Shock Induction
Ratings5
Average rating3.3
From the bestselling author of Fight Club comes a dark, satirical parable about a string of mysterious high school disappearances, the seedy underbellies of billionaires, and the tough choices we make in the face of an uncertain future. In Shock Induction, the best and brightest students at a seemingly reputable high school are disappearing. Every day it seems another overachiever is lost to an apparent suicide. But something far more sinister is lurking beneath the surface. These kids have been under surveillance since birth, monitored and measured by an online service called “Greener Pastures.” It’s here, in Greener Pastures, that billionaires observe and recruit the next generation of talent. The highest test scores, the best grades, and the most niche extracurriculars just might land these teenagers an enticing offer at auction. A couple billion dollars in exchange for the remainder of your life and intellectual labor sounds like a pretty fair deal—doesn’t it? In a high school only Chuck Palahniuk could imagine, students must choose between the risk of following their dreams or the security of money and a lifetime of servitude to the world’s wealthiest and most elite—but how much of a choice do they truly have?
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I’m sure Greener Pastures won’t be chasing me down to be part of their group as I didn’t really get this book! 2 Stars ⭐️⭐️!
Chuck Palahniuk has been one of my favorite authors for years, though I have not felt that his more recent works have lived up to his earlier writing, so I was both excited and apprehensive when I received this ARC. Especially coming off from his previous novel, Not Forever, But For Now, which I would rank as one of my least favorite, I wasn't sure what to expect here.
But I'm happy to say that I did enjoy this book very much. This felt more akin to his earlier books; while I was reading it brought to mind Invisible Monsters, Rant, and some echoes from his short story Zombie. Definitely this writing style won't be for everyone, but I liked the fast pace and there were some moments of striking imagery that I think will remain in my mind for a long time. I would not say this is a new favorite of mine, and it would probably benefit from a reread, but it was overall good and I would recommend it to other fans of his writing.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC!
I'm not quite sure what I just read, but it wasn't awful. Mr. Palahniuk's writing style is always worthwhile in my experience, even if the content is subpar.
