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Summary: Nancy Famer is a great writer!!!!
Review: The House of the Scorpion is an adventurous book that can make you feel like you were almost in the story. Shivers will go down your spin once you find out what Matt the clone is going through. This book is a very wonderful book because it holds your interest from beginng to end.
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Summary: The House of the Scorpion
Review: The House of the Scorpion is one of the best written books I have ever read. It is about a man who is the ruler of Opium, a country in between the U.S. and Aztlan, which was formerly Mexico. Matteo Alacran, or better known as El Patron, is 140 years old, and uses clones' organs when his fail. Matt is the ninth of these clones. Most clones' brains are destroyed, but El Patron's are not because he is so 'infulential.' He believes that he is to inherit Opium, but his nice caretaker Celia and Tam Lin, El Patron's bodyguard, try to hint to him that this is not the case. He is hated by all of the servants and El Patron's relatives and is called a beast. A main theme in this book is slavery. The workers that harvest the opium are called 'eejits'. They have been implanted with a computer chip which makes them unable to make their own decisions. When Matt escapes to Aztlan, he is taken to a plankton farm, and has little to no freedom.
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Summary: The House of the Scorpion
Review: Wow! That is one word that describes this book. It is a spectacular work, full of excitment and adventure for everyone. I usually don't read science fiction, but I gave this a try and was amazed at how interesting science fiction can be. Matteo, the main character has all the elements of a good hero. The text is so descriptive you feel like you are actually there! I recomend this book to everyone. It is so exciting and fun everyone will love it. The book also sends a good message, and adresses the ideas of racism. It is a book i am sure will be treasured by all.
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Summary: WOW
Review: Too many twists to explain the entire plot. The ending is up to you. Very involving.
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Summary: THIS is a book! *~*~*~*~!AMAZING!~*~*~*~*
Review: The house of the scorpian iz, if anything, amazing. the main character's life-the life of Matt-is heartbreaking, breathtaking, and addictive. from the beginning, in the house of Celia, in the poppy fields, you KNOW something is different about him. he's a clone is what you soon figure out later. the clone of the most slef-centered, powerful, evil man alive. El Patron. As Matt grows up you realize that something is wrong. its not that his family treats him cruelly, its not that Tam Lin has secrets, and so does Celia, its that El Patron does. And El Patron is the worst person to have keeping secrets from you. because they are usually about you, and not good. and they are just that; evil and about Matt. Matt is thrown into the outside world, a world that is a stranger to even us, for its takes place in the future. he makes loyal friends, and must use all his stength, intelligence, and years and years of teaching from teh TV and the various eijits, to survive. it is addictive, and leaves you unsure of a happy ending until the last chapter. Matt is a clone. But he feels like a human. You will feel his emotians to the last, and you will cry with him. Matt must fight his way through the world, with the readers, and through his ddoubts of WHAT he is.
thank you nancy farmer.
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Summary: Gratitude for Nancy Farmer
Review: Imagine my gratitude when my sixth grader was asking my permission to read before school, after school, during study breaks, before bedtime, and while riding in the car. The book that held his attention so raptly was called The House of the Scorpion, by Nancy Farmer. I give the highest praise to this author for what she has written - a book that is so good that it captivates the reader and holds their rapt attention to the very end. Since he finished reading the book on his own, he has asked me to re-read it to him aloud. In just the first three chapters I am blown away by how good, real and moving this author's writing is. We have had at length discussions about how true the voice of the charecters is and how insightful a person Ms. Farmer must be. Thank you, Nancy Farmer for this book and for the gift of your story telling. We are hoping for a sequel.
