A creepy novel, but thought-provoking.

I was a little confused as to what was happening in the book at times, but this novel was otherwise excellent. It -definately- made me think!

Recommended for teens, but also adults who enjoy delving into mystery.

_ In Opium a land of poppy fields between America and modern day Mexico Matt Alacran is a normal young boy; at least that's what he thinks. When he met El Patron, a 140-year-old man, everything changed. His mansion was decorated exquisitely so you could tell that he is a very rich and powerful man. There are scorpions, the symbol of his family, around the house. What El Patron actually did that made him so wealthy, Matt did not know. He has a very intense intimidating and suspicious manner. Matt was now told that he was not human. That he was El Patrons clone.
_ Everyone had to act nice to him when El Patron is around, however when El Patron isn't around his family and the servants still avoided or ignored Matt because clones in the society were thought as inhuman beasts and were treated like livestock. He had no company until a girl named Maria visited, who was about his age. She becomes one of Matt's only friends, and maybe more. Tom, one of El Patron's great grandkids sets his eyes on Maria, which Matt does not like one bit. Tom is truly a heartless little devil, always getting into trouble. The "filthy little pustule" according to Tam Lin, is always trying to hurt or tease Matt. Tam Lin is one of El Patrons bodyguards that he leaves to watch out for Matt when he is gone. Tam Lin teaches Matt about survival and many other things about the Alacran family. He tells him many secrets and things that he had not known.
_ This book opens secret passageways and many questions about what will happen next. It will take you to a future setting where people can be turned into zombie like slaves called eijits. This is a great story that I enjoyed greatly to read. It is an epic story of betrayal, friendship, and survival. I could find myself not being able to stop turning the pages, always wondering what was going to be the next one. If you haven't read this great novel do and find out how Matt fights to survive from being butchered, make a quick escape over rocky and sweltering terrain, and find his way back to his Maria. This book will keep you interested till you read the very last word.

Limiting this book to a young adult audience is a disservice to the book and to the themes it brings up. This would be a fantastic book for an adult discussion group - there are so many themes and controversial topics that a group could discuss for hours and hours.

That being said, I nearly quit listening to this audiobook after the first hour. It was sooooo slow to get started. On top of that, it was often dark and opressive. However, after the character Tam Lin comes in to the story the whole book changes and you would have had to fight me to get me to give the book up. By the time the end came around I felt like I had lived a life with Mateo and was thoroughly satisfied.

So, what kind of themes are there? Well, this book, in my opinion, points out the dangers that many of the more Conservative thinkers warn us about with our current policies towards bio-technology and, to a lesser extent, immigration.

The future, as portrayed in "The House of the Scorpion" is often a dark place with clones created solely to provide body parts for their originals and "eejits" - people with computer chips inserted into their brains to make them completely docile and the perfect slaves who will literally do the task they're assigned to do until they are told to stop (or die). The United States is no longer the world's only superpower and there is a new country between Mexico (now called Aztlan) and the USA. It is called "Opium". Opium serves as a buffer between Aztlan and the U.S. that is run by a cartel of drug lords with drug plantations worked by eejits, most of whom are illegal aliens from the U.S. or Mexico who were captured and enslaved (the parallels with the American underground labor force comprised of illegal immigrants can be easily made).

Aztlan has become a country obsessed by economic success and the duty to the larger society as a whole. The goal there seems to be the bee hive - all workers know their place and sacrifice for the good of the society. The mantra is the "5 principles of Good Citizenship" and the "4 Attitudes Leading to Right-Mindfulness." The success of the state is paramount over the interests of any individual.

Grand themes run throughout the book such as:
-What does it mean to be human?
-Who is accorded human rights?
-What are the limits of cloning? Do we clone people just to use them for parts? Do we clone fetuses just to use their parts (as happens in the book)?
-The rights of the individual vs. the demands of the state? Where are the boundaries or should there be any? Is the individual entirely free? Can the state demand everything of the individual? Is there a difference between an eejit and an Aztlanian worker bee?

The audiobook lasts 12.5 hours and is read brilliantly by Robert Ramirez. I'm glad I stuck through the initial slow parts - I was thoroughly rewarded.

While the plot is a well-crafted one, this sometimes frustratingly long book is one best enjoyed in short bursts. There are passages of long, dry description that hinder the reader and make the story less interesting than it is. The characters are all well-developed, particularly Tam Lin, with unique individual personalities (or, with the case of the eejits, a lack of one). It's not a book I would ordinarily read, but I did enjoy it nevertheless, although it's not something completely stunning and breathtaking as many other books out there are. The ending seemed extraordinarily rushed to me, and the chapters with Matt and the other kids working were awkward somehow, didn't seem to fit with the story all that well, and felt completely unnecessary. I thought the ending was powerful, though I felt like Maria and Esperanza should have been there to see the final outcome. Overall, a good book, but not a "must-read, go out and buy it NOW" one.

Rating: 4/5

Nancy Farmer is a wonderful writer; her splendidly genre-blending funny and futuristic adventure story The Ear, the Eye and the Arm is a perennial favorite of mine and my children, and I have gone out of my way to read all the other books she has written, with no disappointments. But she has grown enormously! In addition to being a compulsive page-turner, "The House of the Scorpion" is sophisticated prose. It is a wonderfully complex, rich and believable tale, with such real characters that they seem to step off the pages and tell their own separate stories, and a scarily possible future. It is as much beyond The Ear, the Eye and the Arm as that is in turn beyond her first book, The Warm Place.

This book should not be billed as a YA story. Yes, it is about a boy and his journey from youth into adulthood. Yes, it has many action adventures. But this is the story of a dark and disturbing possible future; it is speculative fiction that holds its own with the best. It has a touch of science fiction, but deals more with a world that has gone through some ugly and frighteningly possible social changes. At the same time, it is a wonderful human drama.

