Author: Alex Shearer
Page Number: 284 pages
Star Rating: 5 out of 5
Overview: Tarrin is a boy who is born into a world where the petrifying nightmares of medical science has all come true. People's appearance are younger than they actually are and most of them lives up to a hundred and either looks like they are only in there thirties or forties, or even in their childhood. Real children are very rare, most people are not fertile so most people tried to get hands on children on the street, or children that is not well protected, even though it means to do something illegal, such as kidnapping! Children are bought and sold, won and lost, some were even stolen, most children lives in fear of being stolen, or even worse. Tarrin was one of the rare children that you would find, he does not have a family and every day, he is stalked by the horror of being taken. Would he be able to find his lost family or would he be kidnapped again or sold to someone else? It is up to YOU to find out!!
Comments: I think this is a really moving book by Alex Shearer. I really take pity on Tarrin because of the longing of his family. When I am reading this book, I think about myself and how I have a family and go to school, etc; I suddenly felt I was so lucky! In this marvellous book, we can see how the human beings wants to break the life rule- born, old, die, but we will lose the rate of growing population when fewer dies; we will gain something, however, we will also lose something, too! I think it is quite true when the author says that it is the world's revenge and found it quite true if the things that happened in this book actually happened to us in real life. I truly pities Tarrin, on the other hand I totally dislikes Deet because he makes Tarrin his meal tickets and uses him to earn money for himself, he is really selfish and only thinks about himself. Deet also makes Tarrin go to other people's houses for rent for one or two hours and he earns money, whereas Tarrin had to be the boy that the couple wanted him to be. I think this is a sad book and a moralish book, too.
The moral to this book is that:
- 'Cherish the life that you have now and feel yourself is lucky because, somewhere in the world, there's got to be a person that could be in a worse situation in you.'
- 'When you are angry with your parents/family, think about Tarrin and some other people around the world who has not got a family and they would love to have one when you are not satified with your family when you have one.'
This book is really moving and sad. I absolutely recommend this book to everybody, whether children or adults! I am very touched and I give this book a 5 out of 5 star rating!
