"Awaken" by Katie Kacvinsky

309 pages

Maddie lives in a world where everything is done online. School, socializing, and shopping are all done virtually, so there's really no need to go out of the house. It's safer that way. Deep down, Maddie has often wondered if this is the best way to live. Questioning the status quo, however, caused her life to be nearly ruined a few years ago, so now she pushes those thoughts aside. Until she meets Justin, that is. He is fighting to bring people out of their isolation, and he wants Maddie to help him. Doing so would mean not only rebelling against the government and her family but also forcing herself to get over her fear of being exposed to the real world.

I really enjoyed "Awaken." It's one of the most convincing speculative fiction novels I've read. I could totally picture Western society eventually heading this way. Obviously, the warnings to our current digital-zombie culture are pretty heavy-handed, but it's a good setup nonetheless. It definitely got me thinking about how much time I spend "plugged in," and how great I always feel after spending time outside or just hanging out with friends. Maddie is an interesting character, as she has such a hard time distinguishing between what she really thinks and what has been indoctrinated to her by her family and the society she lives in. I think we can all relate to that a little bit. I wish there was more development of some of the secondary characters, though. Overall, I recommend it for the engaging story as well as food for thought about where our society is headed and what really matters in life.