Engaging,
Thought-provoking, emotional, and futuristic, yet real enough to imagine the
technology and the many dilemmas that would follow. Aaron could be any teenager, and wrestles with many of the emotions, issues,
and real-life scenarios that teens encounter every day. I had such empathy for him, and yet he is so
desperate to be “normal” – to be accepted by his father, to love his
girlfriend, not to be accosted by strangers, and not to have feelings of
suicide. The kaleidoscope of hurt feelings and self-concern prevent Aaron from
seeing and using the support system around him.
Leteo could be his answer. They help to erase memories. This could be what Aaron needs – a chance to erase the horrible memories, the nightmares, and the pain. This is a chance for a new, and better, Aaron. With any procedure, there are potential risks and side effects. For Aaron, the opportunity to forget and to be “one of the guys” is worth it.
After reading this debut novel, I thought of the novel 1984. Ideas that seemed so absurd and so far away, are issues of today. Leteo may not become a real institution; however, all the ideas, questions, and circumstances represented just may sneak-up on us and become a reality we’ll have to face in time to come. Or, on the other hand, what we may encounter already.
