Little Brother by Cory Doctorow has to be one of my favorite reads of all 2009. Set in the near future I got the creepy feeling that everything in this book could possibly happen, or has actually happened already. It is like an updated 1984 where Big Brother watches over us and knows everything, except the surveillance is done by technology that we currently have and seems to be ripped from newspaper headlines.
The story is set in San Francisco, the site of the next horrific terrorist attack where a bunch of techno-savvy kids get tangled up in Homeland Security's efforts at securing the city.
The story takes modern-day concerns about loss of rights in the name of "national security", recent revelations of torture techniques actually used by Americans, and it addresses Internet safety and privacy concerns. Interestingly, an actual news event in San Francisco this past month highlights how close to the truth this book comes. (See AP story here)
This is a powerful and thought-provoking tale that shouldn't be missed by adults and young adults alike. Everyone in my family read and enjoyed it and we continue to talk about the ramifications of technology on our security and privacy today.
YA Fiction; Audio CD; My rating: 4.5/5
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