Publishers Weekly
02/05/2024
In this social media–centered riff on dystopian game shows, teens trapped in the criminal justice system are given the opportunity to win money and their own freedom by competing in the public eye for fame, followers, and survival. After being charged with theft, arson, and manslaughter, white teenager Emerson Ness is approached by a mysterious person known as the Producer, who offers her the chance to avoid prison time by competing on a show called Retribution Island along with 49 other contestants. When Emerson learns that the show’s actual title is The Kill Factor, she quickly understands that it’s more than just a clever name. Once the game begins, she and her fellow participants are forced to resort to lethal means to advance—and survive—and as contestants drop one by one, Emerson realizes that she must ingratiate herself to her viewers and rack up as many followers as possible if she hopes to get out of this alive. Oliver (the Loop trilogy) draws upon well-known tropes from dystopian classics like The Hunger Games, but scarcely elevates them which sometimes overshadows the narrative worldbuilding and didactic social commentary. Nevertheless, Oliver’s thriller chops are sound, inspiring real scares via the gruesome trials characters are forced to endure in this visceral read. Ages 12–up. (Apr.)
From the Publisher
Praise for The Loop trilogy:
* "A script-ready story with blockbuster potential." — Kirkus (Starred Review) for The Loop
* “While some second novels dip or stall, this volume aptly does its job, building background knowledge for the series, creating more tension, and setting up a riveting cliffhanger for the series conclusion. Readers will be left begging for the final installment.”— Kirkus, Starred Review for The Block
* “Equally rewarding is that this third book is not simply an extension of the overall story arc, but a culmination that ties it together with its predecessors. A thrilling, thought-provoking, and ultimately deeply satisfying series conclusion.”— Kirkus, Starred Review for The Arc
School Library Journal
04/01/2024
Gr 9 Up—In a world where a person's ability to pay bills and buy food is determined by their online "brand credits," desperation abounds for those with no beauty or online charisma. Emerson will do anything to keep her brilliant, Deaf younger brother Kester safe and fed since their father doesn't seem to care, but when a robbery at Emerson's school turns into her arrest for arson and manslaughter, their outlook is bleak. Enter the Producer, with an offer she literally can't refuse—join his game show along with 49 other contestants, competing in both physical challenges and popularity with viewers, or just go straight to prison. Losing means spending the rest of her life in solitary confinement. Win, though, and not only go free, but leave with enough brand credits to last a lifetime. From the first of six deadly games, it is clear that no one will be coming to save them, and the stakes are immense. Working together will only get them so far—there can only be one winner on Retribution Island. This fraught, high-octane thriller engages readers in psychological warfare from page one. No characters are safe, and there is little reprieve from the gruesome deaths and intensely suspenseful life-or-death situations. Beyond the surface, Oliver engages with elitism and the dehumanization social media and reality TV engender. VERDICT An absolute bloody blast and a fantastic choice for readers looking for the horror of Adam Cesare's Clown in a Cornfield and the deadly single-winner competition of The Hunger Games.—Allie Stevens
JUNE 2024 - AudioFile
Listeners can expect a thrilling story of survival in this young adult audiobook. A riveting depiction of a dystopian world is voiced by Brittany Pressley, who gives a smooth, grounded account of what happens when the criminal justice system meets the entertainment world. When Emerson is accused of a crime she hasn't committed, her only way out is through a new televised game of survival in which prisoners are pitted against each other. Pressley envelops listeners in the game and guides them through Emerson's struggle for survival. They'll be immersed the whole time. N.S. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
2024-01-05
Youthful offenders face a deadly reality show in a social media–driven future.
Sixteen-year-old Emerson Ness doesn’t know who lit a match while she carried out a robbery, but she was caught at the scene and faces arson and manslaughter charges. She’s offered a spot on a reality game show promising fame and freedom to the winner—and life in solitary for everyone else. Desperate to provide for her younger brother, Kester, a deaf tech prodigy, Emerson caves and accepts. In this future world, class is literally stratified: The poor, like the Nesses, live in the Burrows beneath the elite Topsiders’ homes, and riches are awarded based on one’s social media follower count. The game show, Retribution Island, hinges not just on challenges but on popularity; Emerson knows her only hope is competing well enough to avoid public votes, especially since some of her fellow competitors are polished Topsiders, rather than Burrowers who committed crimes of desperation driven by inequalities in the system. The social commentary, openly discussed and integral to the plot, never gets in the way of the action or the story’s flow. Once the show’s true nature is revealed, the brutal action hits in viscerally grotesque sequences. Even the less sympathetic competitors are humanized, with the book highlighting traumas. Emerson reads white; names signal some ethnic diversity in the supporting cast, and a fat character is portrayed in a body-positive way. The ending screams for a sequel.
Compulsively readable; stands out among other works with similar premises. (Dystopian. 12-18)
