The House of the Scorpion, was able to move me in ways I never thought a book could. It took control over my life, and I could never find myself capable to put it down. It forces the reader to think, feel, and sympathize with the book’s protagonist. This is a book that will …more change a child from a non-reader to a reader.

The reader follows the life of young Matt Alacran, an orphan who lives with his foster mother, Celia. Although Matt is very nice, there is something wrong with him. Something unlike normal children. Matt is a clone. A genetic copy of the 142-year-old “El Patron”.


Throughout the book Matt meets many people, who treat him as an animal and as a mistake. In Matt’s life he knows only three people who show him compassion: Celia, Tam Lin, Maria. Celia is Matt’s foster mother who only wants the best for him, but is sometimes too defensive. Matt’s body guard, Tam Lin, appears brutal and violent on the outside, but on the inside he is compassionate and understanding. And Maria, Matt’s first crush. Although sometimes scornful, she builds a friendship with Matt and unlike the other children, she treats Matt like a person, not an animal.

The only negative in the book was that it continued to get darker and more disturbing as the story progressed. And the author described the book so in depth, you would literally walk away from the book feeling upset and discouraged. In a way, the book was so good, it almost made the reader feel bad

This book proves that Nancy Farmer is truly a Sci-Fi genius. I strongly recommend this book to all readers, both boys and girls. I have never read anything that can control a reader like this novel. The House of the Scorpion, will blow you away. (less)