Have you ever pondered what it would be like to be a clone? Nancy Farmer's The House Of The Scorpion provides the answer.

It is filled with thrilling action and suspense, constantly surprising you with unexpected twists and turns just when you think you have grasped the story. I firmly believe this is a 5-star book, a shining example of what all books should strive to be.

The author's style is highly entertaining. She has chosen a remarkably creative subject. The story follows a clone named Matt and his journey of rising to his fullest potential through numerous life trials and more.

The author keeps readers engaged by dropping hundreds of well-placed and thoughtful hints. She has truly been ingenious in writing this book.

The author's choice of characters is truly outstanding. She has incorporated almost every conceivable personality. Just when you think you know a character, they transform into someone completely different. Their opinions come alive, and you find yourself taking sides. She makes you eager to spend more time with the characters.

In conclusion, I think this book is a highly interactive read that can entertain even the youngest readers. It makes you question the book's ending multiple times within a chapter. I would highly recommend it to anyone seeking a book that is anything but boring.

Starting with the beginning, I was truly confused as to what was going to unfold in the story. I didn't expect in the first few chapters what I would actually be reading. From the outset, I liked Matt's character. She managed to capture the imaginative mind of a child, but that seems to be all that she can relate to, which is likely why the writing is rather terrible. As Matt grows older, everything becomes obvious. His character also begins to turn into somewhat of a jerk, and I despised his character throughout the rest of the book.

Once Matt is brought to the Big House, everything becomes clear. Especially when El Patron treats Matt like a savior, because that's precisely what Matt is. It's evident from the moment you meet El Patron that he is a manipulative dictator, and you know he will die. You can anticipate him saving Matt and then expecting Matt to save him. I knew which characters were going to die, and I knew what the characters were going to do. I even caught on to the poisoning and understood why when Celia began poisoning Matt. And throughout the book, the evident manipulation was all that fueled my frustration at the dumb character who might as well be another brainless clone.

I did, however, enjoy that the book was written in the third-person narrative. Simply because it provided me with more details as to how Matt's brain was developing from a psychological point of view, given the treatment he received from the simply boring family members. Additionally, Matt is the only character that receives any kind of development throughout the book. Sure, Tam Lin has his back story, but he remained the same throughout the entire novel. This lack of development creates a boring and uneventful atmosphere that makes everything predictable, resulting in a bad plot. While I will admit that the elements of dystopia, manipulation, power, and the overall theme of stereotypes help the plot, it's all ruined by the lack of excellent writing that should have been the cherry on top.

One can tell that the author did her research. The intertwined cultural thematics thickened the world that was created, giving it a sense of realism. However, it's sad to see something with so much potential turn out to be as bad as "House of the Scorpion" was. I hope that I never have to see another great story thrown away due to bad writing and an unadvanced plot. Also, there were so many instances where there were deaths or events that in no way made any difference to the book. Like Tam Lin's death was no sort of sacrifice; it was pure suicide. There was also no reason to write the dialogue in Spanish and then write the same thing in English. That isn't realistic as no one just speaks the same thing in multiple languages for no reason, and it's extremely aggravating. I'm disappointed that I had to waste my time on this for school, and I hope that someone will realize what a waste of time this novel truly is.

Woah!

I know I was supposed to finish this book during fall break, but I'm actually really happy that I didn't put this book down. It was so engaging and captivating that I just couldn't stop reading.

The story was full of excitement, adventure, and interesting characters. I was completely immersed in the world that Nancy Farmer created.

Now that I've finished the book, I'm eagerly looking forward to reading the sequel. I can't wait to see what happens next to the characters and how the story will unfold.

Thank you, Nancy Farmer, for writing this awesome book. It has truly been a great reading experience.

**FAV QUOTES**

He was a man who couldn't talk.每当他试图说出话语时，就会被恐惧所笼罩。To speak was to open a door into his carefully built fortress, and anything might rush inside. 说话就像是打开一扇通往他精心构建的堡垒的门，任何东西都可能冲进去。

When he was young, he made a choice, like a tree does when it decides to grow one way or the other. 当他年轻的时候，他做了一个选择，就像一棵树决定向哪个方向生长一样。He grew large and green until he shadowed over the whole forest, but most of his branches are twisted. 他长得又大又绿，直到他的树荫覆盖了整个森林，但他的大多数树枝都是扭曲的。

When you’re small, you can choose which way to grow. If you’re kind and decent, you grow into a kind and decent man. 当你还小的时候，你可以选择成长的方向。如果你善良正直，你就会成长为一个善良正直的人。Matt thought it was hard to promise something like that—nobody planned to forget—but he nodded. 马特认为做出这样的承诺很难——没有人打算忘记——但他还是点了点头。

