Review: What Could Be
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 04 28, 2014
A foreign corporation takes over the United States and puts it under martial law, controlling the population through a combination of military might and mutated food supply that makes those who eat it physically or mentally different. The story follows a group of teenagers who become separated then meet back up again later in their efforts to get unmodified seeds from the company to farms in Mexico.Pros:1) The characters are all very interesting and quite different from each other. They are recognizable as US teenagers in various forms.2) The story line is timely, what with growing concerns about companies that genetically modifying or treating food.Cons:1) About two-thirds of the way through, suddenly part of the cast can’t speak without an expletive for a few pages. This is a personal pet peeve of mine. Do real teenagers curse? Sometimes, but I don't think it belongs in a book aimed at MG/YA audiences.2) The ending felt rushed and unsatisfying. If this is Book 1 of a series, though, that can still work.Overall:This is a good tale with interesting characters. With some parental guidance for younger readers, I think this would work well to generate some discussion about the current events around genetically and chemically modified food.