Nine

June 1, 2018

Gr 9 Up-Julian Dex lives in a world in which everyone is given nine lives to reach their full potential. Each life gives a person an upgrade both physically and mentally, allowing them to move more easily through difficult and awkward phases. Most of Julian's classmates are determined to burn through their lives as quickly and dramatically as possible, but Julian-the only One in his school-wants to hold out as long as he can. Strict regulations and incentives designed to help with overpopulation make it clear that Julian is going to have to burn sooner or later. When his status as a One draws the focus of Nicholas, the charismatic and manipulative leader of the school suicide club, Julian finally gives in. After being reborn in the Lake, he discovers incongruities in the process-incongruities that could have caused his mother's madness and premature "permadeath." The story primarily reads as a thriller with more emphasis on character development and action than on world-building. The protagonists use up their lives almost like a video game, where they come back at the same age as they died and pick up their lives pretty much exactly where they left off. Each of the characters comes across as real and their motivations feel genuine. The narrative mostly works, but the exploration of the meaning of life and death feels surface level. Still, this has strong pacing and culminates with a gratifying ending. VERDICT A good addition to any YA thriller collection.-Erik Knapp, Davis Library, Plano, TX

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 4, 2018
Hines’s chilling debut takes place in an alternate America where each person gets nine lives. The first eight times someone dies, he or she “Burns” (moves on to the next life, returning in a brand-new body). To prevent overpopulation, people are offered incentives to be euthanized in licensed extinguishment clinics on a set schedule, but Burners hold illegal, elaborately staged, and gruesome suicide parties. At 17, Julian Dex is still a One; he needs to Burn to help his family’s dire financial situation, but he’s haunted by his mother’s disappearance and descent into retrogression. He’s also worried about his best friend, who wants to join Lakeshore Academy’s Burners Club, led by charismatic, cruel Nicholas. When Julian meets enigmatic Cody and her friends, who don’t Burn, he learns secrets that could change their lives, and deaths, forever. Hines’s fast-paced tale effectively explores the insidious intentions of a surveillance state bent on controlling mortality, and offers an intriguing group of teens who are worth rooting for as they unravel a truly terrifying conspiracy. Ages 14–up. Agent: Jim McCarthy, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret.

June 15, 2018
How long can one teen resist the pressure to conform to his society's morbid fascination with death and rebirth?On a parallel planet visited by environmental devastation, where humans have nine lives and the government has incentivized suicide as a way to deal with overpopulation, Julian is haunted by the memory of his mother, who burned through all of her lives very quickly and suffered the consequences. While his peers attend Burners parties where they enthusiastically drug themselves and commit various forms of suicide, Julian resists taking part. However, he experiences pressure from all sides--even from his own father, who worries about the family's financial future. With each death, people gain societal benefits and are reborn at the age they were before but physically improved (albeit with a new identity chip implanted and the number of lives they've used up tattooed on their neck for all to see). Intrigued by a mysterious cat and helped by two unusual new friends, Julian uncovers the dark underbelly of his society's system of control. The energetic writing style and fast pace will keep readers engaged. The book follows a white default with some diversity in secondary characters. The description of a biracial (Japanese and presumably white) character as having "an odd face" is troubling.A light, plot-driven read for those who prefer action to depth and character development. (Dystopian. 14-18)

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