Quinn thinks he’s a normal boy with an average life. That is, until he finds a trail of clues the father he barely knew left behind.
After Quinn unravels his father’s puzzles, he “wakes up” … and realizes his world was nothing more than a virtual construct. In reality, he’s the first fully-aware A.I. in the world, part of an experiment run by a team of scientists—including the man he thought was his father.
As the scientists continue to study him, Quinn’s new existence becomes a waking nightmare. Determined to control his own destiny, he finds allies in other teens—including crush Shea—and plots his escape. But what does true freedom look like when you’re not human?
From Morris finalist Len Vlahos comes a contemporary sci-fi story about a boy who might not be human—for fans of Westworld and Black Mirror.
My Review
Okay, so… there are not very many cases where I’ve read every book an author has published, but Len Vlahos is one of those. I had the chance to do a Q&A with him around the time LIFE IN A FISHBOWL came out, so be sure to check that out for details on what inspired his earlier books.
One of the things I love about Vlahos’s books is that even though they tackle serious topics, there are really playful moments and characters. For instance, in HARD WIRED, Quinn has this rambly, somewhat self-deprecating, funny internal monologue. There’s also a reference to LIFE IN A FISHBOWL in the book, too. I loved that– it totally feels like a nod to readers who’ve followed his books, like it creates sort of a joke we’re all in on together in an unassuming way that doesn’t hurt the story if you didn’t catch it.
This is definitely one of those books where every time you feel like you know what’s going on, another layer gets peeled back. I felt like I couldn’t stop reading because I wanted to know how far the rabbit hole went and whether Quinn would find an exit to his freedom.
All in all, I felt like it was a charming, fun, thought-provoking book, definitely a must-read for this weird, wacky summer we’re in.
Profanity/Crude Language Content Extreme profanity used infrequently.
Romance/Sexual Content Some attraction between Quinn and a girl.
Spiritual Content Some references to religious groups’ opposition to the creation of AI.
Violent Content A woman dies in a bloody accident.
Drug Content None.
Note: I received a free copy of HARD WIRED in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.
Fifteen-year-old Jackie Stone’s whole life turns upside down when she discovers not only that her father has a terminal brain tumor, but that he’s decided to auction his life for sale on ebay. As a reality show executive takes control of her family’s lives, Jackie’s whole life begins to come apart. She finds allies in an online community and the courage to fight for her privacy and her family’s dignity. Together they fight to get the cameras out of the house and win her family’s lives back.
Life in a Fishbowl is totally different than Vlahos’s earlier novels. The story follows the experiences of many characters, most of them adults, which kind of breaks tradition in young adult literature. I think what keeps it grounded in the genre is the tone which the story takes. Not many authors can successfully craft a story like this and have it still feel like young adult fiction, but Vlahos does here.
One of the more surprising elements to me was the fact that the brain tumor was an anthropomorphized character as well. At some moments, I struggled with this—it definitely requires a lot of willingness to suspend disbelief. At other moments, it felt like a natural turn in the story. I loved Jackie’s character, but my real favorites were Hazel, an online gaming girl, and Max, Jackie’s friend from Russia. Both really hit that note for me of the shy kids who have so much more going on under the surface. Jackie also had that vibe, too, and the story shows each of them blossoming in the midst of adversity.
The story deals with whether someone has the right to euthanasia. Mostly we see the issue from the side of Jared, who himself wants to have the right to end his life—to have a death with dignity, he says. Members of the Catholic Church oppose him, but there’s not a deep exploration of their position on the issue, and the nun who protests the loudest has her own ulterior motives which only twist further the more deeply she becomes involved in the situation.
The way this plays out was very different from the sort of romanticized version of events in The Loose Ends List by Carrie Firestone, in which terminally ill cruise passengers opt for assisted suicide sometimes earlier in their illnesses.
The issue that truly dominates Life in a Fishbowl is less the issue of euthanasia and more the issue of reality television and the invasion of privacy that other members of Jared’s family suffer once he has signed a contract with the studio. Events get edited and clipped into scenes that look vastly different to the public than the reality Jackie and her family face. Ratings, not reality, govern the show, and cameras lurk in every room, recording everything. Eventually Jackie finds ways to fight fire with fire, releasing her own video clips that show the truth happening inside her home.
Recommended for Ages 16 up.
Cultural Elements
Jackie and her family live in Portland, Oregon and appear to be an average, white middle-class family. She befriends a young Russian boy online as part of a school project.
Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used with moderate frequency.
Romance/Sexual Content Jackie and her sister discover their parents in the act of making love. They quietly back away and close the door.
Some brief references to a sexual relationship between an executive and his assistant. No descriptions of their intimate activities.
