Kearsten's Book Club Wrap-Up: The Program by Suzanne Young

The March wrap-up comes in just in time for our next meeting, this Monday April, 25!

On Monday, March 28, book club met at the Main Library to discuss Suzanne Young's dystopian, not-too-far-into-the-future YA novel, The Program.

When suicide becomes a worldwide epidemic, the only known cure is The Program, a treatment in which painful memories are erased, a fate worse than death to seventeen-year-old Sloane who knows that The Program will steal memories of her dead brother and boyfriend.

We had our usual spirited discussion, with MANY teen-submitted questions (28!!!), and while we strayed a bit to electro-convulsive therapy (for use in cases of extreme, therapy- and medication-resistant depression), for the most part we talked about the awful treatment of teens in this story.

Book club members were very upset about the way the adults in The Program acted as though any sign of sadness or grief was a death sentence, and they felt that the Program (which used drugs and therapy to "erase" bad or "infected" memories) was a horrible abuse. As one book club member asked, "Did all these adults forget that THEY were once teens?!?!?!"

Here are some of the questions/topics we discussed:

• "Is it ethical for the government to erase the memories of teens to protect them?" (The overwhelming response: "NO!")
• "Lacey's awesomeness." (We agreed that the main character's best friend-turned-erased-memories-turned-new friend was very cool.)
• "If teens can't talk or trust their parents, who can they talk to other than depressed teens?" (This was a major problem for us. In a world where The Program is the only option, the adults ignore the importance of therapy and talking about - rather than hiding - one's feelings.)
• "Would you choose to forget in order to get rid of depression? Would you send a friend or family member to have their memories wiped in order to protect them?" (Book clubbers overwhelmingly said no, but Kearsten said, as a parent, if her only two options were the Program/wiping her kid's memories or risking her child committing suicide - and losing her/him forever - she'd probably choose the Program. Kearsten is surprised the teens didn't throw things at her.)

Overall, our book club recommends this one, especially if you have the chance to talk to others about it once you're done...'cause you WILL want to discuss it!

Already read The Program? Why not try one of these teen-recommended readalikes?

Delirium by Lauren Oliver. Lena looks forward to receiving the government-mandated cure that prevents the delirium of love and leads to a safe, predictable, and happy life, until ninety-five days before her eighteenth birthday and her treatment, she falls in love. 

The Giver (and sequels) by Lois Lowry. At the ceremony of Twelve, the community's twelve-year-olds accept their predetermined Life Assignments. Jonas is chosen for something special.Gradually he learns that power lies in feelings. Then his own power is put to the test -- he may not be ready and he may not be able to save someone he loves.

Rash by Pete Hautman. In a future society that has decided it would "rather be safe than free," sixteen-year-old Bo's anger control problems land him in a tundra jail where he survives with the help of his running skills and an artificial intelligence program named Bork.

Shock Point by April Henry. Fifteen-year-old Cassie Streng is determined to expose her stepfather after learning that he is giving a dangerous experimental drug to his teenaged psychiatric patients, but he sends her to a boot camp for troubled teens in Mexico in order to keep her quiet.

Speak by Laurie Halse Andersen. A traumatic event near the end of the summer has a devastating effect on Melinda's freshman year in high school.

Unwind by Neal Shusterman. In a future world where those between the ages of thirteen and eighteen can have their lives "unwound" and their body parts harvested for use by others, three teens go to extreme lengths to uphold their beliefs--and, perhaps, save their own lives. 

Teen Review: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Our next teen review is here!  Enjoy a 12-14-year-old Glendale teen's thoughts on Thirteen Reasons Why! 

Wanna to see your own review here?  Fill out our What Did You Just Read form today!

What Did You Read? 

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher.

I'd say this book was *mostly* about... 

A break-up; high school; true stories, bro.

This book's main character...

Had a rough time.

If others were interested in this book, I'd tell them...

It should be required reading for ALL teens

Any other thoughts about this book?

Sad but it pulls you in. hannah had a rough time , and read to see who caused her to commit suicide and why.

Should We Know More About You?

[Other books I enjoy are] The mortal instruments , the ruby red, divergent, harry potter, hunger games.

Teen Review: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Our first teen review is here!  Enjoy Eunice's thoughts on Thirteen Reasons Why.  Wanna to see your own review here?  Fill out our What Did You Just Read form today!

What Did You Read? 

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

I'd say this book was *mostly* about... (choose up to three)

An adventure, High school, Suicide

This book's main character(s)...

Had a rough time

If others were interested in this book, I'd tell them...

Check it out RIGHT NOW

Any other thoughts about this book?

It was very truthful, specifically about suicide and inside the mind of the one thinking about committing suicide. How could one girl get to the point of ending her own life because of some simple events? I didn't think it would be so easy to relate to such a character, but I did. And that made me love it even more. No book I've ever read has ever made me think so long and hard about to what extent you think you can handle such terrible feelings as this girl has. It'll make you think about not only yourself but about the struggles of other who face similar obstacles and how not to let rumors catch up to you. Because you're better than any rumor. And that there's always someone there for you.

Should We Know More About You?

My name is Eunice. 

I love all books in general. If you recommend to me a book you liked, I will read that. I swear, books to me are my escape from reality and a one way ticket to hoping-this-happens-to-me-in-real-life land.

Kearsten's Book Club: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Last night, book club discussed the sad and thoughtful Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher.

