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The Marrow Thieves
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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 The Marrow Thieves is near-future dystopian novel by Cherie Dimaline, set in a Canada ravaged by pollution and climate change, when Native people are robbed of their marrow to treat whites. Infrequent swearing includes "damn," "hell," "s--t," and "f--k." Frenchie and Rose develop a romantic relationship but do not progress all the way to intercourse. Violent scenes (shootings, being chased over cliffs) are infrequent but powerful, resulting in the deaths of important supporting characters. The Marrow Thieves is being adapted for TV.
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What's the story?
As THE MARROW THIEVES begins, in a future where most people have lost the ability to dream, 15-year-old Frenchie and his brother Mitch are cornered by Recruiters, and Mitch allows himself to be captured. Heartbroken but determined to survive without being dragged off to a "school," Frenchie allies himself with a group of refugees heading north through a climate-changed Canada. As they travel, the group faces tragedy and learns the secrets of the hunters who capture Native people and rob them of their bone marrow in order to stop from going insane.
Is it any good?
Climate change promises to be a topic of vital importance to teen readers, and this near-future dystopian makes the subject compelling without succumbing to melodrama. The quest for safety undertaken by Frenchie and his companions is fraught with danger and tragedy, but their indomitable spirit allows them to survive. Each character is drawn with precision, but Frenchie commands attention with his struggle to be responsible while wanting to seek his own way. Author Cherie Dimaline crafts scenes brimming with dramatic intensity but also excels at creating quiet scenes for her characters. Smart, urgent, and moving, The Marrow Thieves is likely to appeal to a wide range of teen readers.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about how The Marrow Thieves presents a dystopian future affected by climate change. How are people in your community working to mitigate threats from warming?
How does Frenchie's story reflect the history of Indigenous peoples? What does it have to say about the cost of colonialism?
Why is storytelling important? Can stories sometimes be more powerful than the facts?
Book details
- Author: Cherie Dimaline
- Genre: Science Fiction
- Topics: Friendship, Great Boy Role Models, Misfits and Underdogs
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Dancing Cat Books
- Publication date: April 1, 2017
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 13 - 18
- Number of pages: 231
- Available on: Paperback, Nook, iBooks, Kindle
Themes & Topics
For kids who love dystopian novels and science fiction
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.