In a near future world dominated by heat, greed and hunger, Devin earns a coveted spot in a home for abandoned children that promises unlimited food and toys and the hope of finding a new family, but Devin discovers the home's horrific true mission when he investigates its intimidating administrator and the zombie-like sickness that afflicts some of its children. - (Baker & Taylor)
In a near future world of heat, greed, and hunger, Devin earns a coveted spot in a home for abandoned children that promises unlimited food and toys and the hope of finding a new family, but Devin discovers the home's horrific true mission when he investigates its intimidating Administrator and the zombie-like sickness that afflicts some children. - (Baker & Taylor)
In this near-future dystopia with echoes of The Giver and Among the Hidden, Tania Unsworth has created an unsettling page-turner—fast-paced, smooth, filled with dread—that’s wholly satisfying and startlingly original.
Devin doesn’t remember life before the world got hot; he has grown up farming the scorched earth with his grandfather in their remote valley. When his grandfather dies, Devin heads for the city. Once there, among the stark glass buildings, he finds scores of children, just like him, living alone on the streets. They tell him rumors of a place for abandoned children, with unlimited food and toys and the hope of finding a new family. But only the luckiest get there.
An act of kindness earns Devin an invitation to the home, but it’s soon clear that it’s no paradise. As Devin investigates the intimidating administrator and the zombie-like sickness that afflicts some children, he discovers the home’s horrific true mission. The only real hope is escape, but the place is as secure as a fortress.
Fans of dystopian fiction and spine-chilling adventure will devour The One Safe Place; its haunting themes will resonate long after readers have turned the final page.
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Workman Press.)
“My granddad used to live here when he was young,” Devin began. “He said it was different then. It changed when it started to get hot. People stopped looking out for each other and lots of things that used to be organized just turned into a big mess.”
“Yeah?” Kit said without much interest. “Well, it’s like this now. And it’s not going to change. Some of the kids talk about getting out, how they heard about a kid who got adopted by rich people and went to live in luxury forever. Or that there’s a home somewhere where they feed you and you can play all day and have everything you want. But it’s just fairy tales.” Kit’s mouth set in a fierce line.
“Fact is,” she said, “we’re on our own.”
“Tania Unsworth has written a lightning-fast and spine-chilling novel. Readers will root for Devin with white knuckles and pounding hearts.” —Michael Grant, New York Times bestselling author of Gone and The Magnificent 12
- (
Workman Press.)
In this near-future dystopia with echoes of The Giver and Among the Hidden, Tania Unsworth has created an unsettling page-turner--fast-paced, filled with dread--that’s wholly satisfying and startlingly original.
Devin doesn’t remember life before the world got hot; he has grown up farming the scorched earth with his grandfather in their remote valley. When his grandfather dies, Devin heads for the city. Once there, among the stark glass buildings, he finds scores of children, just like him, living alone on the streets. They tell him rumors of a place for abandoned children, with unlimited food and toys and the hope of finding a new family. But only the luckiest get there.
An act of kindness earns Devin an invitation to the Gabriel H. Penn Home for Childhood, but it’s soon clear that this place is no paradise. As Devin investigates the intimidating Administrator and the zombie-like sickness that afflicts some children, he discovers the home’s horrific true mission. The only real hope is escape, but the place is as secure as a fortress.
Fans of dystopian fiction and spine-chilling adventure will devour The One Safe Place; its haunting themes will resonate long after they’ve turned the final page.
- (
Workman Press.)
Booklist Reviews
The story of Hansel and Gretel gets a dystopian sci-fi revamp in Unsworth's ominous offering. Devin has just buried his grandfather, which forces him to leave the fertile valley of his farm and venture out into the drought-plagued, food-scarce world. After befriending fellow street urchin Kit, the two are discovered by a young man who invites them to a place where food, water, and diversions are in abundance. Indeed, the Gabriel H. Penn Home for Childhood seems to be just that, crawling with well-fed kids hoping to be adopted by the elderly visitors. But then Devin and Kit learn of the Place, where every few weeks, they receive a shot and disappear into a dream for two days. Something is rotten, and they need to figure it out before their brains become spoiled. Mostly this book acts as a protracted wait for the big reveal, without much in the way of detail or characters. But the wait is delicious, and the reveal is plenty icky, making this a page-turner perfect for fans of Mike A. Lancaster. Copyright 2014 Booklist Reviews.
