Between the U.S.A. and Aztlán (once called Mexico) lies a strip of land, known as Opium, the name of its chief product. It is ruled by a 146-year-old drug lord known as El Patrón. His fields are tilled by illegal immigrants, called "eejits," who have computer chips implanted in their brains so that they can be kept in slavery. Matt, a boy who is confined in a cottage on El Patrón estate, manages to break out, only to find himself treated like an animal. The tattoo on his foot, "Property of Alacrán Estates," means that he is a clone of El Patrón--and that he is being raised to provide spare body parts for his original.
Yes, it is a little creepy concept, but you will love it. I absolutely fell in love with Matt and wanted to take him home and protect him. You know it is a good book is when you love the protagonist and seriously hate the antagonist. The antagonist in this book El Patron is easy to despise, and a couple of weeks after finishing the book I still am seething at the evil El Patron. Nancy Farmer writes her characters beautifully.
Another teen fiction that is set in the future in a very corrupt society. The youth with moral courage rise up and fight for becoming a better society. Are all these books telling us something?
This book is great read, and has won many literary awards. I also believe it is suggested reading in schools for about sixth grade and up.
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