"SANDLER, Karen. Tankborn. 373p. 2011. Lee & Low. 2011, Tr $17.95. ISBN 978-1-60060-662-5. LC number unavailable.
Gr 8 Up—Mishalla and Kayla have been best friends for as long as they can remember, but as they near their 15th birthdays, they know they may
never see each other again. In their world, GEN's (short for Genetically Engineered Non-Humans) are given their
work assignments at that age and are not allowed any contact with former friends or nurture parents. What the
girls do not realize is just how dangerous their assignments are about to become as both of them get embroiled
in a plot to uncover decades-old information regarding genetic manipulation, scientific scandal, and corruption at the highest
levels of government. In her first novel for teens, Sandler has created a fascinating dystopian world in which a caste system,
supported by manipulated historical records and a religion based solely on insuring the obedience of the GENs,
was manufactured by their ancestors who escaped a dying Earth two centuries earlier. The author's speculative
vision of the darker side of future possibilities in genetic engineering and mind control is both chilling and thought-provoking.
This is a dark novel that will appeal to those who enjoyed M.T. Anderson's Feed (Candlewick, 2002), and it would make a good
stepping-stone to Anthony Burgess's classic, A Clockwork Orange (W.W. Norton, 1963).
—Jane Henriksen Baird, Anchorage Public Library, AK"
Excerpted from School Library Journal. To see the original review in context, visit the site and scroll down to SANDLER, Karen. Tankborn.
