The House of the Scorpions

The House of the Scorpions. By Nancy Farmer. Atheneum, 2004. 400 pages. PB $9.99 ISBN 978-0689852237

Summary: Matteo Alacran is ignorant of the fact that he is the clone of El Patron, the leader of Opium, Mexico. Within the town of Opium, illegal immigrants are captured by the Farm Patrol and subjected to a lifetime of toiling in the fields. Chips are also embedded into the enslaved or ejitt’s brains, making them more compliant with El Patron’s desires. With the exception of his caregiver, Celia, and his body guard, Tam Lim, everyone who lives in Opium abuses Matteo. When word travels that El Patron is in need of Matteo’s organs, Matteo understands that he is a clone. Will  Matteo outsmart El Patron?

Critical Review: Nancy Farmer has created an absorbing book of science fiction. The action and adventure in this story kept me interested in learning what would happen to Matteo. Amazingly the dark aspect of this book did not leave a sour feeling. This was particularly because the cheerful ending resolved the majority of negative aspects in the story. Matteo successfully challenges El Patron, becoming the leader of Opium. The fact that Matteo and El Patron share similar DNA leads to El Patron’s downfall. In addition to the cheerful ending, I also enjoyed the addition of Marxism to the plot. The story of the Lost Boys poignantly illustrates how Marxism functions, and would be a suitable book to introduce these topics to tweens. 

Genre: Science Fiction; Action and Adventure

Reading/Interest Level: 11 years and up

Awards: National Book Award, 2002, Newbery Honor, 2003, Michael L. Printz Award Honor Book, 2003, Buxtehuder Bulle, 2003 (Germany), ALA Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults, IRA Young Adults' Choices, Sequoyah Young Adult Award, Volunteer State Award, 2006, Arizona Young Readers Teen Award, 2005, South Carolina Junior Readers Award, 2005-2006, Rhode Island Teen Book Award nominee, 2004, Young Hoosier Book Award, 2006, Nevada Young Readers' Award, 2005, Senior Young Readers' Choice Award, Pacific Northwest Library Association, 2005, Bay Area Book Reviewers’ Association Award for Children’s Literature

Reviews: School Library Journal (2004, October 1); Publishers Weekly (2004, May 17)

Similar Materials: Nancy Farmer’s The Eye, the Ear and the Arm

Subjects/Themes: cloning; illegal immigration; Marxism; Mexico

Character Names: Matteo Alacran; El Patron; the Farm Patrol; eejits; Tam Lin; Celia; Maria Mendoza; Lost Boys; Esperanza; the Keepers

Author Website: http://www.nancyfarmerwebsite.com/

Brief Annotation: A tween clone learns about his identity and confronts his malevolent creator, in this science-fiction Marxist inspired novel.