The Scorpion Rules, by Erin Bow

[sophia_sol]

Well, this was not what I expected, and also AMAZING. It's a YA future dystopia sort of novel, which seems like it's probably going to fall into the standard pattern of Special Girl meets Special Boy and learns she must REBEL AGAINST THE SYSTEM. And then it....doesn't do that. It does other things.

For one: although Special Girl (Greta) and Special Boy (Elian) do kiss multiple times, the primary romance is actually Greta and her female best friend. WOOOO I was shipping Greta and Xie from practically the beginning so this was DELIGHTFUL that it actually turned out this way!

For two, instead of rebellion, the story ends with Greta becoming an AI (!!!) in order to hopefully work within the system to make things better that way. And because she's now AI she's basically family of the rather idiosyncratic, rather amoral AI (Talis) who's been ruling the world for the past several hundred years. WHAT THE HECK. Incredible.

Also this book involves a lot more of like...the actual physical labour of food creation in a semi-post-industrial society. Goat breeding techniques become an integral plot point, I'm just saying. It's great.

And I love that the book deliberately sets out to not make anybody straightforwardly evil, even the murderous AI. They all have reasons why they do what they do! The world, and the people in it, are more complicated than Good Vs Evil!

Overall: YESSS GOOD I LOVED IT.

(My thoughts about the sequel coming soon!!)

Comments

[conuly]

I'll definitely snag a copy, thanks.

[sophia_sol]

Excellent, hope you enjoy it!

[skygiants]

I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH and every single asshole goat in it. (And also every single moment where Erin Bow carefully, lovingly starts the engine running on a Standard YA Trope and then cackles maniacally and DRIVES IT STRAIGHT THROUGH A WALL AND INTO A WHOLE DIFFERENT GENRE.)

[sophia_sol]

YES it is so beautiful to watch!!