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Haddix continues her science fiction
story of illegal third children in this action-filled sequel to
"Among the Hidden" and "Among the Impostors." The action and
suspense start on page one with Nina in prison and continue to build
to the end.
She’s been arrested by the Population Police after she
was betrayed by someone she thought was a friend. In prison Nina is in a cell alone, with
her wrists and ankles chained to the wall.
A man she names the
"hating man" comes in to ask questions and try to get her to reveal
the names and addresses of other illegal third children. He tells
her he wants her to work for the Population Police and he is going
to put her in a cell with three other children who have been
arrested so she can get information from them. The police want to
know who made their fake IDs and the names and addresses of their
parents.
Threatened with death if she doesn’t
cooperate, she must make a very tough decision. "Can I live with
myself if I get these kids to trust me and then I betray them?" she
wonders.
When the "hating man" takes her from
the kids’ cell, feeds her the best meal she has ever had and tries
to get information from her, she fears for her life. On the other
hand, she knows how hungry and terrified the other children are, and
she just can’t reveal any information they might have shared with
her.
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During one of the meetings when the
guard takes her to another room to try to get her to reveal
information, she is able to steal a set of keys to the prison doors.
Once more Nina has to decide whether to play it safe and escape by
herself or take the three children with her.
Once she’s made the decision to escape
with the kids, she is amazed at the survival skills the three have.
They know how to find food and obtain fake IDs. They know how to
talk themselves out of trouble when confronted by two guards on a
bridge overlooking the river where they had been wading.
After a few days of living in the
woods, they realize that getting food is going to be harder than
they thought. Nina is chosen from the group to go to the boys’
school and find out from her previous friend, Lee, how to grow a
garden. After she manages to sneak into the school dressed as a boy,
every nerve in her body seems to be screaming, "Alert! Alert!
Danger! Danger!"
As the pace picks up and the suspense
grows, Nina is arrested once more and must decide whether to protect
the three children or save herself. The surprise ending is both
unexpected and satisfying as Haddix brings this trilogy to a close.
Even
reluctant readers will stick with this well-written fantasy to the
end.
[Pat Schlough, Lincoln Public
Library District] |
