Release Date: June 2014Genre: Dystopian
When and Where: Past - London, England; Future - The Community, run by The Industry
Protagonists: Alice (the past) and Carter (the future)
The Story: 87 years ago, the Storms started, destroying the land. Alice Davenport, stuck in her apartment after her mother left for work, goes to sleep as the rain starts and wakes from a fever to find the world forever changed. The Storms haven't stopped, London is flooded, and the water continues to rise. Surviving by using her wits, Alice is rescued by a group of people from Paradigm Industries. Taken to an underground stronghold to wait out the Storms, Alice grows from a timid child to a determined young woman. Life as part of The Industry is infinitely appealing - everyone is treated equally, everyone's needs are met, and no one goes hungry. The Model ensures that everyone and everything in The Industry runs efficiently, and Alice is an eager part of this new world order.
87 years into the future, Carter Warren has woken from stasis as a Candidate for Controller General. He must prove his abilities outreach those of the other potential Candidates, and many people within the community believe that Carter will be able to bring dissenters back into The Industry fold. As Carter prepares to prove himself, he investigates a rebellion to which he is unexpectedly tied; the rebellion has a stronger hold than Carter expects, and The Industry has been keeping secrets.
Reaction: Wow, wow, wow! I loved Paradigm! Switching back and forth between the past and the present, this unique novel shares the end of the world and how people adapted to it through Alice's story and the outcome of the development of a new world order, through Carter's story. This dystopian novel focuses more on the development of a new society and the implications for people as society continues to evolve (or devolve). The narrative switching in this novel is artfully done, though I must admit that I found Alice's story more interesting than Carter's. Left with a major cliffhanger, Paradigm is the first in a trilogy, and I will absolutely be reading the second and third stories in the series - Carter's story is just getting started, and I can't wait to find out what happens next.
If You Liked... Legend or The Knife of Never Letting Go, then Paradigm will be right up your alley!
Rating: 5
Teacher Notes: This novel touches on sensitive issues including pregnancy and assault.
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