This is a piece of literature that should be read by any apocalypse fiction reader, or any science fiction readers that are interested in social developments enabled by science. I would put in on a level with David Brin's "The Postman", or Kim Stanley Robinson's "Red Mars" trilogy. I cannot recommend it highly enough. But it is not really for kids.

I read this novel with a group of fairly mature fourth-graders who loved it. We discussed cloning, DNA and related issues, and also the drug trade between Mexico and the USA - fairly advanced topics for their age. I think it is more appropriate for middle-schoolers. It has won several well-deserved awards.

I could compare it to "The Giver", "Uglies" and "A Child Called It" and still not do it justice. Every one of those novels has blown me away, and yet this blows them out of the water. It speaks of a not too distant future, where clones are harvested for their organs; raised like livestock until called upon. Where a young clone has more humanity and love than those that surround him, where your heart breaks for him and hates the "real" people.

I laughed, I cried, I recommend it to all. This is a perception changing masterpiece.

It was the fine array of awards on the front cover that attracted me to "The House of the Scorpion" by Nancy Farmer, and the first words on the back cover--"Matteo Alacran was not born; he was harvested"--served only to intrigue me more. I have a long-standing addiction to young adult novels and to stories that question modern technology and ethics, so it became a must-read. And now I've read it, I loved it.

Nancy Farmer's writing quickly introduces a wealth of intriguing ideas without forcing the reader to stop and study them. In the first chapter, we're shown a doctor anxiously watching over the division of cells. We're not told what he's doing, or why, and the full implications of the final telling detail are left till much later. But we're pulled into the story.

The scene shifts to a child all alone, to a child who is not considered a child, and to the unthinking cruelty of children and adults alike. But it's not just this child who is treated as less than he really is. Workers in the fields live only to obey. Horses won't stop to drink unless instructed. And the truth about what's going on slips into the reader's consciousness just as it does into Matteo's.

Future history, future science and technology, future society and justice all unfold slowly and realistically, leaving the reader wondering just how much is possible, and how easily all we know could go horribly wrong. And the only "message" pushed through it all is that people matter.

In a land that describes itself as a "nation of laws" I am reminded of someone who once said, "The Sabbath was made for man." Nancy Farmer's novel projects our science, ethics and faith into an intriguing future, but what I loved most of all was the ultimate triumph and hope of humanity. Good wins through, and whether or not the ending is entirely plausible, it felt right and proper and satisfying.

Could any of this happen? I don't know. But I'm glad Nancy Farmer encouraged me to think about it and to clarify my thoughts through meeting her characters.

My daughter and I have been finding books that we both can read and enjoy. After sharing The Hunger Games we looked for another futuristic, well written fast paced book, and that book was The House of Scorpion.

Here's the breakdown of our thoughts:

Pros:
Very well written book and engaging story
Very well developed characters especially the main character
Unexpected twists and turns aren't easily seen and keep you engaged
The book has something to say and the subtext is very well done
The story is a real journey that spans a good amount of time
The ending is very satisfying all be it emotional

Cons:
The book can be a little slow in points, but it does ultimately pick up.
It's pretty violent in spots, so might turn off younger viewers
It's just a little long

In all House of Scorpion is a recommended read. Not the 'out of the park home run' that Hunger Games is, but still highly recommended.

I usually don't enjoy science fiction but I enjoyed this novel. It's modernism and realisticity gave me a good edge to most boring and slow fantasy books. I read the book in a day, and my son read it in an afternoon. It's worth a read....

This is the best book ever it is totally worth reading, when anyone asks me what's my favorite book, this is always the first one that comes to mind

I picked this book up blind at the recommendation of my son. The brief description I'd been given didn't provide much insight into what I should expect. Having recently read Bless Me, Ultima by Anaya, I was expecting something along similar lines. What I found was both strikingly different and oddly similar.

Characters
Our main character, Matt Alacran, is a clone (something I didn't know before reading, but it's introduced early on, so I'm not really spoiling anything by saying that). He's a clone of "El Patron", drug lord and 'president' of the country called Opium. Matt is raised without knowledge of his heritage or even what's going on outside the little home in which he lives. As he ventures outside and begins to learn more, he finds himself thrown into a world of persecution and discrimination because of his "less than human" status.

Matt is a lovable character on a search for his own sense of identity and purpose. He is stuck in the middle of a difficult world and he spends a lot of effort trying to understand it. It's explained to him that even though he genetically comes from such an evil person, he has the choice and the opportunity to be good and to make the most of his life. This argument is at the heart of the book.

Celia and Tam Lin are proxy caregivers to Matt through the novel and they provide the positive influences in his life that he so desperately needs. Without their help, he would surely wallow his days away in self-despair or being violently discriminated against by other members of the staff. As we learn their histories, particularly that of Tam Lin, we're given more opportunities to think deeply on the ideas of the inherent nature of people and what makes a person good or evil.

El Patron's character is intriguing in that we're time and again given indication as to just how evil he is and how much wrong he's doing in the world. However, as we're told that from the beginning, we find ourselves closely relating to Matt and wondering if perhaps El Patron truly has some good in him. El Patron always seems to shower Matt with protection, gifts and affection (in his own strange ways). Still, El Patron encourages Matt's more devious and naughty ways rather than encouraging him to be a virtuous child. As events turn for the worse, it's not a large surprise to see El Patron become as dark as he does. Still, I found myself hoping with Matt that El Patron may possibly still have some good nature to him.

Maria is the other major character in the book worth mentioning. She is first introduced as a child of about Matt's age. When its discovered that he's a clone, she is the only one still willing to provide any compassion to him. As she grows older, we find her to be an overly loving and compassionate character caring not only for Matt's well being but also for all others who are oppressed or struggling for one reason or another.

