The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch

Pages: 278

Intended Audience: Teens

Genre: Dystopian

Notes for parents: Some mature scenes, violence

The Back Cover

Fifteen-year-old Stephen Quinn was born after the war and only knows the life of a salvager. His family was among the few who survived and took to roaming the country in search of material to trade. But when Stephen’s grandfather dies and his father falls into a coma after an accident, Stephen finds his way to Settler’s Landing, a community that seems too good to be true. There Stephen meets Jenny, who refuses to accept things as they are. When they play a prank that goes horribly wrong, chaos erupts, and they find themselves in the midst of a battle that will change Settler’s Landing—and their lives—forever.

What the Back Cover doesn’t tell you:

I think the back cover tells too much.

What’s good?

This adventure is a bit slow, but evenly paced, and a little wordy but well-written. The main character of Stephen is excellently drawn and his thoughts, motives and emotions are realistic and compelling. The dystopian world is believable and the action is gripping.

Best part: Stephen is a very well-drawn character.

What’s not so good?

Unfortunately, this is a cookie-cutter dystopian story. The slavers, the can of pears, the hidden utopia, and the bad guy amongst the good guys…it’s nothing new. I felt like the book shot itself in the foot from the beginning with a back cover that revealed too much. I knew what was coming – dad’s going to fall into a coma, Stephen’s going to find Settler’s Landing, Jenny and Stephen are going to do something stupid – so the story felt slow as I was waiting for these things to happen. No mystery, no suspense, no excitement. Great characterization and well-written action scenes were its saving grace.

Worst part: Jenny was nearly impossible to like.

Recommendations þþþoo

Dystopian novels are all the rage, and to be quite honest, this is just another cog in the machine. However, I love dystopian novels and felt adequately entertained by the end. Recommended.

Hirsch, Jeff. The Eleventh Plague. New York: Scholastic, 2011.