Seven Second Delay

Gr 8 Up—In a futuristic Europe, Mila and her companion Julian travel illegally to the Isles (England). Everyone in the Isles has a phone implanted in their brains, which connects them to one another and their surroundings, and allows the government to watch their every move. When 17-year-old Mila is captured and labeled a terrorist, she's given such a device, and the government not only watches her, but is chasing after her. Lucky for Mila, the surveillance feed is on a seven second delay, giving her a slight advantage in a race to save her own life. In this science fiction thriller, Easton creates a not-so-distant future where the issues (and controversy) of privacy and security take center stage. Although it moves at breakneck pace, the narrative has noticeable plot holes and weakly developed secondary characters. It is satisfying enough for those who seek a great chase story, as well as readers who enjoyed M.T. Anderson's Feed (Candlewick, 2002) or Neal Shusterman's Unwind (S. & S., 2007).