Plot/Pacing/Setting/etc
The setting of the story was very intriguing. We're sometime in the future in a land called "Opium" that exists between the United States and the Aztlan (formerly known as Mexico). From my Spanish studies, I recognized the name Aztlan as the ancient name for the land of Mexico...actually it included many of the western United States as well. While the author doesn't explicitly define the dimensions and boundaries of each country, I wondered a time or two at the current size and layout of each country.

The author presents a strange and frightening future where both the American and the Mexican (Aztlanian) governments have come to a sort of truce with the drug lords. The drug lords have been given a stretch of land between the two nations and given full sovereignty to produce drugs provided they don't sell to either US or Aztlan. The drug lords are also given power to capture illegal immigrants trying to cross the border. It is these captured illegals that El Patron (and other drug lords) use as slaves to farm their land. Towards the end of the book, we learn that there are refugees traveling in both directions...that is from Mexico to US as well as from US to Mexico. Apparently in this future, neither country is in ideal shape and "the grass is always greener."

The ingenuity of the author continues in her presentation of mind control chips implanted in the captured slaves. The slaves are compelled by means of these chips to serve diligently with unquestioning obedience...even to their own physical demise. This theme is later presented when Matt encounters the world outside Opium and finds that in Aztlan the people find the mind-control devices repulsive and yet some people force others into zombie-like obedience.

The book moved along at a solid pace, quickly progressing through the years of young Matt's life. Because of the environment he lived in, it was fully believable for a year or more to pass without much change. Thus the author was able to move forward through time quickly without having to slowly drudge through menial details of Matt's maturation.

Themes
This book leaves the reader with much to think on.

The first theme I found crossing my mind was the argument of Nature versus Nurture. Would the clone of an evil, dictatorial drug lord necessarily become evil himself? Or could he be turned into a loving, caring person with the right upbringing? The argument seemed to fall with the conclusion that proper and adequate child raising practices could suppress any inborn tendencies.

There were a few opportunities where Matt found himself behaving the same as El Patron...and enjoying it. He loved the power and the sense of control. He loved the respect he was given and found it very easy to be strong. As he was given lessons from Celia, Tam Lin, and Maria, he began to realize the importance of treating others well and of trying to show kindness and equality. While Matt is in Aztlan, he stands firm in his ideals and uses his powerful presence to take a stand. He could easily have turned this power further to his advantage and made himself an 'El Patron' figure in his own right. But Matt learned the value of kindness and the importance of balancing justice with mercy.

That exploration of right versus wrong is the second strong theme I noticed in the book. For the first half of the book, we are in the heart of Opium with its lavishly decorated mansion and its wonderful food. Despite the luxuries of evil, Matt and other characters find distress in the suffering of the slaves. As the book progresses, we also get small commentaries on the vile nature of drug use and drug trafficking.

Even within this pit of vices, there are good natured characters. Matt learns that bad people can do good things and good people can do bad things. He also comes to a realization that even if a person has done bad things in the past, they can and should be forgiven and able to make a reconciliation for their actions. This particular theme is lived through the character of Tam Lin, the bodyguard assigned to protect Matt. Tam Lin provides love and compassion for Matt, and yet he has a dark past. In the last few chapters of the book, it's evident that Matt feels Tam Lin is a good person despite his past and that he should be forgiven.

Overall
Ok...I realized this "review" is turning more into a large scale book-report. To bring it to a conclusion, I would just say that this book is a well structured adventure tale following a young boy in difficult circumstances. The plot is intriguing and gives the reader a lot to think about concerning the nature of a person and considering how we should treat our fellow man.

I found the language very accessible and entertaining. The descriptions were vivid and engaging. There was some minimal swearing which is a turn off for me to hand this to young children (I'm a little concerned at the swearing in the book my 8 year old read), but it's (sadly) a natural part of the world and I suspect it's not more pervasive than anything he hears at school.

Overall, I found this book a great read and recommend it.

****
4 stars

This review relates specifically to the audio book version of this novel, read by Broadway actor Raul Esparza. I have never been much of a fan of audiobooks as reading is such a pleasure for me, but I strongly recommend this version. Mr. Esparza seamlessly creates a world full of distinctive personalities, and makes the main character, Matt, especially memorable. This book is the story of Matt's childhood from conception until age 14, and as Matt grows, his voice, his vocabulary and his perceptions change. Mr. Esparza's readings have the spontaneity and humor of a true story teller. Nancy Farmer is fortunate to have her words come alive through him.

Matt is a clone for a man who chooses not to die and is the gangster father of a huge drug cartel in Mexico. El Patron had many clones made of himself so he could use their parts for transplant of new organs. Most had their brains destroyed at birth, but one was allowed to have normal intelligence. Matt, lives with a servant for many years then moves to the "big house" where the family lives. As on many landed estates of gentry, most people are treated poorly and cater to the few. The lowest forms of life are the eejits, people who have had microchips planted in their brains so that they can only be used as slaves without complaint. Others are servants and the extended family of El Patron rule the compound. Matt, because he has normal intelligence and lives outside the normal social structure is able to break out of the bond all people are tied up in with El Patron and break free with some servants help. The story is a very exciting one and without lulls. Most chapters include a surprise and wasn't what a reader would be expecting. Nancy Farmer has done a great job and my middle school students will love this book. There is a reason the book won so many awards.

I truly do appreciate this book. I truly do. Nancy Farmer has a gift for creativity and I'm in love with the way she makes a blend of culture, sci-fi, and morality. This is a complex and thought-provoking novel, written quite well.

That said, I still did not like it.

