"Oscar Banks has everything under control. In a town where his father brainwashes everyone, he's found a way to secretly fight the subliminal Messages. He's got them all fooled: Oscar's the top student and the best-behaved teen in town. Nobody knows he's made his own Messages to deprogram his brain. Oscar has even found a way to get rich. For a hefty price, he helps new kids escape Candor, Florida before they're transformed into cookie-cutter teens. But then Nia Silva moves to Candor, and Oscar's carefully-controlled world crumbles." - Book Cover.
Candor makes me think of The Stepford Wives, with it's very own twist. Candor is a town built from scratch on top of a Florida swamp. Oscar's dad built this weird place to brainwash everyone so they all act like perfect citizens. Parents pay millions of dollars to move in with their problem child and are promised they will become good perfect kids. You smoke? We'll fix it. You have gambling problems? We'll fix it.
In Candor, nothing is to good to be true. But Oscar isn't fooled!
Oscar found out what his dad is doing and fight the system in a very unique way. He helps new children escape before they become silly clones like everyone else, while playing perfect daddy's boy. Nia will put the entire operation in danger though!
It is a pretty good debut novel from Pam Bachorz. Not my usual type of read but I liked it. Very well written, good characters choice, and a well built plot. Oscar's act is totally great, he is always fighting to keep the appearances while he wants to go wild with Nia. He faces a lot of moral debates and it adds depth to the story.
I was hoping for a happy ending so I was a bit disappointed with the end, I don't know if Pam is writing a sequel to this book but I would sure love to know what happens next!
Book stats:
Publisher: Egmontusa
Published: 22 September 2009
Format: Hardback 256 pages
See: Full bibliographic data
Categories: Science Fiction
ISBN 13: 9781606840122 ISBN 10: 1606840126
