Taken
by Edward Bloor
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Book Summary Information
Author: Edward BloorEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-10-09
ISBN: 0375836365
Number of pages: 256
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Book Reviews of Taken
Book Review: A Too-Plausible Future
Summary: 5 Stars
What we might call Fat-Cat Syndrome renders many Americans blind to the potential impact of the growing disparity between the haves and the have-nots in our society (and globally), but Edward Bloor has his eyes wide open. With Taken, he uses his obvious concerns to create a striking portrayal of a possible near-future in which, as our heroine Charity Meyers points out, "Kidnapping has become a major growth industry."
Charity is the narrator of Taken, and the book begins with her strapped to a stretcher in an unknown location, wondering whether her captors will have to remove a body part in order to find her personal GPS tracker. (An acquantance of hers has a badly replaced ear for that very reason.) The story alternates between Charity in the present in her captors' hands and Charity's memories of the past as they relate to her predicament (everything from kidnapping protocols to the faux Edwardian servants and Christmases favored by members of her elite community).
This book is well written as a story, but it is also a fable that might make some teens think a little more about how social stratification affects their lives. I bought another newly published book this week which turned out to be a fable about social stratification, too, though The Castle Corona by Newbery winner Sharon Creech has a medieval/fairy tale setting. (Some middle schooler looking for a great writing project for school should compare and contrast the two books!)
Look for Bloor's satirical take on other issues in Taken--the ineffectual satellite-based schooling, the wonky health-care system, the artificiality of vidqueen (and Charity's ex-stepmother) Mickie's "documentaries," and the crass cruelty of rich, purposeless young people. I also got a kick out of the sight of Charity's butler carrying a Glock as he follows her down the street, openly guarding her against kidnappers. The toy helicopter crashing Mickie's Christmas special decor is another lively and no doubt symbolic moment.
If, in the service of his message, Bloor's poor characters are a little too normal and noble, he does throw ethical dilemmas at them to liven things up. For that matter, Charity is an awfully nice kid, considering how she's been raised! (Of course, her early years were more sensible, before her father made his fortune and moved her to the soulless, gated community where they now reside.) Especially with his juxtaposition of Charity and Dessi, Bloor points out something that shouldn't need to be said, but is often forgotten: that two people on this planet have more in common as human beings than not.
Intriguing plot twists add to the adventure and suspense, making the book a compelling read even if you don't entirely agree with its message.
Unfortunately, Taken's portrayal of rich-and-poor dynamics isn't quite as futuristic as we might like to think. In this book, servants are assigned Edwardian names like Victoria and Albert, and their real names and lives are kept secret. Well, a friend of mine once told me she overheard her wealthy husband yelling at a servant, "I don't care what your name is! While you're here, your name is Maria because I SAY so!"
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