It's dark, severe, grating, and hard-to-swallow. Which works well for many a book, but I'm afraid that it only made the end of this book all the more cheesy. And this is one top of the bizarre family connections.

There's an icy feeling that connects almost all the characters, and I don't think Ms. Farmer properly escaped it in time to leave one satisfied.

Thank-you, Ms. Farmer, for putting such incredible concepts into a YA book with your talented writing, but please do not expect everyone to enjoy this.

Though I'm sure the right crowd will love it. I do not complain against its awards

This was a nice one, a fast, easy, interesting read that I got to after reading a few heavy, slow-moving books. When it's taken me a week to read each of the last two books, I really need a one-day read as a pick-me-up, and that's what this was. The House of the Scorpion is a very interesting little dystopia: the drug lords of Mexico, led by one Matteo Alacran, managed to swing a deal with the US and Mexico whereby they were given the area around the border between the two countries as their own sovereign territory; in exchange, they agreed to stop completely the flow of illegal immigrants, and also promised not to sell their drugs in either nation, but go to Europe, Asia, and Africa with their product. So now, 100 years later, Matteo Alacran is still alive, owing to the fact that he keeps growing new clones of himself in order to harvest their organs. He's not unique in this, the other drug lords do the same, but what is unique is that Alacran allows his clones to retain their minds, to learn and experience life until he needs to cut them open and take their still-beating heart, so to speak. The novel is the story of the last of these clones, who goes by Matt.

The author does a nice job of portraying life as the complete outsider. She also created excellent characters for El Patron, who is the original Alacran, and Tam Lin, the IRA terrorist-cum-bodyguard who befriends little Matt. It's a nice little idea that Alacran gets his security personnel from other countries, since, as he tells Matt, that means it's harder for them to plot against him; his most recent hiring was a group of English soccer hooligans. There's also a nice idea of how the country turns the captured illegal immigrants into mindless slaves to work the fields, and I love the depiction of the Alacran family and its infighting and scandal and hatred of themselves and pretty much everyone else.

The problem, if there was any, was in the last part of the book; it's a nice little chapter in the story and it has a good resolution, but the only problem with it is that it has no connection to the rest of the book: the last section is about Communist oppression and government corruption, and the first parts of the book are not. It disappoints because the themes in the first section are so strong, so immediate -- drug cartels, illegal immigrants, cloning; it is about what makes one a human being, what makes people into a family, and also gets deep into the purpose of a nation and a government. These were all explored, all fascinating, all done with an adept touch as the book never got too profound or preachy -- and then they were all abandoned as the setting shifts. I suppose we could see the last section as offering an alternative to the nation of Opium, and trying to show that every nation has its problems, but that is rather a different idea, and not one that connects well with the other main points.

Despite my henpecking, however, the ending of the book was fine, and the first three-quarters of the book were excellent. This is a great recommendation -- especially for boys who aren't big readers, as it was recommended to me by one such. It's science fiction and action, but both are thoughtful, and neither is overwhelming.

I'll start by saying that I am about two thirds through this book. I am reading it because it has been assigned as summer reading to my 9th grader. It is a rare book that I can't get excited about, and this happens to be one of them. So far, the story has been long-winded and convoluted. The concept of cloning should be intriguing, but I'm finding that I have no interest in any of the characters...not even the main one. I'm sure that the author could have thought of a better name than furball for the dog! :-)

I'm simply dreading the summer of trying to get my daughter to wade through this long boring story. I can't for the life of me understand all these glowing reviews of this book. There are any number of fantastic and exciting books they could have picked for summer reading; why this one?

This book is simply amazing--fluidly well told, with none of the typical "coming of age" tawdry sexualization, no offensive language, just an interesting take on contemporary issues. The realistic characters and well-paced story make this book worthy of all the awards it garnered. Buy your kid this book--then read it yourself!

I found the storyline in this book to be very bizarre to the point where at times it gave me the creeps. Yet, I could not put it down. The characters were compelling as were their struggles in life. The book was packed with moralistic sub stories and character twists that all seemed to come together to make this book a fantastic effort from the author. Highly recommended.

A real page turner, I can see why its now on many schools summer reading lists.

Its a highly addictive book that keeps you wanting more. I have to read this for my English class and I can't stop reading, When I first got this book I thought it was going to be "Another one of those books" so to speak. It's an experience that can't and shouldn't be passed up. Once you start reading this book it becomes hard to put down there is nothing I can say bad about this book 5/5

This book is a must read for any person, but there are drugs and violence, and the plot might be a little scary for some people.
This is one of my favorite books, as it doesnt just include one element. it has sci-fi, moral issues suspense, humor, and even a bit of (GASP!) romance!!! it doesnt get too intimate though, just kissing. i would reccomend this book to anyone four and up on the reading experience scale.
although it seems like a thick book, its a really fast read!

The book was great, but the ending seemed like it should have another book (series).

Imagine being harvested, not born. Imagine having no mother or father. Imagine being the exact replica of a feared and reviled drug lord. Imagine having a life expectancy of 14 years, for unknown yet fearful reasons. This is life as young Matteo Alacran knows it, and his story is what makes Nancy Farmer's THE HOUSE OF THE SCORPION a terrifically engaging book.

Rich in both plot and characterization, SCORPION opens with a boy locked in a house and kept by a kindly servant who works for El Patron, a 140-year-old (that is not a typo) drug lord whose real name is also Matteo Alacran and who rules a futuristic land, called Opium, that lies between the United States and the former land of Mexico (now called Aztlan). Matt's guardian is Celia, but her secret spills out into the open when Matt is discovered by children who wander far from the Big House where El Patron's rather nasty family lives.

