By Ellie White
Disclaimer: The following review may contain some spoilers revolving around the plot and background. The review is simply my own opinion, you may disagree.
In these reviews, I will rate the books using my own starring system.
5/5 Stars: This book will land in my all-time favorite book list and you should stop what you are doing and read it, no matter what.
4/5 Stars: You should try to read it at some point in your free time.
3/5 Stars: If you are bored or going on a long trip, it might be fun to read.
2/5 Stars: I would not really bother unless you enjoy the author.
1/5 Stars: The book would make a better coaster for your Coke, than a book.
0/5 Stars: Congrats! You now have kindling! (just kidding, please do not burn books; just do not waste your money or your time with this one)!
Denton Little’s Death Date, by Lance Rubin, is a novel about a teenage boy dealing with the fact that he is going to die, possibly tomorrow. This novel thrusts readers into a world where doctors and scientists have discovered a way to predict the day that you are going to die, affectionately called your death date. The main character is a high school senior boy named Denton Little. He is categorized as someone called an Early, because he is going to die before he is 21. The book follows him in the day before he is supposed to die and the actual day of his death. This is a hilarious book, even if it is about a dark topic. It has mystery, a touch of romance, and a lot of humor. Other than dealing with a lot of death, and some profanity, this is a pretty clean book. I would strongly recommend this to anyone who wants a good laugh. A surprisingly funny book about a boy who’s going to die, rated 4/5 stars.
Red Rising, by Pierce Brown, is a another dystopian future novel, but, personally, it’s a lot better than some of the more recent dystopian novels I have read. This novel focuses on a 16-year-old boy named Darrow who is married to another 16-year-old girl named Eo. They are a type of humans called Reds, which is the lowest rank of humanity. The Reds are miners who mine under the soil of Mars, but only the first part of the book takes place underground. Their life is turned upside down after Darrow and Eo are caught by Greys, the police, and Eo sings the death song. This song, as it suggests, is banned and punishable by public execution. Darrow, in grief, manages to stumble into the world of the Sons of Ares, the rebellion against the Society. The Society oversees everything, like a Big Brother-type organization. There are all colors of humans, from Greens to Yellows to Blues to Golds. Golds are the highest class of humans; they are super human in every way, and they rule our solar system. I loved this book, it is a revenge story that is incredibly bittersweet. I would strongly recommend this to anyone who likes the Dystopian genre, but this is a pretty gory book. It has a lot of disturbing imagery, including one chapter where a character is forced to cut off their own hand to escape. If you can’t handle that, this isn’t for you. A story of revenge, love, and the lengths that society will go to control its citizens, rated 4.5/5 stars.
Both Denton Little’s Death Date and Red Rising, along with their sequels, are available in the McNicholas Library. Do you have a book that you would like me to review? Please suggest it in the comments or send me an email via Ellinore.white@mcnhs.org.
The McNicholas Milestone 