Elites of Eden: Children of Eden, Book 2

Dystopian mind-control tale grows even more complicated.
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Elites of Eden is the second volume in a dystopian sci-fi series by YouTube sensation Joey Graceffa. Set in a future where only a handful of human survivors exist within a closed community, the novel addresses such issues as bullying, surveillance, and propaganda. Sexual content is minimal (a few chaste embraces), swearing is limited to a few uses of "hell," and teens at a party indulge in drugs and alcohol in one minor scene.
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Chaste embrace?
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What's the Story?
At the start of ELITES OF EDEN, Yarrow enjoys the power she wields as one of the popular girls at the exclusive Oaks boarding school. But when she meets a mysterious lilac-haired stranger named Lark, she begins to remember another life: one in which her mother died, her father left, and her asthmatic brother took her place as the favored first child. As she discovers the extent to which her mind has been controlled by others, Yarrow vows to fight alongside old friends and new allies.
Is It Any Good?
The clichés of YA dystopian fiction are well known by now, but this middle volume of a breathless sci-fi trilogy employs most of them. In Elites of Eden, no thought goes unexpressed by Yarrow/Rowan as she attempts to understand how she has been brainwashed by her elders. The plot makes crazy leaps in logic, and most of the characters are defined in a single dimension. But younger teens may enjoy the hyped-up storytelling, where almost anything can happen at any time, as the children of Eden choose their own destinies.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Elites of Eden addresses the topic of bullying. Why do some groups of teens feel it necessary to dominate their peers through gossip and innuendo?
The book explores the differences between illusion and reality. How do we know what is true? What criteria should be used in making judgments about how the world works?
The government in Eden lies to its citizens about their history. Do governments ever lie to their people in real life?
Book Details
- Author: Joey Graceffa
- Genre: Science Fiction
- Topics: Adventures, Brothers and Sisters, Friendship
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Keywords Press
- Publication date: October 3, 2017
- Number of pages: 390
- Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: September 27, 2021
Our Editors Recommend
For kids who love science fiction
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