Friday, December 9, 2011

Feed - M.T. Anderson (Audio)

I'd been hearing about the wonders of "Feed" by Mira Grant on audio forever.  (This is the book about zombies and bloggers and stuff.)  My library didn't have it, unfortunately.  But there is always confusion about which "Feed" someone is talking about.  There was some feedish discussion at a recent book club meeting, and Heather (Book Addiction) said "Oh, Sandy, you must listen to the M.T. Anderson  "Feed"!".  Bonus?  It was only five discs long. 

Synopsis:  We find ourselves in a dystopian society, where the earth has been rendered a wasteland without plants or trees, the moon has been developed as a vacation destination, and our primary purpose on earth is consumption.  Tiny computer chips have been implanted under the skin that allows controlled "feeds", or commercials to invade your every thought and affect your spending habits (which are analyzed and manipulated).  In addition, the chip can be used to have one-on-one or community chats, and Internet-like information can be accessed, all through your mind.  Fashion trends change from hour to hour, and self-inflicted weeping skin lesions become de rigueur.

Titus is your typical high school teenager...vapid, inarticulate, often bored, and self-absorbed.  On one mission with his friends in search of fun, in a dance club on the moon, he meets a beautiful girl, Violet, with whom he strikes up a conversation.  While at the club, though, a hacker taps into their feeds, and they must be hospitalized in order to reboot and remove all traces of the hacker's virus.  It is only later that Titus and Violet realize that the attack may have had a more pervasive effect on Violet's system, and the repercussions of their dependence on the feed hit home.

Part dystopian world-building, part teen love story, part cautionary tale, part satire, "Feed" has a virtual banquet of food-for-thought.  Is our reliance on media and the cyber world a step in this direction?

My thoughts:  Put bluntly, I thought it was brilliant.  No wonder this eerie little piece of fiction won too many awards to list.  (I've counted 14 but there may be more.) 

I was immediately mesmerized by the world that Anderson has built for us, but at the same time, I was repulsed by it.  The focus on immediate gratification.  The disfiguring one's own body because someone says it is the cool thing to do (sound familiar?).  Teenagers that have been completely dumbed down and turned into consumer-centric drones.  If I took the time to stop and ponder, I was repulsed because it isn't so far from reality.  Are we really that bad?   

But while Anderson is sending all kinds of messages, he doesn't take himself too seriously either.  When one teen girl convinces another teen girl that her latest lesion, a recent purchase to impress her boyfriend and which is huge and is leaking viscera, sets off her eyes, you have to laugh.   

I found myself extremely frustrated with Titus at times.  He could be such a freaking teenage boy!  He avoids the difficult scenarios and unpleasant conversations, and would prefer to get wasted than face reality.  Which I am sure was Anderson's point.  I'm wondering if the young adult readers, to whom this book is targeted, are getting it?

A word of warning.  There are numerous curse words (if you were thinking about handing this over to your kids) and there are also many many slang terms.  While slang can really get on my nerves, it didn't bother me so much here because it didn't seem forced, but a part of their vocabulary.  But it is something you must get used to.

A word about the audio production:  If you are on the fence in deciding whether or not to read this book, I would highly recommend you try the audio.  The narrator, David Aaron Baker (narrator of the Dean Koontz Odd Thomas books) is the perfect voice of a lazy male teenager.  What makes this audio production so unique, though, is that you get a taste of a real feed, aka commercials, with singing, lingos, music, the whole bit, that is rattling around in people's heads.  Also, when people are having a mental one-on-one chat, there is a slight echo, which is a great effect.  This creativity makes listening not just a passive activity, but an experience.

4.5 out of 5 stars                   

12 comments:

Ana S. said...

I thought this was brilliant as well! Pretty creepy, but like you said with moments of humour.

bermudaonion said...

I read the other Feed and loved it - now it sounds like I need to find this Feed to read as well. It sounds fantastic!

caite said...

why, oh why do I listen to you? Do I need more books...noooooo. but my library has the audio and I just finished my last one...

Unknown said...

This has been on my radar for a while, but you've persuaded me to give the audio a try. Hopefully my library has a copy in stock.

rhapsodyinbooks said...

I picked this up once, and put it back. Sigh. Guess I have to pick it up again.

Zibilee said...

I just received this month's credit for audible, and guess what I will be getting? It sounds like such an unusual story, and I love that the audio has so many little extras in it as well. Great review on this one. I can't wait to see what I think!

Trisha said...

This one made my list too when everyone was raving about it. I can't remember if I have it on the shelves or not... that's how bad my TBR books are getting; I don't even know what I have anymore.

Ti said...

A book about zombies AND bloggers?? Really?

I've never heard of this one but it sounds perfect for me. My son doesn't like dystopias but with the "feed" aspect, I think he might. He is okay with the language. Rolls right off of him. So, after I read it, I will give it to him.

Jenners said...

So this isn't the RSS feed one that I always see. It does sound like a full audio experience .. onto the wish list it grows.

Heidenkind said...

This sounds interesting! I'm not really into dystopian novels so much, but I like the sound of the audio. I'll think I'll try it if I can find it at the library. :)

Anonymous said...

I am so glad you liked it!! I agree with everything you've said here. :)

Julie P. said...

Wow. I was only familiar with the other FEED.