REVIEW for Candor

Thank you author Pam Bachorz for sending me a copy of her debut novel!






TITLE: Candor

AUTHOR: Pam Bachorz

GENRE: YA

RATING: 3.5 Stars




Author Pam Bachorz introduces us to her debut novel - Candor. This YA is a cross between sci-fi (think Stepford Wives) and social issues and Barchorz does a great job of incorporating the two genres into one very well told story.

We are introduced to our main character Oscar Banks - Oscar is a bad boy, but he is impersonating a good boy. Why? Because he is the son of the creator of the town called Candor - where, for a price (a very high price) parents and their children (read: difficult children) can set up residence and POUF! just like that, the kids become perfect little soldiers - with only these thoughts floating in their minds "Studying is the most important thing", "never lie to your parents" just to name a few. How is this being done, - brainwashing - and only the adults are aware of it.

However, Oscar is different - he only pretends to be brainwashed and, as a side business (like father like son????) he helps teens "escape" the brainwashing for a price of course - until he meets Nia and as Oscar struggles to save her from subliminal messages and brainwashing, we see an interesting inner struggle play itself out within Oscar.

This book is quite different from the type I normally read. However, I had to say that author Bachorz had me hooked pretty much from page 1. Oscar is both a likeable and horrible little character - and in many ways, he is just like his father and the story plays itself out around Oscar as Nia plays the catalyst that prompts Oscar to truly look at himself and figure out what is truly important to him.

The writing is very well done and I found myself despising ALL of the adults in this novel. There is an interesting social commentary here - do adults really manipulated their teens? (or rather) do they really wish they could? and just how far would they go to have the "perfect" children. While the author does not pretend to have all the answers, she does a wonderful job of setting up this plotline as one that makes you ask yourself alot of questions.

I enjoyed this book and recommend it.