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Summary: A Definition Of A Good Book
Review: The House of The Scorpion, written by a Newberry Honor book author, Nancy Farmer, is an amazing novel I couldn't put down. It is filled with excellent examples of literacy merit throughout its pages and it is what I would call a good book. The House of The Scorpion draws you into a unique but futuristic setting of Mexico and the Untied Sates and displays the main character Matt as a believable character. He may be a clone in this book but you can feel his pains, fears, lost ness, and longings throughout this novel. From the room filled with chicken liter in which he was kept to the longing to find out why exactly he is here in this world in the first place, you follow in Matt's eyes to find his freedom. The dialogue used in the House of The Scorpion provides much insight into the many characters and their feelings. A great example is taken right from the book jacket, where Matt is still trying to find why exactly he is here. Matt asks El Patron's bodyguard at his coming of age party. "How old am I?...I know I don't have a birthday like humans, but I was born." "You were harvested." Tam Lin reminds him. "You were grown in that poor cow for nine months and then you were cut out of her." The author uses many understatements to provide clues to the reader and Matt, what is exactly Matt's purpose in life, which in turn creates many dramatic questions that keeps the reader hooked. Why had Tam Lin given him a chest full of supplies and maps? Why had Maria run from him when they found MacGregor's clone in the hospital? Because they all knew what was to become of Matt, except Matt himself. All the twist, turns and surprises in this book make it so hard to put down. Every time you think you can take a break from reading, something unexpected happens and you have to keep on reading.
Any science fiction fan will love reading this book. I also feel this book would appeal to readers who enjoy suspense and mystery books. For all those Harry Potter readers, here is a new one for you. Take away the magic and put in futuristic science you get the House of The Scorpion. Within a classroom, this book could be used to stimulate discussions or activities on present day cloning or stem cell research. It is also a great book to discuss nature vs. nurture, since Matt and El Patron had the same DNA but however turned out to be very different people.
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Summary: Science Fiction vs. Foretelling
Review: Three-time Newberry Honor Winner, Nancy Farmer, knocks the ball out of the park with The House of the Scorpion. The characters and setting are both unique and believable. I imagine the story taking place within the next fifty years. The main character, Matt Alacran, is a clone. Technology has already allowed for cloning; it will only be a matter of time until it is ethically acceptable. Current research is evolving around methods of farming on desert land. Placing the opium fields on the Southwestern United States and Mexican border is consistent with that time-frame. While the previous information seems to be accurate, it is different to think of a part of the United States as being a separate land for the cultivation of opium and vast drug lord estates. The dialogue is essential to understanding the characters. Matt does not realize he is so different until the other characters interact with him. The way Tom speaks to Matt compared to how he speaks to others lets the audience see that he is two-faced. Maria's underlying love for Matt is slowly brought out as she acknowledges him as a real person. Tam Lin's true self is let out by a comment here and there, leaving the reader to put the pieces together. The pacing was wonderful. While working up to major events (such as Matt's birthday party) the author gives finer details and slows the story to feel like it is in real time. The style is very matter-of-fact, and although there are countless characters, not many of them evoke strong emotions from the reader, such as Celia, Steven, Senator Mendoza, Daft Donald, Mr. Ortega. Even if computer chips are placed in human brains, it is hard to believe that it could be done so rapidly. Celia (although pretending) got up and running as an eejit in practically no time at all. The conditions and child labor that occur in Aztlan are outlandish. Eating plankton and seaweed meals three times a day, seven times a week seems unrealistic. They are also forced to regurgitate propaganda, such as, "Work is freedom. Freedom is work. It's hard but it's fair." It seems more like a Communist gulag than a place for young boys. Farmer understates Matt's human nature. He is always referred to as a clone and only he questions his own differences, but it is made apparent by his feelings. Reoccurring throughout the novel he expresses confused, but real feelings, such as; "Whenever he was hurt or angry or sad, the feelings stuck their claws into him until they were ready to let go." Another deeper example is later on when Chacho and he are tossed into the whalebones. Matt thinks to himself, "It was like being a swimmer in a strange and terrible sea." Although it is in regards to his present situation, it parallels his life up to that point. It definitely could stand as the metaphor of not knowing if he was real, but being thrown into "El Patron's" life. Farmer eludes her readers into wondering whether Matt will ever find his place in society or will he always be an outcast? It is this question that haunts the reader long after having finished the book; what place will clones have in society? Will they be valued equally?