When high school student Clay Jenkins receives a box in the mail containing thirteen cassette tapes recorded by his classmate Hannah, who committed suicide, he spends a bewildering and heartbreaking night crisscrossing their town, listening to Hannah's voice recounting the events leading up to her death.

We had a big, noisy crowd, which made discussion a bit difficult, but most of our talk centered on depression and suicide.  Was Hannah depressed?  Why don't people talk more about depression and suicide?  And what does depression actually look like?

We liked the way the book was written, with Clay's reactions to Hannah's recording happening as he hears her, and one of our book clubbers urged us to listen to the book on audio, as she thought it was really interesting to hear two distinct voices. 

Another book clubber encouraged us to go the the Thirteen Reasons Why website, where you can listen to Hannah's reasons yourself.

Overall, while it's hard to say we enjoyed this book, it is safe to say we were all affected in some way, and it's changed how we think about others.

Already read it?  Why not try one of these book-club-approved If You Liked Thirteen Reasons Why readalikes?

Kearsten's Book Club meets at the Main Library, in the Storytime Room on the 4th Mondays of the month at 6:30pm. Join other teens, ages 12-18, to snack, chat and discuss a variety of titles for teens (or of teen interest)!  No registration required - just show up and be ready to talk (or simply listen) about the book!

Problem #3: Suicide. . . and Zombies

For the final installation of my posts featuring the problem novel, I come to the subject of suicide.  Teen books abound with characters considering suicide, recovering from suicide attempts, or facing the aftermath of a loved one's suicide.  In Courtney Summers's This Is Not a Test, our main character Sloane starts the novel prepared to commit suicide.  She can no longer abide her abusive father's violence or the fact that her beloved older sister ran away and left her behind.  Sloane's plan to overdose has been derailed because her stash of sleeping pills is missing, and she sits at the breakfast table with a suicide note in her pocket, wondering how she can continue her plan another way.

That's when the zombie apocalypse happens.

In an incredible, high-adrenaline opening zombies crash through her living room picture window, the world goes up in flames and chaos, the dead have risen.  And they're hungry.

Problem solved?  No, somehow despite that Sloane wants to die, she turns out to be one of a handful of survivors.  The irony is intense.  People desperate to live die and turn into monsters, but Sloane makes it to the high school with five other kids, alive when she should be dead, the suicide note written to her sister still in her pocket.  From here the novel turns into a psychological conflict between survivors.  Though the high school provides a safe, temporary haven (especially handy because there is a water tank that hasn't yet drained out) the tension between the survivors' leader, teenage Gary Chen, and two of the other survivors, twin sister and brother Grace and Trace Casper, threatens to destroy everyone.  Trace and Grace's parents were overwhelmed by zombies on the way to the school and the twins blame Chen.  Did he lead the Caspers into harm's way on purpose?  Everyone is starting to crack a little.  Sloane is especially near the edge, her instinct to die battling with her instinct to live.  How long can the kids stay at the school?  How long before the monsters outside make their way in?  Has anyone else survived?

This was an awesome zombie novel.  I was immediately in love with the premise but worried about how the author could possibly pull it off.  She did it.  This book is a perfect mix of action and psychology--physical and psychological conflict galore.   For all zombie tales the reader has to have a higher-than-average willing suspension of disbelief.  Summers manages to make the zombie apocalypse instantly believable.  The reader gets on board at once, accepting the fact of the hungry dead and the urgency of the conflict facing all the survivors.  The writing is fluid and forward-moving.  The book doesn't suffer from an instant of down time.  (Comparing it to The Forest of Hands and Teeth, for instance, where oodles of time is spent action-free.) I enjoyed though I didn't like all of the characters.  I pulled for Sloane and found her psychological situation unique and intriguing.

If you're a zombie fan and a YA-lit fan, this book was made for you. No problem.

By The Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead

Readers who like Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, may find this a similar read. Main character, Daelyn, is the unwitting survivor of a suicide attempt and determined not to screw up her death the next time around. Having decided she no longer wants to live, Daelyn takes steps to make sure no one and nothing interferes with her exit strategy. She joins a strange online community devoted to helping the suicidal meet their ends. Or is that its purpose? As the book progresses, the role and goal of the Web site gets thrown more and more into question. I began to wonder: does this Web site even really exist in the terms of the novel? In some ways, it seems almost magical. However, the book doesn’t cross over into the supernatural but is rooted firmly in the here and now—a place Daelyn desperately wishes not to be. Then, when an odd young man starts to show interest in Daelyn, her life is shaken up more than ever. Why now? Why would someone want to be friends (or more?) after she’s decided to leave for good?

Parts of this novel rattled me. Some of the suicide information Daelyn finds on the odd web site may give readers the wiggins, as methods of death are rated by pain and length of time needed to “expire.” I believe the author was making a point with this straightforward, often jarring information—that dying isn’t pleasant, isn’t pretty, and is indeed painful. Also unsettling was Daelyn’s resolute determination to take herself off the planet, mostly because of years and years and years of bullying from her peers. The reader can see more than Daelyn can see—mainly that she’s not the awful person she thinks she is—so during a lot of the book, you feel yourself shouting at or arguing with Daelyn. No, dummy! Don’t think that!

The end has been the source of much discussion. To me, it was very clear what happened, but apparently readers find themselves on opposite sides of the “just what happened to Daelyn” debate. I’ll just say, I found the ending completely satisfying.