Doctorow, Cory. Little Brother. Tor Teen, 2008.
ISBN: 978-0-7653-1985-2
Little Brother
Written By: Cory Doctorow
Reviewed By: Ray Vega
Recommended Audience: High School Students/ Young Adults
Little Brother is a book about 4 teenagers in San Francisco who, in the aftermath of a devastating terrorist attack, try and retake their freedoms from the Department of Homeland Security. The main character Marcus Yallow, is a 17 year old computer genius who hacks technology. Him and his friend Darryl ditch school one day to play an online game that takes place in real life. They meet up with their friends Vanessa and Jolu and begin looking for clues that have to do with the game they’re playing. Soon after, explosions happen on the Golden Gate bridge and in the panic, Darryl gets stabbed. While signaling for help, and unmarked military car stops Marcus and puts a black bag over his head and separates him from his friends, eventually knocking him out.
Marcus comes too in trailer that’s holding a bunch of other people. He finds out that he is being held in custody by the Department of Homeland Security and they interview him because they believe that he is connected to the recent terrorist attack. Upon releasing him, they tell him that his actions will be closely monitored for the res of his life and that the Department will always be watching him. When he arrives back home, he discovers that his personal laptop has been bugged and decides that he is going to do everything to try and regain the cities civil rights from the Department of Homeland Security.
With the help of his closest friends, and hundreds of other teenagers in the city, he sets up technological attacks on the Department. He sets up his own private network using old Xboxes so all of his new allies can communicate with each other without being spied on by the Department. Marcus eventually tells a reporter about his story and with her help, he and his family take action against the Department of Homeland Security. With the report published, the Department of Homeland Security takes Marcus back into custody. During a water boarding interrogation, state troopers raid the prison where he is being held and free all of the prisoners.
Book Description:
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/little-brother
Author’s website:
Video Interview:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbYXBJOFgeI
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