Review: The Unidentified - Rae Mariz

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Balzer + Bray; First Edition first Printing edition (October 5, 2010)

Kid knows her school’s corporate sponsors not-so-secretly monitor her friendships and activities for market research. It’s all a part of the Game; the alternative education system designed to use the addictive kick from video games to encourage academic learning. Everyday, a captive audience of students ages 13-17 enter the nationwide chain store-like Game locations to play.

When a group calling themselves The Unidentified simulates a suicide to protest the power structure of their school, Kid’s investigation into their pranks attracts unwanted attention from the sponsors. As Kid finds out she doesn't have rights to her ideas, her privacy, or identity, she and her friends look for a way to revolt in a place where all acts of rebellion are just spun into the next new ad campaign.

My Thoughts...

I have heard some mixed reviews about this book, but I am so glad I gave it a chance. I really enjoyed this story, and our main character Kid. She seemed so happy to just have her few friends and exist in the middle of the pack, all until her life gets turned upside down, and side ways. I loved her friendship with Mikey I thought he was a great character and a good friend to Kid. I wasn't a huge fan of Ari, I knew girls like her and high school and I never really got along with people like her. I thought the idea of "the game" was pretty awesome, I'm sure that there are some people that would benefit from a system like that for learning. I also kinda liked the sponsor concept. I do however see the message that the unidentified tried to send. I really want to continue gushing here but I don't want to give away anything because my favorite thing about this book had to be that I didn't always know where it was going. I thought I had some things figured out just to find out a little while later I was wrong. I give this one 4 stars and I really hope that any of you who havent' give it a try do!