| Shade's Children, by Garth Nix, is the story of a horrifying world, where, one day, every adult simply disappeared. Children were left confused and excited, but every last one was eventually kidnapped by the Overlords, strange alien creatures who use children for their own sick and violent purposes.
All the children of the world are kept in "dorms", where they live out their lives under the Overlord's rules, never leaving...until they turn 14. When a child reaches 14, their "Sad Birthday", they are taken to the Meat Factory, where they are killed and stripped of their brains and muscles to be used in strange, frightening creatures that stalk the empty, broken cities of the world. We meet Gold-Eye, a boy who was able to escape the dormitories with his strange powers. Running in the lonesome cities and sewers of Earth, he meets Shade's Children, Ninde, Drum, and Ella, who also escape using their power. Shade's Children try to destory the Overlords, under the commands of Shade; a strange computer-like being. It's not long before Gold-Eye become's one of Shade's Children, however, these four are getting worried. More of Shade's other Children are dying on their missions, and Shade is becoming more and more ruthless in his tactics. | ||
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Plot & Themes Tone of book - depressing/sad FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - fantasy world/fantasy past Repressive society story Yes Lifeform altered? Yes Kind of alteration: Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book Descript. of chases or violence - 10 % planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 10 % Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40 % Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 40 % Who's a slave/repressed? - humans are slaves of aliens Main Character Identity: - Male Profession/status: Age: - a teen Main Adversary Identity: - magical being Age: - long-lived adults Profession/status: Has magical powers? Yes Eccentric: Yes How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount How sensitive is this character? Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor Intelligence - Genius (really!) Setting Terrain Takes place on Earth? Yes Writing Style Accounts of torture and death? - explicit references to deaths scientific jargon? (SF only) - some scientific explanation Sex in book? Yes How much dialogue? - significantly more descript than dialog |
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