Being a work of fiction, the goal of this novel is primarily to entertain, however, in doing so, it provides some insight into, and garners some empathy for, children “in the system”. Various instances of drug abuse and psychological pathology are glimpsed and acknowledged through Anais’s eyes. Most of these issues are not fully diagnosed or resolved, but despite this fact, the reader is led to root for Anais to rise above her circumstances; and the only way for her to do so, seems to be from sheer willpower. As with the movie, Kids, by Larry Clark, there is some shock value evident whereby an adult or a typically sheltered young person might be distracted and appalled by the amount of sex and drug use prevalent among the children in the story, making it difficult to relate to the characters at first. However, despite initial feelings of discomfort over the situation, the reader can soon overcome this reaction by being drawn into the story by the characters.

Despite some very adult content and language, the story seems to be geared toward young adults. Anais is 15, and despite being in some much more adult situations than the typical 15 year old, she still deals with the insecurities and identity issues common among all types of young people; albeit her issues far surpass those of typical teens.  Young people should be able to relate to Anais’s emotions, even if they are unable to actually relate to her circumstances. The spelling is used to portray a manner of speaking that I am guessing is a colloquial version of English with a Scottish accent. Based on the subjects of the novel, I am guessing it is a “lower class” accent; though that is simply a guess on my part. The language is at times vulgar and crude, but at the same time, is capable of conveying Anais’s intelligence and overall potential.

I was initially confused by Anais’s character; I couldn’t tell if she was supposed to be crazy or simply confused by drugs, or more likely, both of those. At the beginning of the novel I was at least certain that there was no way that “the experiment” could be real. However, by the end, Anais had developed enough credibility as the protagonist, for me to wonder if I was supposed to truly believe that there was such a thing as “the experiment” in Anais’s life. There are several questions that are never fully answered, but despite that, I feel that the book had a solid ending and is worth reading.

© 2014 Natalie Kelley-Wilson

Natalie Kelley-Wilson graduated from Allegheny College with a BA in English Lit. and from Clarion University with a Masters in Library Science. Currently she works at her town’s public library and the county historical society. Email: nataliekelleywilson82@gmail.com