Description– “The Program” takes place in the near future where suicide is an epidemic among the teenage population. The only cure for this disease is “The Program” which, flags down depressed teenagers. The only down side is that everyone that returns from the treatment has no memories of their past. The story follows Sloane and her boyfriend James on their journey to beat the program.
Review– To my surprise, I did enjoy this book. I was expecting it to be terrible but, it exceeded my initial expectations.
We’ve all read those books where the plot has been done over and over. That’s my number one pet peeve. Unoriginality. So many books being published for Y.A. readers, are spinoffs of bigger more successful books. I expected for “The Program” to follow this pattern. I can honestly tell you it did not. The concept of an epidemic of suicides was both intriguing and unique. Finally an orginal idea!
Unfortunately, I was disappointed when the writing did not live up to the fantastic idea. Don’t get me wrong, the story was good but, it could’ve been better. The pace of events was a bit off. They spent many chapters leading up to a major event. Then, that long-awaited scene was rushed.
The one thing that saved this book for me, was the excellent character development. At the beginning of the story, you don’t know much about James and Sloane’s relationship. as the story progresses, you become more aware of their past. Everyone enjoys a character they can relate to. For me, Sloane was extremely relatable. She is an average everyday teenage girl faced with a huge obstacle. We all love a hero now and then but, reading from the point of view of an ordinary girl somehow makes you feel for them a little bit more.
Therefore, I really felt for Sloane. She lives in constant fear of being flagged down and sent to the program. Due to this she is forced to hide her emotions. That is from everyone except her boyfriend James. James has promised he will always be there for her. But, when he becomes depressed after a traumatic incident, Sloane now has to try to dig him out of sudden depression. Sloane is once again left all on her own.
I really liked how we got to see different peoples’ views on the matter. The parents and adult population celebrates and finds nothing wrong with the program. In their eyes it’s the only way to save their child. If you were a parent would you view it as a new start for your child even though their memories are gone?
This book basically begs the question- Would you rather die knowing who you are or start over not knowing your past but, happy?
Overall Grade– B- = Interesting concepts but the story could’ve been better.
Age– 13 and up. The main characters have to deal with heavy topics (like suicide) but, nothing is graphic.
Should I read this?– If you like romantic, unique, and futuristic books, you’ll probably really enjoy this.
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I might have to try this
Do you think the teenagers had an epidemic wave of suicides because of social media?