Thursday, July 19, 2018

All Rights Reserved (Word$ Book 1) by Gregory Scott Katsoulis

All Rights Reserved is the first YA dystopian book of two in a series about freedom of speech. In this world, every gesture, word, and form of communication is trademarked or copyrighted, and using them costs money. Instead of buying food, clothes, and a home, the people buy the words that they speak. If one speaks more than they can afford, they get tortured or enslaved.

Speth witnesses her friend jump off a bridge rather than be enslaved to pay off his debt, and she is not allowed to convey sadness or express it. Too traumatized to speak, she vows never to speak again, rebelling against the fabric of society and fighting back against the cruelty that took her friend's life and countless others. She inspires others to fight back as well, sparking a revolution for the forgotten first amendment.

The creation of the futuristic world was incredible and horrifying. There's 3-D printing of food and whole cities made of plastic with huge screens and holographic projections everywhere one looks. But at the same time, there are cameras everywhere, implants in your eyes that can shock your eyes, and wristbands that can burn off your arm. I was fascinated by their world and all the means of control over the people. My eyes were glued to every page, and the level of detail and the precision of every fact was astonishing.

I loved the pattern of thinking related to this concept and the inspiration of standing up for what you believe in. I cannot even imagine the level of greed that must cripple the society. Yes, this book takes place very far in the future, but I cannot believe that the Supreme Court would ever allow this. Let's hope for the good of the Earth that the government never becomes this corrupt in the hands of corporate bribes and greed.

Today in our society with the current president, fake news, and freedom of speech and press in controversy, All Rights Reserved is very relevant to current issues and is a must-read for all adolescents soon making their way into adulthood in this complex world. It also reminds us that our freedom should never be taken for granted.

Readers discover that silence is more powerful than words. Words are not essential to forming a human being or a personality. It is what one stands for that defines a person. Speth is extremely humble. She did not want to be a hero, and constantly worked for the better of her friends. It was nearly impossible for her to resist the urge to speak and defend herself, and I doubt I would be able to hold on as long as she did. She was able to channel her rage into power and motivation to change the world.

I highly recommend this book. I cannot wait to read the next book, Access Restricted, which comes out on August 28, 2018!

Title: All Rights Reserved
Author: Gregory Scott Katsoulis
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Pages: 400
Series: Yes, Book 1 of 2
Rating: 5 Stars
Goodreads

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