4 STARS
The House of the Scorpion, by Nancy Farmer, is an underappreciated book. Despite the fact that it won several awards, The House of the Scorpion is not widely known. I first picked this up at my school’s book fair in 5th or 6th grade. The cover had a sinister dark red scorpion on the cover, and the back of the book sounded a little spooky. A young boy is to inherit everything from a wealthy lord, El Patron. However, some of El Patron’s power-hungry family is less than thrilled about this. The only chance our protagonist has to survive is to escape.
The actual summary was far more detailed, but that is what my young mind took away from it. From that, I figured it would be a good and “age-friendly” book. How wrong I was… The House of the Scorpion is dark. Very dark. I reread it in high school and was shocked to see that a book like this is considered a children’s book, and not as popular as I had thought. The House of the Scorpion is considered a book for “young readers”! I’d like to take the time to set the record straight.
The main character’s name is Matteo
Alacran. He was a test-tube baby, a clone, using DNA from El Patron, a powerful
drug lord. El Patron loves Matteo because Matteo, essentially, is himself. In this world, clones
are not uncommon, but are considered as nothing short of animals.
El Patron plans for Matt to inherit the fortune and business, and therefore attempts to manipulate the young boy to become his copy. Matt lives surrounded by people who despise him, who call him a monster. As the poppy fields of Alacran Estate are tended to by eejits – humans who are programmed by a chip in their brains – Matt discovers the terrors of the world he’s been brought into. Is escaping the Alacran Estate and its power-hungry inhabitants, enough to save Matt?
El Patron plans for Matt to inherit the fortune and business, and therefore attempts to manipulate the young boy to become his copy. Matt lives surrounded by people who despise him, who call him a monster. As the poppy fields of Alacran Estate are tended to by eejits – humans who are programmed by a chip in their brains – Matt discovers the terrors of the world he’s been brought into. Is escaping the Alacran Estate and its power-hungry inhabitants, enough to save Matt?
The review in Publisher’s Weekly
deemed it a book for ages 11-14. I disagree with that bracket. Farmer doesn’t
cater to anyone in particular. This is something that can be enjoyed by adults
as well. Amazon reviewers gave TheHouse of
the Scorpion 4 ½ stars. I’d have to agree wholeheartedly.
Nancy Farmer’s writing is quite spectacular. The book does lag at times, as
plot develops; but overall the premise of the book and its twisted world, kept
me hooked. It raises questions about humanity, morality, and the future. It’s a
page-turner that I could barely put down. You can’t say that about many
400-page books.
I absolutely loved it!!
Happy Reading!
- Isabel
Happy Reading!
- Isabel
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Other books I suggest by Nancy Farmer:
The Ear, The Eye, and
The Arm – 4 Stars
A Girl Named Disaster –
3 Stars
The Sea of Trolls
Trilogy
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