The List

by Patricia Forde Narrated by Imogen Wilde

Overview

In the post-apocalyptic, neo-medieval city of Ark, speech is constrained to five hundred sanctioned words. If somewhere were to speak outside that approved lexicon, they'd face banishment. The only exceptions to this rule are the Wordsmith and his apprentice, Letta. Together, they are the keepers and archivists of all language. But when Letta's master dies, she is suddenly promoted to Wordsmith and finds the situation more complicated than she knew. While fulfilling her charge to collect and save words, she uncovers a sinister plan to suppress language and to rob Ark's citizens of their power of speech. Soon, she realizes that it's now not only up to her to save Ark's language but also its entire culture...

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"Patricia Forde crafts a richly imagined future society, the development of which feels all too plausible in today’s climate… This is a story with a message and a purpose, one full of relevance and originality. With this novel, Forde reminds us that words do hold power, both to heal and to destroy, and that because of this we should be mindful of how we employ them. This is a love letter to the ways love and art can lift our spirits and replenish our souls in a world that often seems dark." — BookPage

"compelling to readers of all ages, The List is a spellbinding book about language, the environment, and humanity's role in protecting them both...A beautiful and absorbing read you won't soon forget." — Bustle.com

"[A] gripping postapocalyptic thriller... It is a well-crafted page-turner, as well as a compelling commentary on censorship and the role of language, while also inviting discussion about what distinguishes humans from animals. For dystopian fiction aficionados, this well-paced entry offers plenty of food for thought." — School Library Journal

"Forde’s exploration of language as both weapon and savior is a noble one, and environmental undertones bolster its power. Pair with Patrick Ness’ The Knife of Never Letting Go." — Booklist

"Forde's pacing and characterization are compelling… An intriguing speculation about authoritarian futures with a terrific cover." — Kirkus Reviews

"An electric sci-fi novel with a strong ecological and moral stance." — The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

"This novel could be compared Jeanne DuPrau’s The City of Ember (Random House, 2003) where the corrupt government controls the necessities of life." — School Library Connection

Kirkus Reviews

2017-05-20
Young Letta becomes wordsmith to her community in a future that follows a climate apocalypse. A likable protagonist, Letta (white with green eyes and red hair) is the one positive female character in this narrative of resistance and revelation. She is at the mercy of John Noa, the controlling savior of a number of people who joined his Ark just before a warming planet Earth produced massive, devastating floods in an event remembered as the Melting. Noa is obsessed with the potential of the spoken word to influence human conflict and confusion. When Letta chooses to shelter a wounded boy, Marlo, shot as a Desecrator by Noa's security force, the corruption at the heart of things begins to reveal itself to Letta. Her disillusion deepens when her master goes missing and when a young boy, son of her neighbor, is banished for misusing language. Marlo (sallow-skinned, with blue-gray eyes and black hair) turns out to be part of a largely self-sufficient community living outside the Ark and opposed to Noa's strictures. Forde's pacing and characterization are compelling, especially after initial chapters focused on Noa's truncated List-based language of acceptable words (all English ones) and people's awkward struggle to speak it. Brief expository passages interspersed with Letta's story reveal Noa's thinking and his ugly desire to eliminate the weakness of language. An intriguing speculation about authoritarian futures with a terrific cover. (Science fiction. 10-14)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940175517461
Publisher:	Dreamscape Media
Publication date:	08/08/2017
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

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