Scott Reads It!

Seen at Scott Reads It I have read so many Dystopian books this year that I thought the genre could no longer surprise me. So many books are banking on the popularity of The Hunger Games and so the YA market has been overflowed with books about oppressive societies. When I started Monument 14 I thought that it was going to be a stereotypical and bland dystopian that I really wouldn't enjoy. Well color me surprised because I was very wrong. A Bit of Background:Monument 14 takes place in the Greenway, a supermarket where teens and young children take refuge during a hailstorm. Natural disasters start happening all over the world because of a mega tsunami. Earthquakes start to happen, a chemical spill happens that leads to people being forced to stay indoors. The chemicals react differently based on the person's blood type, some will go crazy while others will become sterile. You would think that all this info in a few short chapters would feel like the author was dumping way too much information but it didn't feel like that at all. Characters:Our lead character is Dean and he is the socially awkward kid who isn't good with girls. Dean was a likeable character and I liked how responsible he was with the kids in the Greenway. Honestly being trapped in a supermarket with 1st graders is on my list of things I would rather avoid along side being attacked by a shark. Anyway I really liked how maturely Dean handles all the obstacles thrown at him unlike Jake and Brayden. Personally I hope in the unlikely chance that there is the apocalypse I hope I would be able to take charge like Dean did.I wasn't as fond of the other characters as I was of Dean. We have the typical athletic jocks, the girls every guy is pining for, and the smart gal. I didn't really understand why Dean was so enamored with Astrid, she didn't really seem so special in my opinion. I personally Dean should go solo because he is too good for Astrid. I didn't like Brayden or Jake too much because they handled the situations poorly. I did like how Dean kept trying to bond with his brother and it just made me like Dean even more. Alex was too smart to be hanging with Jake and Brayden. Plot: Monument 14's plot is mostly character driven and it moves at a good pace. Monument 14 is mostly about how the teens handle being trapped in this Walmart-esque supermarket. We see the teens try to entertain the kids and themselves with games and other fun. Monument 14 is a bit more serious than I expected and I recommend it for older teens. There is sexual situations, drug use, and language that is definitely not suitable for younger readers. The plot focuses alot on the relationships between the characters especially Dean and his bro Alex. Final Thoughts:Monument 14 was an enjoyable read that really stands out in the Dystopian Literature. Basically it's Lord of Flies meets Ashfall where kids are trapped in a supermarket. Monument 14 is a great emotional outlook at what would happen if an apocalypse took place. I really found Monument 14 to be an interesting and realistic read. I'd definitely recommend to my fellow Goodreadsers and I hope my friends enjoy it as much as I did (or more!) than I did. Monument 14 has been optioned for a motion picture recently and I think it would make a great movie. For more info on the movie click here!