Don't Let Go

Name: Don't Let Go
Item: Don't Let Go
Rating: 4
Author: Michael Berry

Book review by

Michael Berry, Common Sense Media

Common Sense says

age 13+

(i)

Suspenseful, satisfying conclusion to teen hacker trilogy.

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A lot or a little?

The parents' guide to what's in this book.

Educational Value

Don't Let Go presents a fairly realistic picture of computer-hacking strategies, without providing information that could be abused. The teen characters are more adept at breaking into servers than their real-life counterparts probably would be, but the book emphasizes that online security is not always as impregnable as people sometimes like to pretend.

Positive Messages

Don't Let Go emphasizes that teens can triumph against powerful enemies and that they have the emotional resources to guide their own destinies. Through working together, they can effect real change.

Positive Role Models & Representations

Noa, Peter, Daisy, and Teo are brave, resourceful, and very protective of each other. They persevere in the face of incredible odds, and they choose to face their fears rather than keep running from their enemies forever.

Violence

As with the previous volumes in the series, Don't Let Go has violence, though usually of a non-lethal variety. Guns, Tasers, and explosives are used as weapons. With a few notable exceptions, they don't result in deaths. At the novel's climax, it's superior planning, not gunplay, that defeats the antagonist.

Sex

There's not much sexual content in Don't Let Go. Noa and Peter share a kiss, but it only confirms their suspicions that they should remain just friends. Teo and Daisy are a romantic couple and spend a lot of time hugging, kissing, and flirting. They back away, however, from becoming too physically intimate.

Language

The language in Don't Let Go is frequently salty, with innumerable uses of "hell" and "damn" and less frequent uses of "a--hole," "bastard," "bitch," s--t," "d--k," and "ass."

Consumerism

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

In the past, Paul was a fairly heavy drinker. In Don't Let Go, he drinks whiskey as an anesthetic for a surgical procedure. He also has a drink when circumstances seem especially bleak. At a hotel, he encounters a creepy drunk who takes too much of an interest in Noa.

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Don't Let Go, the final volume in Michelle Gagnon's trilogy that includes Don't Turn Around and Don't Look Now, is a fast-paced, fairly realistic cyberthriller about teen hackers waging war against a sinister corporation that performs illegal medical experiments on unsuspecting runaways. There's a good deal of violence, including the use of Tasers, guns, and explosives. Until this volume's climax, little of the mayhem is deadly. The language is salty, with frequent uses of "hell" and "damn" and less frequent uses of "bitch," "bastard," "a--hole," and "s--t." There's little room in the plot for sexual content. One couple kisses, hugs, and flirts, but the two teens pull away from becoming too physically intimate.

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What's the story?

Constantly on the run from well-equipped thugs, Noa, Peter, Teo, and Daisy must live by their wits to survive. But Noa's time is running out, her body ravaged by medical experimentation. The only solution seems to be to return to the scene of the original crime and face down the man behind the conspiracy. Each of the quartet must decide whether to put his or her life on the line for the others.

Is it any good?

DON'T LET GO does an exemplary job of wrapping up all the plot threads from Don't Turn Around and Don't Look Now. Although there's an unusual new addition and a surprising resurrection, the cast of characters has been whittled down to its basics, which focuses the suspense and keeps the narrative running smoothly.

The seemingly endless series of cliffhangers might feel a little exhausting for some readers, but author Michelle Gagnon generally does a good job of orchestrating a final showdown that feels credible and delivers a solid punch.

Talk to your kids about ...

Families can talk about the dangers of unauthorized snooping in computer databases. What should be the penalties for "hacking"?
What makes an effective thriller? How does this final installment compare with the first two installments in the trilogy?
How can online information be used to hurt people? Check out our tips on keeping teens safe online.