If I had a soul, I’d probably end up in hell anyway. 如果我有灵魂，我可能最终还是会下地狱。After all, what is suffering but an awareness of suffering? 毕竟，痛苦不就是对痛苦的一种意识吗？
She was overflowing with life. Everything delighted or devastated or fascinated her. There was no middle ground. 她充满了生命力。一切都能让她高兴、毁灭或着迷。没有中间地带。A jailer has a hundred things on his mind, but a prisoner has only one: escape. 狱卒脑子里有一百件事，但囚犯只有一件事：逃跑。Slow people are just paying close attention. 行动缓慢的人只是在密切关注。Through her eyes, Matt saw the world as an infinitely hopeful place. 通过她的眼睛，马特看到这个世界是一个充满无限希望的地方。  

这些引语都蕴含着深刻的哲理和情感，它们从不同的角度描绘了人性、选择、成长和世界的本质。这些话语或许能够启发我们思考自己的生活，以及我们在这个世界中的位置。

This book indeed has its (minor) problems.

However, it holds a special place in my heart as it is a childhood favorite.

Throughout my childhood, I would often pick up this book and get lost in its pages.

The stories and characters within it were so vivid and engaging that they captured my imagination completely.

Even though there may be some flaws in the book, they do not overshadow the joy and memories it has brought me.

For this reason, it will always receive 5 stars from me.

No matter how many other books I read in the future, this one will always remain a cherished part of my childhood.

It is a reminder of the simpler times and the love for reading that was instilled in me at a young age.

In "The House of Scorpion" by Nancy Farmer, Matt, a young clone, inhabits a dystopian world under the control of a drug lord named El Patron. El Patron desires Matt's organs to keep them for eternity. Matt is one of El Patron's eight clones. As Matt grows up, he has a caretaker named Celia, who is part of the wealthy Alacran family. El Patron is the "top dog" of the family, ruling the house like a king, with no one having a say in what occurs and controlling everyone's abilities.

When Matt turns 14 and begins to mature, he is taken to the city of Opium, where most of the Alacrans reside. Opium is a small strip of land between Mexico and the United States. At this stage, Matt is unaware that his life will change forever. For the first couple of weeks at the Alacran house, he is treated like an unwanted animal. He is locked in a room covered in sawdust, given very little food, and is treated as such. He is extremely confused about whether he should attempt to escape or endure a long and difficult life in Opium, not knowing which day he will die. Matt must find a way out of the house to survive and prevent El Patron from taking over all of Mexico and the U.S.

This story presents a thrilling and thought-provoking exploration of a clone's struggle for survival in a harsh and unjust world.

House of the Scorpion is a truly remarkable book.

The description of the characters is vivid and engaging, making them come alive in the reader's mind.

The setting is equally well-crafted, creating a unique and dystopian world.

Matt, a clone of the wealthy and extremely old El Patron (who is over 135 years old), is treated unjustly as he is not regarded as human.

El Patron takes it upon himself to teach Matt how to manage the drug empire.

The story follows Matt's life journey, starting from his childhood and progressing through his teen years.

Along the way, Matt learns more about his purpose and discovers the truth about the eejits, who have been dumbed down by microchips.

Eventually, Matt uncovers his true identity and gains a deeper understanding of the complex family tree.

This book is not only a thrilling adventure but also a thought-provoking exploration of themes such as identity, ethics, and the consequences of scientific progress.

My lovely partner was kind enough to let me borrow this book to read, and I truly enjoyed my foray into escapism.

I have to admit that while I liked the story, I felt the author could have done a better job of building the world. There could have been more science and more heartbreak to make it even more engaging.

The characters seemed to have things a little too easy at times, but considering it's a Young Adult novel, I can't be overly critical.

Overall, it was an enjoyable science fiction book with interesting themes of socialism and human rights. I would definitely not mind picking up the second book in the series to see where the story goes next.

It had its flaws, but it also had enough redeeming qualities to keep me entertained and eager for more.

I'm looking forward to seeing how the author develops the story and the characters in the next installment.

Maybe there will be more depth and complexity added, and the world-building will be more detailed and immersive.

Only time will tell, but for now, I'm content with the reading experience I had and will eagerly await the release of book two.

I’m usually not a fan of dystopian books.

However, this particular one was truly captivating.

I really enjoyed how Farmer incorporates the current US-Mexico border geography into the book.

It adds a layer of authenticity and makes the story feel more relevant.

Moreover, the parallels with current geopolitical tensions are also quite interesting.

It makes the reader think about the real-world implications and the potential consequences of such situations.

The author does a great job of creating a vivid and engaging dystopian world that keeps the reader hooked from start to finish.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in dystopian literature or wants to explore the themes of border politics and geopolitical tensions.

It’s a thought-provoking and entertaining read that will leave you with a lot to think about.

