Callie lost her parents when the Spore Wars wiped out everyone between the ages of twenty and sixty. She and her little brother, Tyler, go on the run, living as squatters with their friend Michael and fighting off renegades who would kill them for a cookie. Callie's only hope is Prime Destinations, a disturbing place in Beverly Hills run by a mysterious figure known as the Old Man.
Review by Dale
The world that Lissa Price has created in Starters is vivid and alive; it's packed with imaginative detail in every scene. From the food, the cars, the holo televisions to the radical new society itself. Price has gone all out to construct a setting rich and dangerous for her characters to survive. The most startling thing about this book, however, is the grand premise itself. That all the adults under sixty have died and only the children and senior citizens remain. Not the caring old nana that always has a candy tucked away in a pocket for you though; these 'Enders' are nothing but contemptuous of the displaced youth.
Young Callie Woodland lives in this dystopian disaster; and by living I mean only managing to stay alive. In an act of utter desperation in order to feed herself and buy medicine for her only other family member, her younger brother, she visits the body bank. That’s a place where mouldy, old, crusty Enders go to rent out hot young bodies for a bit of fun and excitement. There are rules of course, but what if one of those renters had a secret agenda that went beyond night clubbing and snowboarding? What if they wanted to assassinate someone?
This is such a spooky concept, I really felt for the young heroine as she struggled to stay alive and prevent her own downfall. I think that this story is best suited for younger teens. The descriptions and narration is aimed at a younger tween reader rather than the late teen reader. The romance is there between Callie and Blake but only a light taste. The fantastic details complementing the storyline also resonate with a younger mind more than a mature teen reader. I'm sure younger minds will delight in the Cinderella Easter egg tucked away in one scene. I'd see this book being a hit with the 12Yrs and up group.
Available March 13
Format eBook ARC at time of review
PageCount 335 Pages
Author Lissa Price
Publisher Random House Children's Books
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