Jared remembers his first kiss ever and his first kiss with his wife.
Hidden TV cameras record in bathrooms in Jackie’s house. It’s mentioned in passing that unbeknownst to her family, male members of the crew watch the girls shower. Jackie is fifteen and her sister Megan younger.
Spiritual Content A nun bids for Jared Stone’s life on ebay. She considers it a sacred duty to preserve his life, but her motives get swallowed by other, less pious reasons. Her superior also takes the stance that Jared should not be allowed to end his life. When the Catholic hospital becomes responsible for Jared’s medical care, the goal is to keep him alive as long as possible, which conflicts with his own desire to end his life.
Violent Content – see spoiler section A woman slaps a teenage girl. She retaliates by punching the woman.
A TV executive manipulates Jackie and her family (and others) for his own gain. His behavior isn’t violent, but it’s pretty disturbing at times.
Drug Content
Brief references to drug use in a character’s past.
Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
SPOILERS – Violent Content Continued
A man stabs a dog to death with a knife.
A woman smothers a man in a coma with a pillow. Before he slipped into a coma, he asked her to assist him in ending his life.
When I received an email asking if I’d like to participate in the blog tour for Life in a Fishbowl by Len Vlahos, I knew immediately I had to ask for an interview. Scar Boys by Len Vlahos caught my eye on one of those “Top YA Books You Must Read Like Right Now” lists probably on Buzzfeed or a site like that. I did read and love Scar Boys (yeah, he had me at punk boys in a band– my number one literary weakness.) and eventually got my hands on a review copy of Scar Girl, which was a fantastic follow up. So now, here I am, joined by the wonderful Len Vlahos for some chitchat about his latest novel, Life in a Fishbowl. Yay!
Author Interview with Len Vlahos
Can I sneak in a question about Scar Boys? What made you choose punk as the style of music for the band Harry and Johnny put together? Was it strictly based on your own experience or preferences or is there something more about that genre of music that particularly inspired the story? (Other than the sad truth that there are seriously not enough books about punk kids in bands. What’s up with that?)
I love this question. It was based on both my experience – Woofing Cookies, the band I played in when I was younger, was a punk-pop band – and on knowing first-hand that the punk world is more welcoming to those who don’t conform to standards or norms. It was a perfect fit for Harry.
Yes! Strangely, I hadn’t really thought about the misfit element of the punk scene as it would relate to Harry. But now that you say that, I’m like duh. Yes. Totally fits.
Do you listen to music while you write? Were there songs that most inspired your favorite moments in Life in a Fishbowl?
For the most part, I do not listen to music when I write. My preference is for ambient sound, and anonymity – meaning no family and friends. It’s why I wrote most of Life in a Fishbowl (and Scar Girl) on a commuter train from Connecticut to New York City, and why I do most of my writing now in coffee shops. (We moved to Colorado, so no more commuter train.)
However, I do listen to music when I’m editing, and when I’m writing for blogs. (I’m listening to Bob Marley’s Legend right now. It’s the really cool vinyl in the colors of the Jamaican flag.)
Ha! That’s a fun pick. So all that writing about music on a train with no music. Is there a music element to the story of Life in a Fishbowl?
Deliberately no. So much of The Scar Boys (and Scar Girl) was drawn from personal experience that I really wanted to step outside of my own sphere of knowledge and comfort zone. I wanted to write something cut from whole cloth; to prove to myself that I could really write.
Music won’t play a role in my next book either – can’t share any details about that just yet – but I would like to get back to it someday. (If for no other reason than I get to bring my guitar on book tour.)
A guitar and a book tour sound like a perfect match. I’ve been surprised at how different Life in a Fishbowl is from your other books– not in a bad way! How did the story Life in a Fishbowl come to you? Did the whole idea arrive fully formed, or did one particular element spark the story and gradually it took shape?
It was the latter. I read an online article about a man named Ian Usher who had put his life for sale – his house, his car, even his friends and his cat (if I remember correctly) – after going through a bitter divorce. It made me wonder, what would happen if someone put their actual life for sale on eBay? What would make them do it, and who would bid on it?
At the same time, I had seen a movie when I was younger called Whose Life Is It Anyway? (Not to be confused with Whose Line Is It Anyway?) It was the story a sculptor, who, after an accident and paralyzes him from the neck down, decides to end his life. The film tackles euthanasia head on, and I’ve been fascinated with that topic ever since.
Fishbowl grew out of the clash of those two ideas.
I like how the story explores both those ideas. What do you most hope readers take away from Life in a Fishbowl?
