We follow Manuel down the rabbit hole into a world where no-one is what they seem. Our children’s book of the month for May is Boy In A White Room.
Boy In A White Room – the blurb
A boy wakes to find himself locked in a white room. He has no memories, no idea who he is and no idea how he got there.
A computer-generated voice named Alice responds to his questions – through her, he is able to access the internet.
He gradually pieces together his story – an abduction, a critical injury, snippets of his past … But how can the boy tell what’s real and what’s not? Who is he really?
Eyestream, you stream
We aimed slightly older for this month’s read with fans of The Maze Runner or Ready Player One perfect reading candidates. Whilst you do need to concentrate to follow the plot (and perhaps have an awareness of technology) there isn’t anything in it that would stop me allowing my 12 year old from reading it. The book is very modern and constantly pulls the rug from out of your feet. It definitely gave off future series vibes so watch this space. There’s no romance, sorcerers or need to be woke but there is artificial intelligence by the bucket load. With a bit of Lord of the Rings and Alice in Wonderland thrown in for good measure!
Book club questions
+++ These questions contain spoilers and should only be used if you have read the book already!+++
- What is the significance of Alice In Wonderland to the book? Is this why Alice is the voice in the white room?
- What do you think the future has in store for Manuel?
- The book was originally written in German and has been translated by Larisa Villar Hauser. Is this the first translated book you have read? Did the book feel as though English wasn’t it’s first outing?
- Lord of the Rings, The Matrix and Alice In Wonderland. All are referred to in the book. Have you watched/read any of them? Does this help you when understanding Boy In A White Room?
- Who in the book was good and who was bad? Was it difficult to keep track? Were they right in testing Manuel and keeping the truth from him?
- Do you think the battle against the Titans is one that can ever be won?
If you would like to join in with our Children’s Book of the Month keep your eyes peeled when we announce June’s book in a few days time. Our review with book club questions is usually posted on the last Monday of the month and you can check out previous Book of the Months such as Orion Lost by Alastair Chisholm by clicking on the Young Adult/Kids button at the top of our Home Page. In the meantime we would love to see what you have been reading.
