In a country beset by civil war, New London defends itself behind a giant wall. Inside the city, children are forced to work from an early age, except for the lucky few who train to be leaders in the re-purposed Palace of Westminster. 12-year-old orphaned Pax is brilliant at recycling old tech. He enjoys working on the verti-farms and just wants a bit of peace and quiet. But when that is taken away from him, his only hope is to pass a near-impossible exam and join the other students in Scholastic Parliament. There he’ll make new friends and new enemies. He’ll get tested like never before. And he’ll discover that not everything is quite what it seems under the mayor’s harsh leadership.
What a fascinating look at a possible future! This is clever and well thought out and I loved reading all the little innovations and ideas.
I would have liked a bit more background - I gather that London and the rest of England are at war, but people still pass between them? When did this war happen? Why? None of that is addressed in the story, although I was reading a proof so there may be a forward in the actual book that explains, or they may be plot points in later volumes.
And I really hope there are later volumes - this could clearly run for some time, with plenty of ideas still to be explored. A fantastic run all around, and bring on the next one!
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