by Alex London
Published: May 1st 2014 by Speak (first published June 18th 2013)
Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction, Dystopia
Format Acquired: Paperback from National Bookstore
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository
Knox was born into one of the City’s wealthiest families. A Patron, he has everything a boy could possibly want—the latest tech, the coolest clothes, and a Proxy to take all his punishments. When Knox breaks a vase, Syd is beaten. When Knox plays a practical joke, Syd is forced to haul rocks. And when Knox crashes a car, killing one of his friends, Syd is branded and sentenced to death.Syd is a Proxy. His life is not his own.Then again, neither is Knox’s. Knox and Syd have more in common than either would guess. So when Knox and Syd realize that the only way to beat the system is to save each other, they flee. Yet Knox’s father is no ordinary Patron, and Syd is no ordinary Proxy. The ensuing cross-country chase will uncover a secret society of rebels, test both boys’ resolve, and shine a blinding light onto a world of those who owe and those who pay. Some debts, it turns out, cannot be repaid.
I know my review is coming late at night but this is for the kids whose idea of TGIF is being bookishly awesome (because, really, is there any other way?) HUZZAH!!! YOU DA BEST! WE DA BEST!
Uh, yeah. I'm still hopped up on caffeine. Thank you, corporate life.
But this is perfect! You know why? Because I am going to use all this energy to convince YOU (yes, you!) to check out this amazing book I recently read. That, my friends, is none other than Proxy by Alex London. There is simply no other way to tell people about this book but to do it like a raging fangirl. I was on a dystopia high once upon a time. That lasted for about 4 books before I grew tired of the genre and swore to take a break from it. I just felt like they were all the same. Reading Proxy after my dystopia break was like a breath of fresh air. It has all the elements that make up a good book and more. So I, being a new Alex London fangirl, came up with this list of reasons why everyone should read Proxy, hoping to pass on the goodness to you.
Reason #1: The characters are realistic
I guess this has got to be my favorite thing about the book. I thought the characters' thoughts and decisions were very realistic. I like the fact that Syd and Knox were nowhere near being heroes in a society full of injustices. They were simply two boys with agendas of their own; one sought survival, the other wanted revenge. It was refreshing to read about characters whose first instinct was not to fight for their people. Every speed bump in their adventure affected their decisions and eventually changed them for the better. It's like they were given this different kind of drive and purpose. I like that through their rough start, their development throughout the story was only natural. They didn't start off all kick-ass and brave. They were simply... teenagers. And I like that.
Reason #2: Depiction of society
Of course the main theme of the book deals with a dysfunctional society. One where those who are able to provide credit abuse their power by giving the less fortunate no other choice than to sign their unfair contracts and be basically bound to it for their entire life. They get sentences but those will most likely get extended until their debts can no longer be paid. It was interesting how London depicted this kind of society through the eyes of Syd and Knox - two individuals who had very different viewpoints. I like that, unlike other books, I got to see both sides of the unjust system.
Reason #3: ACTION!!!
Daaaaaaaaaaamn, Alex London can write action. HE REALLY CAN. The story is brought to life by London's ability to write action-packed scenes that'll definitely keep you turning the pages. And can I just say? I love that this book has just the right amount of brutality I expect in the young adult genre. I. LOVE. IT. Spoiler alert though: penguins were killed in the novel. I repeat. Penguins were killed.
Reason #4: World-building
In every sci-fi/dystopia novel, world-building is essential. London definitely delivered in Proxy. I was honestly a little bit lost in the beginning because I'm not used to reading anything outside of the contemporary genre. But once I got a hang of the tech terms they used and whatnot, I found myself easily enjoying the world that London created. It's vibrant and well-thought of. It's exactly the kind of setting that you can just imagine being made into movies.
Reason #5: Clliffhanger, anyone?
After ALL they've been through, after all the running and hiding and killing THAT happens. Really? I don't hate it. In fact, I love it! Cliffhangers can be tricky because if they're not written properly, they can potentially ruin a good book. That's not the case with Proxy though. I love how unexpected the ending was (at least to me) and that it left me very excited for Guardian, the sequel. I love that the book managed to keep my full attention till the end, right to the very last line.
There you have it. That's my list! If that didn't entice you to give Proxy a chance, I don't know what will.
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We'll get you a signed copy of Proxy at the book signing tomorrow! Sounds good, yeah? So go! You have less than an hour!
Thank you so much, Pinoy Book Tours and National Book Store!
This sounds really good!! I might have to check it out :)
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