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The House of the Scorpion

Book 1 in the series:Matteo Alacran

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The House of the Scorpion follows the story of Matt, a teenage clone created for El Patron, a powerful drug lord ruling over an opium-growing empire on the border of the U.S. and Mexico. As Matt discovers his true purpose and the dark realities of his existence, he must navigate a world where clones are considered subhuman and face questions about identity, humanity, and the morality of cloning. The book is a blend of science fiction, thriller, and mystery elements, offering a realistic yet chilling portrayal of a future society controlled by power and greed.

Matt's journey from a sheltered child to a young boy fighting for his life unfolds in a world filled with complex characters and thought-provoking themes such as cloning, power dynamics, and the definition of humanity. The narrative delves into the struggles and conflicts faced by Matt as he seeks to escape his oppressive environment, leading to a riveting exploration of human nature, ethics, and the impact of technology on society.

Characters:

Characters are well-developed, showcasing a range of motivations and complexities, particularly in their relationships with Matt, the clone.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is engaging, accessible, and descriptive, making complex themes understandable, though at times it may feel repetitive.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot explores cloning, identity, and moral dilemmas surrounding Matt's life as a clone and his struggle for freedom.

Setting:

The setting is a dystopian world shaped by the drug trade and cloning, providing a rich backdrop for the unfolding drama.

Pacing:

The pacing varies, with slower character-building moments balanced by faster-paced, action-driven events later in the story.
Water bubbled through tubes that snaked around the warm, humid walls. Air was sucked into growth chambers. A dull, red light shone on the faces of the workers as they watched their own arrays of littl...

Notes:

The House of the Scorpion is set in a dystopian future between the United States and a region known as Aztlan (formerly Mexico).
The main character, Matt, is a clone of El Patron, a powerful drug lord who rules the region of Opium.
Matt is raised in isolation and faces discrimination and persecution because he is a clone.
Celia, a cook, and Tam Lin, a bodyguard, provide Matt with love and guidance despite the cruelty of others around him.
The story explores themes of identity, humanity, and morality, as Matt navigates his understanding of himself and his purpose.
Mind control chips are used on eejits, brain dead workers who are forced into servitude on the opium fields.
The book raises questions about nature versus nurture, asking whether Matt will inherit El Patron's evil ways or forge his own path of goodness.
El Patron's character is complex; he shows love and protection for Matt while simultaneously representing corruption and evil.
As Matt escapes into the world, he learns harsh truths about the exploitation and slavery that exist in his society.
The novel is recognized for its vivid world-building and moral dilemmas surrounding cloning, organ harvesting, and personal freedom.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include themes of cloning, human trafficking, violence, abuse, and discrimination against clones, which may be distressing for some readers.

From The Publisher:

Matteo Alacran was not born; he was harvested. His DNA came from El Patron, lord of a country called Opium - a strip of poppy fields lying between the United States and what was once called Mexico. Matt's first cell split and divided inside a petri dish. Then he was placed in the womb of a cow, where he continued the miraculous journey from embryo to fetus to baby. He is a boy now, but most consider him a monster - except for El Patron. El Patron loves Matt as he loves himself, because Matt is himself. As Matt struggles to understand his existence, he is threatened by a sinister cast of characters, including El Patron's power-hungry family, and he is surrounded by a dangerous army of bodyguards. Escape is the only chance Matt has to survive. But escape from the Alacran Estate is no guarantee of freedom, because Matt is marked by his difference in ways he doesn't even suspect.

A Newbery Honor Book A Michael L. Printz Honor Book National Book Award Winner

Ratings (15)

Incredible (10)
Loved It (2)
Liked It (1)
It Was OK (1)
Hated It (1)

Reader Stats (27):

Read It (16)
Want To Read (10)
Not Interested (1)

About the Author:

Nancy Farmer has written three Newbery Honor books: The Ear, the Eye and the Arm; A Girl Named Disaster; and The House of the Scorpion, which also won the National Book Award and the Printz Honor. Other books include The Lord of Opium, The Sea of Trolls, The Land of the Silver Apples, The Islands of the Blessed, Do You Know Me, The Warm Place, and three picture books for young children. She grew up on the Arizona-Mexico border and now lives with her family in the Chiricahua Mountains of Arizona.

 
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