I absolutely adored this book with all my heart. It was truly a remarkable read that took me on an unforgettable journey.

Matt is a character like no other. He will never fit into the category of a normal person. As Matteo Alacran, he has an unwavering determination to fight for his survival. The things he has done require an enormous amount of courage and nerves of steel.

If I were in his shoes, I would be completely lost and不知所措. Living as a clone must be an incredibly difficult existence, but Matt makes it seem almost effortless. He powers through life, taking each day as it comes, with a strength and resilience that is truly inspiring.

The question that lingers in my mind is whether Matt will ultimately survive when he takes over Opium. I am on the edge of my seat, eagerly anticipating the sequel. This book was simply amazing and I cannot wait to see what adventures lie ahead for Matt.

The plot of this book is meandering, making it a bit of a struggle to follow. The characters, unfortunately, are quite forgettable. They lack the depth and charisma that would make them truly stand out in the reader's mind. Additionally, the writing style is rather clunky, which further detracts from the overall reading experience. In fact, it feels as if the book could have been half as long and still conveyed the same story effectively.

I can see how some people might have an appreciation for this book, perhaps due to its unique subject matter or some other aspect that I may have overlooked. However, for me, it simply never had the captivating power that it should have had.

Interestingly, this book was a Printz Honor book in 2003 and also a Newbery Honor book in the same year. It seems that a book can indeed be a candidate for both the Printz Award and a Newbery Medal, which is quite an achievement. But despite these accolades, it just didn't quite hit the mark for me.

Ok, first off this book was really weird. It gets a 4.5 stars rating. When it came to picking out our science fiction book, this one really stood out. A clone developing inside a cow's womb? What on earth? It took us quite a while to get into the book, trying to figure out exactly what was going on. Matt's adventure was both heartbreaking and heartwarming. Some people loved him, but that number was very few, and others downright hated him.

Throughout the book, someone was always out to get Matt. Once one threat stopped, there would always be someone else. At his age, this really shouldn't be happening, but since he's the clone of the most powerful drug lord, he's born with these rivals and opponents. He was beaten and starved when he was about 5-6, all because he was a clone. Even though this is set in a completely different world, human feelings on certain subjects never change. The family that Matt is trapped in was raised to hate clones and treat eejits with disrespect as if they weren't human as well or at least once human.

For those of you who have read this, you know what I'm talking about. (WARNING - This part will only be understood by those who read The House of the Scorpion. If you find yourself confused, read the book. If you are also afraid that you will find spoilers, I've done my best to not say any, but if you find any of this (which I promise you isn't), don't say I didn't warn you).

1. The feelings in this book are all over the place. The ones you really want to hate (like El Patron), you can't, but then you know when you hate a certain someone (Tom) because there is no reason to like them. Whatever Matt felt was reflected onto me and most of the time it was pain or a mix of feelings. In fact, unlike most books, you don't have one or two feelings on the events, this one had several. Every time we talked about the book, we would all mentally scream about what just happened and how to feel about it.

2. The characters were phenomenal and never disappointed. They played their parts perfectly and at some points were confusing to understand their intentions. Most of our discussions were about the relationships between two characters and how they developed or how we thought they would develop. Some of the characters even surprised us with something new.

3. You never knew what was going to happen next. There were plot twists everywhere and as much as some were like "Oh My God, why didn't I think of that", others were like "Wait What???" Even as a group, our lit circle group couldn't predict what was going to happen next. It was perfect.

4. Everything fell into place. Like I said in number 3, there was always twists and turns, but that never meant that everything didn't fall into place after the fact. For one thing, we never expected Felicia or Tam Lin to do what they did, yet it all makes sense in the end. There wasn't any cliffhangers that left you in the dust, but it still makes me want to read the sequel none the less.

5. This has to be the strongest kid to ever live. How on earth did Matt survive for that long living in such a horrible world? It was the worst environment for a child to grow up in, yet I think Matt turned out just fine. He had to go through being starved and beaten, and then moved up a little to constant remarks that he's just livestock. Plus with everyone around him that not only hate clones, but also hate who he was cloned from. So he's born with not only people fearing him, but also out to get him. Matt was just strong through the entire thing. How did he do it? Well, I still have no clue.

Okay, let's all be honest here. Who else was annoyed by Maria in most of the book? She had her good times of course. (Especially when she told Matt that she loved him) But that was towards the end. At the beginning, she liked Matt then she hated Matt and didn't want to talk to him. It does all come down to Tom though, and everyone hates him. Yet even after he beat Matt, who was left defenseless, with a peashooter and she still forgives him, that's a problem. I was so happy when she finally realized what a horrible person Tom was because if she didn't, I would have slammed my head into the desk and thrown my book at the wall.

Nobody likes Tom, and if you do, well please reconsider.