Farmer provides a helpful family tree in the beginning, but it's not too difficult to keep track as only a few of the characters play a larger role -- chiefly young Maria, who bucks the trend of the entire family (spare El Patron) by lavishing attention on the reviled clone (our young protagonist, Matt). Then there's her step-brother, Tom, who makes a terrific antagonist -- all red hair, freckles, and guile. Tom's mother Felicia, a drug and alcohol-laden Cruella De Ville type, bears watching. And then there's El Patron himself, a Godfather figure who Matt loves despite foreshadowed warnings that begin to show their dark and sinister heads as the plot advances.

One huge plus for the book is the character of Tam Lin, a Scottish bodyguard assigned to Matt who proves a true mentor and savior in a most unexpected package. One slight minus for the book is the last section, "La Vida Nueva," which is almost like a sequel (though it ties in with previous material at the end) and isn't quite as strong as the beginning 2/3rds, due to a number of strong characters being missing from the action.

Still, it's a small complaint. This is a book of ideas capable of yielding rich discussion about the ethics of cloning (for various reasons that I can't get into here). An excellent plot will engage reluctant readers, and rich characterization will enchant readers who like to really get to KNOW their characters as flesh and blood people. When you enter this world, you won't easily forget it, even after you've long put the novel down. Can there be higher compliment for a book?

A young clone, Matteo "Matt" Alacrán (scorpion in Spanish), lives a secluded life in a desolate house within the poppy fields owned by a man he has never met. His only human contact is with his caregiver, Celia, a servant of the master, El Patrón, who goes to great lengths to exceed his life expectancy. Her stories are his only source of information about the world. Early on, he encounters some of the children of whom he knows only through her stories. Injured during the encounter, he is taken to the main house and treated kindly. But in the time it takes for a scorpion's tale to inject its venom, everything changes with the revelation of his true identity. Eejits and clones are center stage in this story of a family set amidst a variety of societal issues; communism, Catholicism, drug trafficking and immigration as well as the distorted family ties that bind the members together.

Taking place in three countries: America, no longer a world of milk and honey (as many people emigrate as immigrate), Aztlán (formerly Mexico) and the land between, Opium, it follows the life of Matt, an unlikely hero, whose will to live and persistence pay off when faced with a series of obstacles. A book geared towards teens, it's written at a high school level. Although it is interestingly complicated and includes a clarifying Cast of Characters and Family History, similar stuff has been written in books like Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, published later, shares similar themes.

Nancy Farmer spent quite a bit of time in Africa, mostly Zimbabwe, in the Peace Corp. I decided to give her a try again, and I am half way through "The House of the Scorpion". She is way too prophetic. Definitely not for children. It is a future where rich people raise clones of themselves to butcher for body parts. By law, they are deliberately braindamaged at birth. But, of course, this doesn't make them any less human - despite the desperate assurances that the luckier people give each other that "they are only animals". Somehow, the clones are not regular animals like dogs, cats, or horses - but "filthy beasts". Nancy Farmer understands projection. Many unlucky adults are made into "eejits" - a high tech version of Haitian zombification. They are people who are kidnapped and deliberately partially braindamaged just enough to be useful, but compliant slaves. And you thought waking up in a bathtub with your kidneys missing was bad.

The protagonist is a clone that didn't get brain damaged. Imagine that everyone treats you like a filthy beast, except a half dozen insightful people. Even the girl you love defends you because she is against any kind of cruelty to animals - not because she thinks you are human. Although as a good Catholic, she is troubled by the "theological problem" of an apparently intelligent person "without a soul".

As I say, I am half way through, and I suspect that the rich sponsor of the protagonist (at age 143) is going to need some body parts at some point...

Ok, I'm finished. Yes, the sponsor needed some body parts - that's all I'll say. Other reviewers complained about the ending. I disagree. It is a classic "catharsis" ending with the future hinted at but left to your imagination. A sequel could spell things out, and address the moral question that I was left with. Will the protagonist be able to avoid the gradual insidious slide into evil that befell his predecessor? Or will the temptations of wealth and power eventually corrupt him? A character in the story opines that the moral character of a life is set by choices made in its youth. But is that really true?

The concepts and characters were wonderful, especially Mateo. The story was driving and interesting, making the reader root for our young protagonist. The whole universe was believable and richly designed. I was in love with this book until the strange and pointless ending that wasn't really and ending at all. There was just no more book at one point and I was left wondering what actually happened to Mateo and his friend.

A better conclusion would have gotten this one the full five stars.

Most high school students would tell you that they wouldn't read a book that their old, crabby, high school librarian had suggested to them. They might even go out of their way to avoid ever even coming into contact with that particular title. Yes, that is what most high school students would tell you, but then again, I'm not like most high school students.

When my librarian said I ought to read A Girl Named Disaster, I was skeptical, but didn't want to seem rude, so I took the book off the shelf and checked it out anyway. I must tell you that once I opened the cover of that book, it was painful for me to close it again. Nancy Farmer's words captivated me and I was therein the jungles of Mozambique. I finished it within days and was back in the library, searching for more titles by the same author. That was the day I was introduced to The House of the Scorpion.

This highly suspenseful novel contains year by year accounts of young Matteo Alcran, a clone of a Mexican drug lord. Farmer's imagery holds you in place as you follow Matt on his journeys through love, loss, and even into near death on several occasions. This book, like her others, will not let you go even a moment without wondering what's next.

The most intense parts of Matt's life are definitely the moments when he is hanging by a thin thread between living and dying. You are there, not just watching Matt; you are Matt as he awaits his fate.

Nancy Farmer seems to want us to think about what our future may hold, as far as how we are treating our relation ship with Mexico. We need to take into consideration what would be best for both the people of Mexico and ourselves, not just making our decision based on our own selfish views. Also, this book brings up the issue of clones and how they would be accepted by society. Since they don't really have parents, and yet they are a 'copy' of another persons genes.

