No Safety in Numbers

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3.5 StarsAs a person who hates malls with every ounce of her being, I can honestly say the idea of being trapped in a mall with tons of other people and no way out might be my idea of the seventh layer of hell! Now add a possible biochemical weapon, and I am terrified by Dayna Lorentz's No Safety in Numbers!As Marco was running for his life in the mall parking garage from the beefy jerk from school, he had no idea his hiding spot was also the hiding spot of something a lot more sinister. A bomb. Lexi's mom, The Senator, thought a family outing was going to make up for all the time she has to work, but she couldn't have predicted how wrong she would be as the mall had to be quarantined. Now tons of people are locked down in the mall with no idea what is happening.At first it seems like a slight inconvenience for most, and maybe even a fun sleepover for others, but the novelty of being held captive in a mall wears off quickly. The bathrooms quickly become filthy, food starts to run out, and riots break out when people realize just how trapped they really are. When people start getting sick and the government agencies require everyone to submit to a blood test, people begin to realize there is something even scarier than being trapped in a mall- being trapped in a mall with a deadly virus rampaging through its halls.This was an interesting story and one a lot of kids would not be able to stop thinking about. The mall is a place of fun, a haven for kids to shop and goof around and just be kids. So when it becomes a nightmare, it makes everyone reevaluate their previous beliefs. The story also does a good job of showing the progression of such a situation. People aren't panicked at first. They are bored and making the best of the situation. But when things go south, they really get ugly. Looting, violence, and every other manner of human nature when people are scared and determined.Although the story was good, it had some huge holes. First, I can't imagine it would take people 6 whole days to panic. I think a day, maybe two, and everything would just implode. People don't just accept a quarantine, and especially not when there is the threat of a deadly virus. I know FEMA and the other government agencies would be relatively good about locking things down, but no force could control tat many scared people. And why didn't anyone question the store that was taken over as a command center until the very end? And why did the credit card machines still work when the phones and internet lines were taken down? There were definitely some holes in the story, but it was still entertaining, which is all you can really ask for. It would be appropriate for any manner of student and has an average reading level. But be forewarned, it is apparently a trilogy, so there is no resolution at ALL at the end of the book.

If you like fiction that could turn into a real event you will want to read No Safety In Numbers. I found the book to be well written and presenting a modern day potential problem in a manner that most people will rethink the possibility of this threat. I recommend the book.I look forward to reading the sequel No Easy Way Out.

This novel is basically a variation on "isolate everyone under dire circumstances and watch society break down." I could comment on the implausibility of the story, or the lack of a satisfying resolution, but my main problem with this novel has to do with how the story is presented to its intended audience - teenagers.Most stories of this type are very clear in what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior by the characters and what drives them to take matters in their own hands. The best stories of this type depict the regret and remorse of those whose actions don't truly reflect their true nature. In this novel, however, while the dire circumstances under which people find themselves is shown to influence their behavior, the inappropriate behavior by the adolescents in the story (for example, bullying, sexual innuendo, shoplifting, disrespect for authority) is glossed over as if "that's just the way kids are these days." While this may or may not reflect teenagers in real life, the lack of consequences for unacceptable behavior suggests that this behavior is "okay." Even aside from consequences, the very descriptions of these actions suggest no ethical standards.The purpose of the novel may not be to moralize, but should we suggest, by not drawing a line between right and wrong, that "anything goes"? The bottom line is, I'm a pretty liberal-thinking adult, but I wouldn't want my teenage kids reading this. There are so many better YA novels for them to read, none of which is marred as I feel this novel is.

I saw this book at a local bookstore, and the premise was interesting enough for me to buy it. I almost gave it two stars, but since I liked it enough to read the second book when it comes out, I gave it three.The plot is interesting. Typical teenagers caught in a mall with no escape. Fun at first, then people start getting sick and dying. The author tries to make you like the characters, but none of them are that likable. The writing is also very one-note even though it's told by five different character's perspectives.