Holden's Bookshelf: Feed

So, I had wanted to make this a regular thing, rather than just something I did once and then forgot about. Let's remedy that. If you need to refresh yourselves on that history, you can find what is currently the only other Holden's Bookshelf entry here. I had intended to start doing these on Wednesdays, so...er...let's start that.

Also, as a side note, watch this space for a soon-arriving large undertaking on my part--the scanning of lots of artwork from this quarter. Anyway.

Remember, the "Overall" rating is not cumulative.

Feed, by M.T. Anderson

Genre: Science Fiction, specifically the dystopian variety.


Content Rating: PG-13, mostly just for language--unsurprising as it's meant for a high school audience and has similarly-aged protagonists. The occasional slightly disturbing image (well, described image) as well.

Synopsis: The life and times of a teenager named Titus, his friends, and the future world he lives in, where a special surgically-implanted chip called a "feed" beams the internet directly into your head. Feeds appear to be a uniquely American phenomenon, but while having one installed isn't technically necessary it is highly encouraged--public schools no longer cater to students that lack them, stores will expect you have one, et cetera. Titus eventually happens across Violet, a friend and then girlfriend who shows surprising resistance to the feed-centric culture. And all the while, though the feed's constant drone, something shapeless and horrible lurks on the future's horizon.


Characters: There are two main characters, similar in age but with vastly different ways of seeing the world, and this contrast sets up a lot of the book's themes and its general feel. Titus, the narrator and main main character, is very much a product of his time...impulsive, impatient, and lost in his electronic world. Like his peers, he tends to speak in vague terms and generalizations, yet the writing (while very easy to read) never seems to suffer for this--a sign to me of good storytelling. Violet, on the other hand, actively shuns the trends of her time, and speaks more eloquently and has appreciation for simpler things. She balances Titus to brilliant effect as a rebellious influence for good. As this work has some definite cyberpunk elements, you could almost break the duo down by that label--Titus provides most of the "cyber" element and Violet the "punk." The secondaries are composed almost entirely of Titus' friends and family (we get very occasional glimpses of Violet's father), and they serve their roles for what it's worth--mainly to flesh out details of the culture they live in--but the focus is strongly on Titus and Violet and the ancillary characters aren't really necessary to those two's actions, they're more like talking background pieces. The story still wouldn't work without them, though...it'd feel too empty.
Character Rating: 4 out of 5 Victory Points


Story: Mr. Anderson (I only just realized how glorious of an author name that is for a cyberpunk work) isn't afraid to work in some risks and twists. This is, in many ways, a sort of love story gone horribly awry (in ways that I can't reveal...spoilers!). The setting is very well-realized and accomplished mainly through character actions and dialogue (showing rather than telling!), including future slang that we're able to slowly pick up the meanings of (even better? It doesn't sound quite as cheesy as future slang is often wont to be). It can at times actually be a very subtle larger story for one that's so simply narrated.
Story Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Victory Points. The craft is evident here.


Handling of Themes: Feed will raise a lot of good questions--its an excellent book for discussion, especially regarding technology ethics. It's appropriately frightening, being a cautionary tale, but never really felt heavy-handed to me. It excels at its warnings by presenting its horrors in a rather casual manner.
Theme-Handling Rating: 5 out of 5 Victory Points. A 5 does not imply perfection, merely excellence.


Overall: Feed gets an overall rating of 4.5 out of 5 possible Victory Points. I'm always excited to recommend it to people, especially if they already have a love of dystopian fiction. I also think it's evident of very good signs for young adult literature--as recently as when I was in high school I remember much of the fiction available for that age group still being kind of bland, but in the last few years the market has seen an absolute explosion of really amazing writers for this demographic--many of them sadly flying under the radar regardless! And don't think you need to be a teenager to enjoy this, by any means. Adults can get plenty out of it too.



[Holden Out.]