wow, somehow I missed marking this as read last year.

I really enjoyed this story. it was a little tough at first, to get a good grip on the world - but once I did I was shocked and amazed. What a scary but eerily real world. And what a way to grow up.

the middle to the end threw me with it's twists and I raced through this book to the finish. Amazing,I'd read book 2! ( )

Reread for Newbery discussion in Children's Books group:

Ok, I'm about 1/3 through The House of the Scorpion. I did read it years ago. My adult son has read it three times over the years. He's even read the sequel.

I don't know if I'll read the sequel, if I'll be up to it. This is tough going. Intense and complex. Not "juv," like most Newbery books, but "YA" which means for ages 13 up. At least 13... I don't know if I'd encourage kids younger than 15 to read it, tbh. (Not that I'd forbid them to, of course.)

I can't guess why the kid's bodyguard is named Tam Lin. Maybe it will make sense later?

Ok done. I did not want to try to sleep while in the middle of this.

Still not sure of Tam Lin's name. He does appear to be a bad guy, then good, then bad..., so that's kinda like the shape-shifting in the folk tale. :shrug:

"Always choose your bodyguards from another country...."

"... coma victims hear everything people say and need voices to keep their brains alive."

"All clones are classified as livestock because they're grown inside cows. Cows can't give birth to humans."

"... some people may think slowly, but they're very thoroughabout it." ( )

The House of the Scorpion is a sci-fi novel that deeply explores themes of identity and freedom. Matt, the protagonist, faces many internal conflicts and many more struggles against the real world. These conflicts and morals that question humanity makes Matt's journey throughout the book very thought-provoking. ( )

Much of the story is telling of the abuse and struggles Matt experienced growing up in a fairly isolated situation. While he gains access to books, media, music, etc, it is all in a relative social vacuum so he is surprised by things that other children absorb growing up which may never be explicitly voiced.[return]The ending, while it may be enjoyed by teen readers because it demonstrates the agency they can have to affect the world around them, seemed too far-fetched. After years of people shunning him he lands in a place where assistance is freely given. Especially false is Esperanza's assertion that he will have world support in ending the opium farming, just a few pages after she mentions how the world economy is disrupted by the halt in shipments.[return]Well-portrayed character personality. Shows use of cognitive process to identify effects of their behavior & choices, to choose what type of person they want to be. ( )

Man, she's a good writer. I enjoy her creative stories. This did have a backstory commentary on the Mexican/American border, but it worked. ( )