All Good Children by Catherine Austen

I wasn't overly impressed with, All Good Children. It is set in a dystopian future, where a teenager named Max lives inside of a gated city. The city is secluded --- you must have a place to live or you are not allowed to be a resident.

The city begins to administer a vaccination in school age children, that results in drastic personality changes. The children become eerily well behaved, calm and complacent. Max is set to receive his vaccination but thanks to quick thinking by his mother it only appears as though he has received it.

Max has to pretend to be like the other students -- show no emotion and be agreeable. This proves to be difficult and his actions arise suspicions by officials.

The book takes quite some time to get into --- it is rather slow and a few times, I almost gave up. I had a difficult time believing that a drug could get the majority to children to all act the same! It is also hard to fathom that parents would easily accept a new "robot" like child, essentially losing the characteristics that make us all unique.

The premise is good but I just couldn't fully immerse myself into it.

Grade: C