Nancy Farmer's writing has won many awards, and for good reason. The suspense is incredible, and her great word choice creates vivid imagery that transports you to the worlds of her books. This is and awesome book that any who wonder what the future may hold should read. Intense; a must-read!

-DCW

This book is really good. It was just really good I wont say what happens but ill kinda tell you the plot. OK this kid named Matt is living in a house (hes 6 when it starts out) and he never goes outside and all he does is watch TV. And lives with this woman who isnt his mom. Well he meets some kids and sevral things happen. But he ends up meeting this old mexican drug lord who Matt is a clone of. I wont say what happens but I will say that it held my intrest for the whole thing (and for a book this long thats saying something).

The age level I would reccomend is mabye 9 and up. As long as the 9 year old isnt scared easy. You see whenever the Mexican Drug Lord catches an illegal immagrint trying to go over the border he kills them (woman and children too) and puts a computer chip in their brain and that turns them into eijiets (I think its actully spelled diffrently I cant spell, hey im just 14) and the eijiets work in the opioum (the drug he harvests) fields. and many of them die. Its a bit like the borg in Star Trek.

I know this sounds like that one british dude from the book on tape thing.
But if you liked this another good book is Sea of Trolls by Nancy Farmer.
Its a good book and in the edition of The House of the Scorpion I read it had a chapter of Sea of Trolls in the back.

Peace Out

This book is really good. It was just really good I wont say what happens but ill kinda tell you the plot. OK this kid named Matt is living in a house (hes 6 when it starts out) and he never goes outside and all he does is watch TV. And lives with this woman who isnt his mom. Well he meets some kids and sevral things happen. But he ends up meeting this old mexican drug lord who Matt is a clone of. I wont say what happens but I will say that it held my intrest for the whole thing (and for a book this long thats saying something).

The age level I would reccomend is mabye oh lets say 9 and up. Just make sure the little 9 year old kid isnt scared eaisly. I wont give it away but its kinda like the borg from Star Trek.

I know this sounds like that one british dude from the book on tape thing.
But if you liked this another good book is Sea of Trolls by Nancy Farmer.
Its a good book and in the edition of The House of the Scorpion I read it had a chapter of Sea of Trolls in the back.

Peace Out

FANTASY
Farmer, N. (2002). The House of Scorpion. New York: Simon Pulse

Evaluation: This futuristic fantasy story was enjoyable at the start. The beginning is very intriguing. The Latino culture is part of the story with the use of Spanish words in text. Matt is a strong character and as he learns more, he becomes more interesting. The plot of the story at the beginning is very strong. Matt being viewed as an outcast constantly tries to prove others that he is "human" through his becoming more intelligent and musically gifted. The story takes a turn when it makes an attempt to involve more than just the cloning and the relationship with El Patron in its plot. The story has too many things going on with it after Matt finds out he is going to be used to save El Patron's life. Matt runs away and becomes part of a slave group of orphaned children that harvest plankton. Maria's mother is finding sanctuary at a motherhouse and Matt eventually finds her letting Maria know about her mother's whereabouts. Maria's mother advises Matt to return to El Patron's estate because he is the only one who can make a change in the way El Patron ran his estate. The Latino element is enjoyable in text, but as this chaos develops in the plot, it seems as if it is even too much to process in the story. This book is meant for junior high and high school readers. If a teacher were to use this book in a classroom, he/she may discuss science and the use of cloning. Touching on social studies, the teacher may examine a map having students come up with ideas as to where the opium fields were and how they divided the United States from Mexico. Teachers may also use this book to discuss what happens when the end of a story leaves you confused and without a solid end; in addition to what happens when the end of a book has too many different things going on and it becomes weak its ending. The book has won the National Book Award, Newberry Honor, and the Michael I. Printz Award for Excellence.

This book is worth every penny.

When I first picked up this book, I was thinking, "Cloning???" It had to be some awful tale of cloning strangers and taking over the world...nothing like what it really is

This book is about a boy (Matt) who barely knows what a clone is, but is one himself. He has three friends: His caretaker, his bodyguard, and a girl. Most people think of him as an animal, or worse...though he is as smart and perhaps even smarter than the humans around him. He soon finds out that the man he was cloned from actually made him to kill Matt for his body parts so he can live a longer life. He escapes and goes to find his girl friend but runs into a few problems...

The House of the Scorpion is sad but great... secrets are hiding in every page, ever sentence...

You will want to read this book over and over again. You will love the characters and will find yourself cheering Matt on as he makes his way - alone - in the new world

It is a good read; you will not be able to put it down! It took me only 3 days to finish it because I just HAD to know what happened-what the secret was-what happened to Matt in the well-written House of the Scorpion, by Nancy Farmer

I picked this book up at a garage sale because I'd read The Eye, the Ear and the Arm and had thoroughly enjoyed that even though it was bordering on bizarre. I liked this book even better. I loved how she dealt with many different issues of our time and set it in the future. She packs in many difficult issues such as human clones, drug trafficking, illegal immigrants, organ harvesting, and socialism vs individualism. This is a book that will make you think!

As for the book not being based on the scientific "fact" that clones would not have identical fingerprints, I didn't have a problem with that at all. It is not scientific fact because there are NOT any human clones on which to test the theory. It is only a scientific theory (educated guess) based on the fact that identical twins do not have identical fingerprints.

This book is not only for young adults. I'm 34 and enjoyed it greatly. I'm recommending this one to my 12 year old son, he will enjoy it just as much as I did. While there is some violence, it is never gory in its description.

This book had potential, but the author lacked any knowledge of the topics written about, which detracted from the story and ruined any point the author was trying to make. For instance, it is a basic scientific fact that twins (and hence clones) do not have the same fingerprints, and yet the idea that the clone has identical fingerprints to the original is a key point in the conclusion. This novel is all buildup with no facts, no point, and a broad unrealistic ending.

