Review: Unplugged by P.D.Quaver

Unplugged by P.D. Quaver
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I always give props to authors of young adult fiction. It's not an easy genre. There are so many blurred lines as to what is or is not acceptable. I ventured into the area one time as an author and it was one of the hardest pieces for me to finish, So first, kudos to P.D. Quaver for choosing this area of writing.

There is no no doubt that in society as a whole we have become entirely too dependent on our electronic devices. We keep our entire lives stored in our phones. Our contacts, calendars, notes, emails are stored in devices so cheaply made that a fall off the seat of a chair can render them nothing more than a paperweight,

In that aspect, "Unplugged" is a bit of a moral tale about our addiction to our electronic devices. It focuses today's youth who seem to be conjoined with their devices. We meet many types of addicted young people. One's vice is video games, the other is hacking, and yet another a 13 year old so brilliant she is getting paid to write papers for college students through an online service.

The guise of "The Natural Path" is an island camp for teenagers who are addicted to technology and need to unplug and get in touch with the world around them. It seems like a great idea. All electronic gadgets are left at the door and the kids learn about things like wildlife and how to properly socialize.

Except...

The camp is just a ruse to isolate the children of wealthy parents and kidnap them and hold them for a high ransom. The kids are left to using their own wits and each other's support to escape their captors. The children are forced to interact with real people, to figure things out without the aid of Google, and to learn that true friendships and loyalties can not be made electronically.

If you are a fan on the 1986 film, Fortress, this book will be right up your alley. It is very well written, the characters are unique and not cookie cutter kids, and the villains are quite good at being villainous. I had a great time reading 'Unplugged" and so will you.

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