Review: Life in the Ghetto
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 06 21, 2014
An explosion within the sun sends damaging rays outward with earth right in middle of the path. Everything electronic has been destroyed by the pulse. To top it off, there was enough mass expelled that the sun has lost some of it's power. Not enough to destroy earth but enough to drop the temperature slightly. This new world is the one that Phoenix and his close friend, Star, are born into. No electricity, little warmth, and because of a series of plagues, few people.Soon after the explosion, a wall went up dividing the north of the US from the south. The north, having had so much manufacturing before the explosion, recovers electricity and the 'high life' and the wall was to keep others out since resources were limited.Phoenix and Star live in the south. They hunt and survive along with a handful of other families. But one day, while making their rounds to see the families, they discover one with electricity but the family refuses to say anything other than they earned it. Star is one of those people who everyone trusts and she soon learns from the youngest member of the family the secret. One member of the family must join the people on the other side of the wall, leaving their families forever AND no one knows what waits for them there.Star goes to get warmth for her sick little brother. Phoenix goes because he can't stand to lose Star. But what waits for them is a game, a game of finding true love among the families of the north or face isolation. Not only that, they discover that the electricity for their families is not permanent unless they do win.Madeleine Henry has an easy writing style that is not only easy to read and engaging but is truly captivating. Every scene, each character, each dilemma is so full-bodied that the reader can do nothing but live the story. And there you are, anxiously waiting for the next step in this enthralling dystopia tale of young love and terrible consequences. Once I started the book I could not put it down.This tale would rank a five but for a couple of continuity errors and a few things that require suspension of belief. The writing is a five+, though and this makes up most for everything. The end is abrupt but this is a trilogy so there is more good writing to come!My Recommendation: This is a good book for all ages (who can read at a 8th grade level and above) and is particularly good for those who like dystopia novels.