feared men on earth entails. Through the kindness of the only two adults who treat Matt like a human Celia, the cook and Matt's guardian in early childhood, and Tam Lin, El Patrón's bodyguard Matt experiences firsthand the evils at work in Opium, and the corruptive power of greed ('When he was young, he made a choice, like a tree does when it decides to grow one way or the other... most of his branches are twisted,' Tam Lin tells Matt). The author strikes a masterful balance between Matt's idealism and his intelligence. The novel's close may be rushed, and Tam Lin's fate may be confusing to readers, but Farmer grippingly demonstrates that there are no easy answers. The questions she raises will haunt readers long after the final page. Ages 11-14." Publishers Weekly (Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.) Review:"Farmer has a talent for creating exciting tales in beautifully realized, unusual worlds....Matt's story turns out to be an inspiring tale of friendship, survival, hope, and transcendence. A must-read for SF fans." Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review) Review:"[A] powerful, ultimately hopeful story that...prognosticates a compelling picture of what the future could bring. All of these serious issues are held together by a remarkable coming-of-age story." Booklist (Starred Review) Review:"[M]ind-expanding fiction." USA Today Review:"The novel's well-described, exotic setting is a background for imaginative science fiction....Some readers may be put off by its length, but those who dive in will find it worth the effort." School Library Journal Review:"[A] long but engrossing SF adventure....This will appeal to adventure story lovers as well as SF fans." Paula Rohrlick, KLIATT Review:"Farmer presents a fresh look at the coming of age theme....Despite a rather hasty and almost simplistic ending to the novel, the plot is engaging, and the characters are well developed and sympathetic." Erin Nita Miller, Alan Review Synopsis:Now available in paperback — the recipient of the National Book Award, a Newbery Honor, and a Printz Honor. In a future where humans despise clones, Matt enjoys special status as the young clone of El Patrâon, the 142-year-old leader of a corrupt drug empire nestled between Mexico and the United States. Synopsis:To most people around him, Matt is not a boy, but a beast. As Matt struggles to understand his existence, he is threatened by sinister characters in this National Book Award winner. About the AuthorNancy Farmer has written three Newbery Honor books, including The House of the Scorpion; The Ear, the Eye and the Arm; and A Girl Named Disaster. Other books include Do You Know Me, The Warm Place, and three picture books for young children. She grew up on the Arizona-Mexico border in the landscape she evokes so strongly in this novel. She lives with her family in Menlo Park, California. Table of ContentsYOUTH: 0 TO 6 1. In the Beginning 2. The Little House in the Poppy Fields 3. Property of the Alacrán Estate 4. María 5. Prison MIDDLE AGE: 7 TO 11 6. El Patrón 7. Teacher 8. The Eejit in the Dry Field 9. The Secret Passage 10. A Cat with Nine Lives 11. The Giving and Taking of Gifts 12. The Thing on the Bed 13. The Lotus Pond 14. Celia's Story OLD AGE: 12 TO 14 15. A Starved Bird 16. Brother Wolf 17. The Eejit Pens 18. The Dragon Hoard 19. Coming-of-Age 20. Esperanza 21. Blood Wedding 22. Betrayal AGE 14 23. Death 24. A Final Good-bye 25. The Farm Patrol LA VIDA NUEVA 26. The Lost Boys 27. A Five-legged Horse 28. The Plankton Factory 29. Washing a Dusty Mind 30. When the Whales Lost Their Legs 31. Ton-Ton 32. Found Out 33. The Boneyard 34. The Shrimp Harvester 35. El Día de los Muertos 36. The Castle on the Hill 37. Homecoming 38. The House of Eternity What Our Readers Are SayingAdd a comment for a chance to win!
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