I like good science fiction, and really liked this book. The characters really made it come to life, and the action is intense. (Maybe too intense for some readers.) The clone Matt wonders why he was created, and tries to escape his heavily guarded farm. The book is suspenseful and thoughtful, and makes you think about good and evil in the world. Matt is a likable character who struggles to do the right thing. At the end, you're glad to see him finally win. In that regard, I would compare it to An Audience for Einstein, another great book about a human experiment and its consequences.

This is about the best novel I have ever read! I am not even done with it yet and it has the best use of language and description I have ever read. The plot is intriguing because it brings up scenarios and debates about today. There is the issue of drugs, illegal immigrants, cloning, and many more. A must read!

The House of the Scorpion is a place of power, ruthlessness, and compassion in unexpected places. The setting is Opium - a large swath of land spanning the present-day U.S.-Mexico border, established to solve two problems: drug smuggling and illegal immigration. Matt, who this story revolves around, learns that he is an integral part of this country and the power it represents.

There are twisted tales of deceit and misleading in Nancy Farmer's The House of the Scorpion. The story is told through the eyes of an onlooker who knows the protagonist, Matteo Alacran's feelings. Even though the book feels like it is in the olden days, the story actually takes place in the distant future. This futuristic setting really helps the reader understand the significance of the cloning in the story.

As you follow Matteo Alacran, the illegal clone of drug lord El Patron, throughout the story, you will unravel the mystery that surrounds El Patron's territory of Opium. Matteo gets taken care of very well and also receives a good education in the hands of El Patron. Celia, Matt's caretaker, and Tm Lin, Matt's bodyguard, help Matt along the windy path of his life in the "Big House in The Poppy Fields". Mr. Ortega, Matt's music teacher, helps Matt with his unbelievable music skills, something that has never been seen in El Patron.

The many conflicts in the story really help the reader understand Matt's character. As many external conflicts as there are between Matt and El Patron's grandson, Tom, there are just as many internal conflicts that Matt fights in his mind.

All in all I thought that this was a great book with plentiful action and such a captivating plot. I recommend this book to anyone who likes science fiction or just a well written adventurous book.

This futuristic science fiction novel begins with an intriguing premise and keeps the reader pondering moral questions throughout. Where do lines get drawn between the ethical treatment of all beings and the idea of growing clones for the purposes of organ donation. The family dynamics in the story are detailed and can be a confusing aspect for younger readers. It leads up to many questions of right and wrong, and while the beginning scaffolds information for the reader to adequately predict the rationale behind Matt's existence the final chapters take a completely different turn when Matt ends up in a post modern Mexico turned somewhat communist in raising the youth. This can be a pretty big leap to expect young readers to take, but with careful discussion it can also be used to demonstrate a book's ability to flip settings and purposes. Instructional ideas can include recent developments of cloning, organ donation, stem cell research debate, and a comparison to "equal" societies. Also touched upon is the illegal immigrant issues and the disturbing ways they were "handled" in the story. Realistic debates could easily come out of many aspects of this story.

I LOVE THIS BOOK!. it has all the elements of a wonderful book, betrayel, deception, love, EVERYTHING. if u were to read this book, you would get lost in its pages the first time you read it.

The book that i read is House of the Scorpions.The author is Nancy Farmer,and there was 380 pages.
The main characters are Matt ,El Patron, Mr.Alacran,Felicia,
Tom, Senator Mendoza, Maria,Esparanza,Tam Lin,Celia,Rosa,Raul.
First of all, Matt's full name is Matteo Alacran,aka "Mi Vida" and "The Clone". El Patron,the original Matteo Alacran also a powerful drug lord.Tom, the son o Felicia and Mr.McGregor.Emilia and Maria are the daughters of Esperanza and Senator Menedoza.
Celia is the Chief cook and Matt's caretaker.The setting is the Alacran Estate ,by the Country Opium.Matt is an advanced Eejit.
I liked this book because of the title not a complete giveaway of what this story is about.You would have to stay very focused on this book because it is a little hard to comprehend.

This realistic fiction/fantasy will keep readers at the edges of their seats. Starring a boy named Matt who finds out he's a clone. Having a terrible life with people treating him like a thing, and trying to win a girl from an evil boy, this book will keep the lights under your covers on until u finish it.

I am a middle school teacher and I recommended this book to my students for an after school book club and it really got my middle school boys reading! It's a great book as good as "The Giver" or better! A real "thinker" or theme to ponder type of novel for teens or older teens.

I don`t normally like science fiction novels. But in House of the Scorpion Nancy Farmer did and excellent job of keeping my attention. I really like the main idea of the book. Cloning. It is a very interesting story line that Nancy Farmer portrays for the future.
This book takes place in the Alacran mansion. This is where El patron lives (El Patron is the head of a major drug empire and is very rich). It is a very busy place that Nancy Farmer creates. Servants, Bodyguards, Families, and eejits which are people with chips in their brains. So they will only do something if you tell them to. The mansion is in between Mexico and the U.S. On a humongous poppy field. This is where El Patron grows all of his Opium.
Of the many people who live here Matteo Alacran or Matt is one of them. He is a clone, in the future where clones are despised. He lives a carefree life. With Tam Lin his bodyguard and Maria his friend. Matt is a very smart kid. considering his DNA comes from El Patron. One of the richest people in the world. El Patron treats matt like a king. And Matt does not know why. Most of this book shows how Matt tries to figure out his existence. So I also think that this book could also be classified as a mystery.
As the story unfolds Matt finally learns why he exists. To supply El Patron with his organs. When El Patron's fail. He is then faced with a dilemma. What to do. Should he run away? Should he give up? This book is a good description of what the world could possibly be in the future. Although it is three hundred and eighty pages long this book is definitely worth your time. Because you will love it. Nancy Farmer absolutely did a fantastic job with it.

