The Hollow People

January 1, 2008
Gr 6-9-Fans of John Christopher's "The White Mountains" (S & S, 1967) and Lois Lowry's "The Giver" (Houghton, 1993) will enjoy this book, which continues the tradition of setting its characters in a seemingly peaceful society whose citizens are actually under government control. Thanks to Ichor, a mind-controlling substance forced on the population to rid it of basic human passions, the illusive Dr. Sigmundus has created a culture with strict class distinctions and an enforced reverence for doing one's duty. Dante, an orphaned kitchen boy, and Bea, the daughter of two doctors, meet by chance and form a dangerous friendship, in which they plan to free the patient Ezekiel Semiramis from the institution where outlaws are tortured for contradicting the teachings of Dr. Sigmundus. After a series of heart-stopping scenes, Ezekiel invites them to travel with him to "the ruined city"; there, a few hundred rebels are training to bring down the evil man's forces. The first half of the book is riveting; readers will hold their breath as the children take initial steps toward rejecting Ichor and reclaiming their freedom. Unfortunately, Keaney rushes the children through their getaway to the ruined city, where Bea is severely injured and Dante begins training to control his dreams, an ability he inherited from his mother, a brilliant scientist who died in the asylum. Despite the novel's hurried pace (and perhaps in some cases, because of it), Keaney is sure to gain a big readership with this first title in the series. It will captivate readers with a taste for suspense or psychological thrills."Denise Ryan, Middlesex Middle School, Darien, CT"

Copyright 2008 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2007
The island of Tarnegar houses an asylum where lawbreakers undergo shock treatment and other torture. Under the reign of Dr. Sigmundus, dreaming is a serious crime. To ensure that citizens do not engage in dreams, all persons over 14 receive a drug that prevents dreams and makes one quietly compliant with the severely limited society. Two 13-year-olds Dante, the kitchen boy, and Beatrice, the daughter of a physiciandare to question the status quo, and they join forces with an enigmatic prisoner, Ezekiel, who connects them with others who have resisted Dr. Sigmundus. Keaney raises serious philosophical questions, about such issues as the nature of physical reality and our ability to transcend it. The first title in the proposed The Promises of Dr. Sigmundus trilogy, the novel ends abruptly and lacks polish and subtlety. However, Keaney encourages teens to think deeply about complex issues, and the adventure, along with the spooky black-and-white cover, will pull in readers. Planned illustrations were not available at time of review.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)