The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer

I just finished this book and I'm at a loss for words. This dark look at what our future might be will make you ponder the ethics and morality of the path our society has taken. A new country exists between the U.S. and Azatlan (formerly Mexico) called Opium. A thin strip given over to drug lords to keep immigrants in their respective countries. Those caught are turned into eejits, people controlled by computer chips implanted in their brains. The drug lords controlling Opium are all powerful. Clones are created to provide body parts to the drug lords. El Patron has several clones, but one is treated differently. Matteo is bright, well educated and talented. He eventually learns what his real purpose is. How can he avoid his ultimate fate? What lies beyond the borders of Opium? How does society deal with the ethics of cloning? How does society deal with its members that are considered undesirable? This is a powerful book that will leave you with more questions than it answers.
Reed Reads Score: 5