Mariz, Rae. The Unidentified.
New York: Bazer + Bray, 2010.
"How do you know?" I asked, but I already knew the answer. I knew it from the second I saw the body tip over the edge. I felt it. The ache of an authentic moment. The real thing." Kady Dade felt there was something missing from life... missing from everyone's lives. But as The Unidentified announced their existence, Kady found herself in the middle of somthing bigger than she could have imagined.
Justification for Nomination:
Mariz has crafted a truly unique and imaginative reading experience that will stand as relevant and intruiguing to YA readers of all ages, both male and female. She cleverly blends sci-fi tech with current teen issues and modern moral dilemas.
Kady Dade, aka Kid, is a teenage girl growing up as part of generation AAA, the successors to Gen X and Gen Y. In her world, education is no longer in the hands of the government, but is sanctioned by corporate sponsors in once abandoned but newly renovated shopping malls. Now referred to as "The Game," teens log-in and out each day through swipe access to the system. There are no students, grades, classrooms or teachers, but intstead these respective compotents have become players, levels, activity centers, and administrators. As each player logs in to different activities they earn points, which determine their score and when they can exit the game. Administrators communicate mission assignments to students through "intouch" wireless devices, and monitor security through surveillance.
Mariz addresses the universal nature of teenage issues by exaggerating the way heirarchy operates within the social construct. Every player in the game wants to be "branded," because it would put them on the "Hit List" and give them special access to the VIP student lounge. The player network system keeps public record of who has how many friends, and dialogue occurs as much through "messaging" as it does verbally.
In a world where everyone monitors everyone else, and slander become painfully public, it's no wonder Kady finds herself in shock the day a special effects body is hurled over the fifth floor railing, splattering at her feet. On it was a note reading, "We are the Un-identified. Choose your suicide." She knows this was not an sponsored marketing event, and her curiosity pushes her to defy the rules of the game in search of the truth. Before she knows it, she is being pulled in multiple directions, her friends have abandoned her and she doesn't know who to trust or confide in.
It's really hard to decide what the best part of this book is. Mariz uses a narrative quality that blends futurisitc slang with pop-culture reference and elaborate visual definition. Some of the greatest teen expressions are, "That is so grab," and "He is sooo prize." And everytime I read, "Oh, sweet Google" or "Oh my Google," it made me chuckle to myself at the uninhibited satire of it all. Mariz doesn't hold back on the protruding registered trademark symbol that she uses on a majority of sponsored or labeled items. The fact that the branded players openly advocate the trial of sponsored products and walk around like billboards makes a further statement to the highly influencial dispotision of young adults.
The thing that makes this book special, is that it is not only a fun read, but a deeply thought provoking glance into the media driven world of teens. This novel will force teens to examine how corporations and brands thrust themselves into their lives. It will make them think, maybe for the first time, about the quest for popularity and social acceptance against a need to find themselves and assert their individuality. They will think about the over-emphasized importance that Facebook and social networking sites have imposed upon our culture, and question how many "authentic moments" they allow themselves amid the prevalent technological chatter.
Genre: Mystery/ Thriller/ Sci-Fi/ Search for Identity
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