The House of the Scorpion can be read by young adults, but is enjoyable to a much larger audience. Science Fiction is not my favorite genre, but I loved this book. It has a little of something for everyone, science, violence, drama, mild romance and, philosophy. Although, a fifth grader may be capable of reading this, I think the older the reader the more inferences they will make to everyday life. This book can be integrated into many different subject areas. In addition to its obvious use as literature in English, it is also very relevant to Science, History, Geography, Health, Shop, Psychology, and Technology. Numerous Science lessons can come out of reading this book; genetics, crop production, computer chip brain implants, the impact of people living 150 years. Matt is thought to be inhuman and is regarded as if he was an animal. A History lesson could revolve around other groups who were thought to be inferior. The class could then think about the future and perform a mock protest and/or debate defending clones rights. In Geography, a class could map out where the opium fields would be and then think about the probability of that happening considering the landscape and numerous other factors. Opium could link into Health class, because I feel that if students are going to read about drugs in literature they should also be educated about their effects. In Shop, the students could design a model or map out floor plans for a house with secret passages. In Psychology, the psyche of the different characters could be a topic of discussion. Lastly, in Technology students could learn about the advances that were made in this book and the probability of those types of events happening in their lifetime. Overall, it is an incredible book that does not have an ending in the reader's mind. No matter how many times one comes back to it, there is an always a fascination with the meaning behind the book as a whole.
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Summary: Science fiction that's too close to believable.
Review: The House of the Scorpion, written by Newberry Honor book author, Nancy Farmer, has earned the National Book Award and is a Junior Library Guild Selection. An excellent example of literary merit, this novel draws you into its unique settings and expansive characters. You truly feel as if you are lost in the Poppy Fields in the midday heat on El Patron's estate or coughing and itching along with Matt as he endures months of captivity in a room filled with chicken litter and roaches. Farmer's characters are so believable you find yourself feeling compassion for a clone, and anger at those who treat him as anything less than human. Farmer cleverly uses figurative language and understatements to slowly build your curiosity and the suspense. You struggle along with Matt as he attempts to understand his purpose and what those who love him are trying desperately to convey to him.
"So many hints! So many clues! Like a pebble that starts an avalanche, Matt's fear shook loose more and more memories. Why had Tam Lin given him a chest full of supplies and maps? Why had Maria run from him when they found MacGregor's clone in the hospital? Because she knew! They all knew!"The characters never are able to tell Matt directly what he so desperately wants to know.
"They're looking for you everywhere.....They've sent bodyguards to comb the stables and fields..... 'Why are they looking for me?' (Matt desperately wants to know.) 'You have to know. Tam Lin said you were too clever not to figure it out.' Matt felt turned to stone. The bodyguard evidently gave him more credit than he deserved. Matt hadn't figured it out- not really-until a few minutes ago." Although this book has a science fictional flair to it, it appeals to a wider range of readers including those who enjoy suspense and mysteries. As well as, readers who are not afraid of controversial topics like cloning, drug lords, brain-deadened eejits and wealth that surpass morals and the laws. Within a classroom, this book could be used to stimulate discussions on present day controversies of cloning, stem cell research as well as nature vs. nurture, since Matt and El Patron had the same DNA however turned out to be very different people.
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Summary: Couldn't Put it Down
Review: "The House of the Scorpion" is about the clone of a powerful leader and druglord. Matt does not understand what clones are, but thinks of himself as an animal because of the way all the humans treat him. He is taught to love his master, but he is the only one who, in the end, does not know the horrible truth. All the characters are so wonderfully described, it's hard not to fall in love with them. This book truly is a page turner.
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