I have learned the hard way that no matter how many quotes are plastered on the back of a book, the mean nothing. Take Faerie Wars (by Herbie Brennan), for instance. The book's backside is smothered with riveting praise that the book fails to stand up to...

But that's not the same with The House of the Scorpion. It actually was "mindblowing fiction." it actually did send me into deep thought. It was inspiring because everything about it was so real.

I have to give Ms. Farmer credit. She may be one of the few children/YA authors out there who can actually make a character seem their given age. Cornerlia Funke (The Thief Lord, Inkheart, etc...) is a bestselling author yet cannot master this... Nancy Farmer does it magnificently. When Matt (the beloved main character) is six, he seems six. When he's fourteen, he seems fourteen.

On normal circumstances, this book would have recieved a 4 star review from me on the account that it is a bit predictable and that the ending was a little rushed, but I realized that this is a novel intended for younger teens and older kids. Plus, the writing, story, and Farmer's ability to give character's creditability when it comes to their age greatly outweighed those two flaws.

Overall, The House of the Scorpion was one of the best novels I have read in a long while. It held my attention from beginning to end, made me think, and gave me hope that perhaps not all praise is empty.

DQ

"Air was sucked into growth chambers. A dull, red light shone on the faces of the workers...." With this line in the second paragraph of the first page, Farmer begins to weave her mood of dread, of science run amok, of humans on the short, fast road to the loss of their humanity. And all the while, she builds characters with whom we empathize, in whose existence we can see our own lives. This is a book that teaches the great lessons literature needs to teach, and ought to teach, our youth.

The book, The House of the Scorpion, is about a man who made clones of himself. He made a lot of clones but only one lived. He called the last clone Matt. Matt lived in this house called the big house. In the house he meets a girl called Maria. Matt meets El Patron, the man whom he was cloned from. In the book, Matt finds out that El Patron treated him nicely because he wanted to take Matt's heart so that he could live longer.
The setting of this book is made up country between the United States and México. This land is called Aztlan, but the people out of the country call it Dream Land. The book takes place one hundred years into the future. Most of the book takes place in the big house. And the rest of the time in a plankton factory or some where else that is out side.
The problem in the book is that El Patron treats Matt too nicely. Another problem is that Celia poisoned Matt a little. Celia poisoned Matt so that El Patron would not take his heart and live longer. Another problem is that El Patron doesn't allow any new technology in his house.
If you like to read books that has cloning, treachery, futuristic things, sci-fi, and odd deaths than I recommend this book to you. I like it because this book contained lots of weird events. When I was reading this book I felt like I needed to keep on reading. If you keep on reading and you have a pretty good imagination you could almost see the book as a movie. And that is why I liked this book.
~GM

Matt always had a normal life or at least he thought he did. He had to be locked up in a house in Mexico with Cecilia, the woman who took care of him. She had taken care of Matt since he was a small kid and was very kind to him. Whenever she went to work, Matt had to stay inside the house.
In the beginning Matt meets kids about his own age that he never met before. Tom is the oldest of the kids. Tom carried and took Matt when he got cut by glass in his feet to El Patron's house so Matt could get medical attention. In the beginning Tom is nice but after he figures out that Matt is a clone he starts to treat Matt really bad. Maria, the youngest one is the same age of Matt. She is a very stubborn girl and cries a lot. Later in the story Matt starts to like Maria and Maria starts to like him. After Matt's accident he meets El Patron. There he finds out that he is El Patron's clone! Matt grows up thinking that El Patron is a good loving person but is El Patron really how Matt thinks he is? Everyone seems to respect El Patron. Tam Lin, Matt's body guard, tells him all of El Patron's secrets. El Patron is the owner of everything. He is one- hundred fifty years old. No one ever disrespects him. A lot of people seem to be scared of him. In the house where Matt and El Patron there are people called eejits. Eejits are people that have computers in their heads. They don't have feelings and they just do whatever they are told to do. Matt has his first real adventure when he has to escape and save himself. Matt had always been a calm loving kid but once he discovers the truth about his past his attitude changes. He didn't know that one day his life would change just by breaking a window.
I really enjoyed this book. When I started reading it and I couldn't stop. There are a lot of clever books that Nancy Farmer wrote. For example she wrote, The Eye, The Ear, and The Arm. The story is exciting and there are some parts where there is romance. The theme of this book is acceptance. In the book only very few people like Matt. He faces a lot of persecution. No one likes Matt just because he is a clone. I've learned from this book that love will always beat money and power no matter what.
I think that people of all ages who love adventure would enjoy this book. Once you read House of Scorpions you will never forget about it. I really recommend that you read this book!

I started out just reading this book in segments of only 15 minutes each day. I would grab it and start reading when my 9th graders started their 15 minutes of SSR time each day. After only 2 days, I was hooked. I really don't like science fiction, but I loved this book. The premise of the book is engaging to kids and adults. The ending fizzles a little, but that's not unusual with young adult novels. I have noticed it in quite a few young adult novels with The Lovely Bones being a good example. Anyway, I liked the book so much that I ordered copies for my small reading class to read together in literature circles.

The House of the Scorpion is an amazing book. It is about a young teenage clone boy, Mattie, living in the future of Mexico (a drug producing land called Opium) The book follows Mattie as he learns that he is a clone to the overlord of this humongus opium plantation. He goes through many trials and learns many things about his home that he doesn't wish to be a part of. The House of the Scorpion is an absolutely wonderful book. It will keep you on the edge of your seat from cover to cover.