The Firefly Code

May 2, 2016
Twelve-year-old Mori narrates this suspenseful tale set in the not-so-distant future in Old Harmonie, a closed community founded by the Krita corporation on the outskirts of Boston. "We never stopped experimenting and innovating," says Mori of her home, "but outside they were just struggling to get by." On their 13th birthdays, children in communities like Old Harmonie learn their genetic code, discover whether they are "natural" or genetically "designed," and reveal their chosen "latency," a hidden aptitude that will then be released through surgery. When a new girl, Ilana, moves onto Firefly Lane, her presence disrupts the comfortable dynamics among Mori and her best friends, Julia, Theo, and Benji, who find something "just a little off" about Ilana, despite her easygoing manner. After their group coalesces into "The Firefly Five," the children's gradual realization of Ilana's true nature leads to shocking and painful revelations about their community, their parents, and themselves. In this gripping novel, Blakemore (The Friendship Riddle) creates a disturbingly ordered world in which questions about friendship and family offer courageous and heartwarming testaments to the human spirit. Ages 8â12. Agent: Sara Crowe, Harvey Klinger.

sarlun1617 - Have you ever heard of a place named Old Harmonie? Or a road called Firefly Lane? Best friends, Morie, Julia, Benji and Theo live in Old Harmonie on the Firefly Lane. That is where the book, The Firefly Code by Megan Frazer Blakemore and it takes place in the future, that's how it gets its name because the 5 friends are special in a good way and they all live on Firefly Lane and the book is called The Firefly Code so I think that is how it gets its name. Morie, the protagonist, tries to be friends with Ilanna, the antagonist and Ilanna is the antagonist because later on in the book she hurts Morie on an accident but she still hurts her and leaves a bruise on Mori, witch I will explain more of later.They do become friends, and become close. The two girls have a secret place in the woods where they hang out. But one time when Ilanna wanted to show Mori something Ilanna was pulling Mori and she left a handprint on her. Another time Ilanna and Julia were competing with each other and when Julia won Ilanna didn't come out of her house in days. Over time, Mori begins to wonder why Ilanna acts out of character. What she finds out is disturbing but it won’t change the friendship between the two girls. The turning point in my book is when Mori and her friends find something out about Ilanna. I recommend this book to whoever is in 7th grade.