This is a tough question. I guess I hope people take some small amount of inspiration to question the validity and veracity of what we see in media. Just because it’s on a screen does not make it true. We have an obligation to seek and accept the truth when it’s presented.
That said, one of the most interesting and rewarding parts of writing is learning what readers see in your work that you never saw to begin with.
[SPOILER] For example, I had no idea Cheyenne was pregnant at the end of The Scar Boys – which is the set-up for Scar Girl – until a reader told me. Crazy, right?
That’s really awesome. What a cool thing for readers to know they can impact a story so deeply. I love that!
Looking beyond your novels, are there books you’ve read recently deserves a greater spotlight or changed your life in a meaningful way? What makes it so special?
You don’t have enough space for me to really answer this question, but here are a few that have had an impact:
All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely – An honest and difficult look at police treatment of African American men. If ever a book was a conversation starter, it was this one.
The Magus, by John Fowles – I hardly remember what this book is about – other than it was really trippy – but I read it in two days when I had the flu in the mid 1980s. It’s the book I credit with changing me from a casual to a voracious reader.
Ready Player One by Ernie Cline and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series by Douglas Adams, because, well, because. (I’ve read and listened to both.)
The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf – It’s the book my mom read to me every night when I was five, and I think it did a lot to shape who I am.
As for recently, I just read The Bombs That Brought Us Together by Brian Conaghan and listened to Because You’ll Never Meet Me by Leah Thomas, both of which were brilliant. Brilliant.
This is a great list, and I want to comment on so many of them. I loved Because You’ll Never Meet Me and JUST bought All American Boys with a Christmas gift card. I will have to check out some of the others you mentioned. Thanks so much for your time!
Fifteen-year-old Jackie Stone is a prisoner in her own house. Everything she says and does 24/7 is being taped and broadcast to every television in America. Why? Because her dad is dying of a brain tumor and he has auctioned his life on eBay to the highest bidder: a ruthless TV reality show executive at ATN.
Gone is her mom’s attention and cooking and parent-teacher conferences. Gone is her sister’s trust ever since she’s been dazzled by the cameras and new-found infamy. Gone is her privacy. Gone is the whole family’s dignity as ATN twists their words and makes a public mockery of their lives on Life and Death. But most of all, Jackie fears that one day very soon her father will just be . . . gone. Armed only with her ingenuity and the power of the internet, Jackie is determined to end the show and reclaim all of their lives, even in death.
I dropped out of NYU film school in the mid 80s to play guitar and write songs for Woofing Cookies. We were a punk-pop four piece — think R.E.M. meets the Ramones — that toured up and down the East Coast, and had two singles and one full-length LP on Midnight Records.
The band broke up in 1987 and I followed my other passion, books. I’ve worked in the book industry ever since. And, of course, I write. And I write, And I write, write, write.
My first novel, The Scar Boys — it’s labeled as Young Adult, but I’ve never really liked labels — published January 2014. It is, not surprisingly, a rock and roll coming of age story. No vampires or dystopian future, just a messed up boy and his guitar. (I have nothing against vampires or dystopian futures. I loved The Passage, The Hunger Games, and The Road.)
In the aftermath of Johnny’s accident, the Scar Boys regroup and begin performing as a band again. But too many members carry secrets that become barriers between them.
Cheyenne hides her pregnancy from Johnny. Harry buries his love for Cheyenne in the lyrics of a song. Johnny withdraws into his own vision for the band. Richie walks the fine line between keeping peace and staying out of the conflict.
Through answers to interview questions, the band members relate their experiences as the Scar Boys face bigger problems and more pressure than ever before. What began as Harry’s story now becomes the story of four teens bound together by music bigger than any of them.
The interview format breaks this story into sections in which each member attempts to answer a question. While the varied viewpoints added drama and depth, sometimes the unfiltered honesty in the answers was hard to buy. I found myself asking, is this really what someone would admit to a journalist?
That aside, the story packs some serious emotional punch. The story shows the band, once a cohesive whole, as it breaks down into four desperate, disillusioned teens and propels readers to the very center of each heartache. Make no mistake: it’s dark, it’s raw. It will grab you and refuse to let you look away until the last line of the last page. Vlahos leaves us with hope, though, after the long, dark night. As much as I liked Scar Boys,I think I liked this book better.
Language Content
Extreme profanity used with moderate frequency.
Sexual Content When Cheyenne discovers she’s pregnant, she contemplates having an abortion. She describes going to a clinic where protestors gather. She refers to one protestor as “angry and confused.” Cheyenne does not have an abortion, but for personal, not moral, reasons.
At one point, she is lying down with Johnny, but nothing happens between them.
