21 Erased [Paperback]

I finished the book in a weekend, it was hard to put down. I kept on saying "Just one more chapter...".

There was near constant tension all the way through, very chilling at parts. The characters were well developed and Sarah was particularly likeable. Excellently done!

21 Erased is the story of Sarah told by herself. She is a young woman working as a cook in a government building. She also carries coffee, when necessary, to the offices. She is a simple resident living in constant fear of the system. However, what makes Sarah special is her ability to distinguish the true nature of the dark canvas of their lives. One day, during her brother John's birthday party, she shares her negative opinions about their situation with Steven, a friend of John's. And the same night she gets kidnapped from her home by government agents.

"They know everything. I was angry because I was scared, I lived in fascism and nobody saw it but me."

The book starts well. It gives a good indication about what's to come. It draws the reader in. When I read the short, 2-page, prologue-like first chapter, I felt I had to read more. This first chapter is a brief introduction to the book's setting. Unfortunately the author doesn't develop it as much as I'd like to but this brief glimpse is enough to tell the reader she's getting herself into a story about a dark, tightly-controlled society.

In this future fascist dystopian society, the code that people carry on their hands is their identity, their money, their house key, their car key, their bus pass. Without it or with an invalid code, they are nothing. They simply cease to exist. And everybody knows that maladjusted people are taken to the Adjustment Centers that were originally opened for pandemic control. They never come back.

This is a world where the heavy hand of religion is constantly felt on the shoulders of the citizens. There are prayers every day, for everyone at specific times. When the TV programs end, everybody pray and place their hand on their code reader and then, only then, they can go to sleep. People don't talk at work and the conversations during breaks revolve around simple things such as a TV show or a movie.

It doesn't come as a surprise to learn that government controls every aspect of its citizens lives. They control the media who tell people what to say and what to think. They even control the music or the shows that people listen to in their smart cars. The government also takes the responsibility of raising exemplary citizens very seriously. For this reason, children are taken away from their parents at birth. Every citizen is given a pill once a month that needs to be taken during a predefined time of the month. Internet is heavily controlled, people cannot kiss in public, cannot consume alcohol, cannot leave their state without permission.

One can't even find solace in good weather. Because of the climate change, the only season is winter. The temperature is always below 40F (5C). Some people are worn out from the cold and they have no money for heating. And when the sun comes out, it is not pleasant. It burns their skin.

21 Erased is a very fast read. Not only as a consequence of its novella size but also thanks to the author's style. Rayne also uses short chapters in her book, which contributes to the overall ease of read. But mainly because the book has the feeling of a movie made by a camcorder. It's not necessarily a bad story but the lack of depth in certain areas took me by surprise. All aspects of the story could be more developed. There are some brilliant ideas in the setting that don't live longer than a simple mention in a sentence. Just when the reader gets ready to learn more about them, they never materialize.

The only character development is Sarah's. The other characters feel like shadows. And I had a strong feeling that the author changed course in the middle of the story. At times it feels like reading through Sarah's elaborate diary. There are also a few other things that I cannot discuss in a review for the fear of spoiling the story.

However, and this is important, despite all these shortcomings, I enjoyed reading 21 Erased. Normally, I would consider any one of the points I mentioned above annoying. However the runaway train speed of the author's style grabbed me and pulled me until the very end. I think Rayne is currently working on her new book called Evolve. I'm interested to see how it compares to 21 Erased.

I could not stop reading the book! I was so deeply immersed in this modern day "1984".I couldn't help but to be captivated by the descriptive details,moving passages,and horrifying events! If you have ever wondered what it felt like to be completely controlled by a government,or maybe even a fan of "1984" and just want a modern day version?Then this book is HIGHLY recommended!Check it out for yourself!