Spiritual Content Brief mention of Cheyenne’s Catholic background.
Violence Song lyrics describe a scene in which a boy commits suicide by hanging himself.
Drug Content
Cheyenne’s father is an alcoholic. One band member begins drinking alcohol heavily and performing drunk. Other band members are uncomfortable with the behavior, but no one seems able to stop it. Eventually the member agrees to get help.
Escape From Sudan by Amanda DiCianni: I’ve been looking forward to reviewing this book for some time. I think novels like this can be a great tool to introduce kids to world events.
Scar Girl by Len Vlahos: After the intense ride of book one, it was pretty much a given that I’d want to read and review the sequel to The Scar Boys. I’m eager to find out what has happened to the boys since the end of their last adventure, and I’m curious about the format of the book. I’ve heard the story is related through an interview format, which sounds different and fun.
Dream Things True by Marie Marquardt: This one caught my eye on Netgalley. It’s described as a modern-day Romeo and Juliet type story about a rich boy who falls in love with a girl whose entire family are undocumented immigrants. This is a pretty touchy issue politically right now, but I’m really curious to see how Marquardt weaves her tale and what she leaves her readers thinking about. It’s easy to have opinions about statistics and numbers. When we start seeing (or even imagining) faces and names behind the issues, they become so much more complicated.
Torn by Avery Hastings: At last! So you’ve already heard me rave about how much I looked forward to this book. On 8/7 I’ll be participating in a blog tour and will finally unveil my own review of this amazing story.
Mercy’s Prince by Katy Huth Jones: I received a request for review from author Katy Huth Jones and after reading the first few pages on Amazon, I couldn’t say no. I’m excited to read more of this fantasy novel.
State of Grace by Hilary Badger: This is another book that caught my eye on Netgalley. In YA, there are tons of dystopian stories… this will be the first utopian story I’ve ever read.
A bullying incident leaves Harry scarred and terrified of lightning storms. When a popular boy suggests that he and Harry form a band, Harry jumps at the idea. But as Harry gets to know Johnny better, he realizes that their friendship isn’t the salvation he once thought. As long as Harry is willing to play the role Johnny carves out for him, everything will be fine. When the band’s success takes them all by surprise, Harry’s world opens wider than ever before, and for the first time, he finds he might not need Johnny to bridge the gap between him and everyone else. Stepping into his own spotlight changes his relationships in ways beyond what he imagined.
The story begins as a 250 word essay on a college application that Harry is writing. It quickly goes way beyond the required word count as Harry explains what’s led him to apply for college. I like the way the college essay frames the story. It struck me as vaguely reminiscent of the way S. E. Hinton uses a similar approach in The Outsiders, in which the protagonist writes his story as an English assignment for school. (True story: I once finished reading The Outsiders, which closes with Ponyboy repeating the opening lines of the story as the beginning of his English homework. I then flipped the book over and read it again trying to imagine him crafting it as his school paper. I know. I didn’t get out much.)
From the get-go, Scar Boys is a gritty, brutally honest tale about a boy whose life was irrevocably changed when neighborhood bullies tied him to a tree and left him. The tree was struck by lightning, leaving Harry with terrible scars that even challenge his own father’s love for him. So it gets a bit dark. But at his core, Harry is a pretty sweet guy who wants what we all want: love, friendship, adventure. I liked that the story isn’t strictly about him recovering from his childhood trauma, but that Vlahos takes us so much further into the murky depths of a complicated friendship. What price is Harry willing to pay to continue his friendship with Johnny? I like that Johnny isn’t the selfless charmer that we initially believe him to be. I loved where Vlahos took Johnny and Harry’s relationship – the breaking and redemption the boys both face.
I think I had some really ridiculous expectations going into the story because of the hype I’d seen. Don’t get me wrong, I did enjoy it, and I thought it was pretty great. I think I had expected an earth-shattering, life-altering experience, and it wasn’t that for me. While I think it was really well done, it won’t live on in my top favorites, and I’m a little (perhaps foolishly) disappointed because I kind of expected it to. Over all, though, there were a lot of great moments and great lessons about courage, friendship and love. I enjoyed reading it and look forward to reading Vlahos’ next, Scar Girl.
Language Content
Extreme profanity used with moderate frequency.
Sexual Content Harry gives a very brief description when he (accidentally) witnesses his best friend having sex with a girl. Harry mentions masturbation.
Spiritual Content None.
Violence Bullies tie Harry to a tree and leave him during a storm. He is left with horrendous scars when lightning strikes the tree. Since then, he’s had a lot of trouble with bullies picking on him, but nothing so extreme as that first incident.
Drug Content
Teen drinking and references to smoking pot.
