The Kill Factor by Ben Oliver (review)

Reviewed by: The Kill Factor by Ben Oliver Quinita Balderson Oliver, Ben The Kill Factor. Scholastic, 2024 368p Trade ed. ISBN 9781338891850 19. 99 Reviewed from digital galleys R Gr. 9-12 In the criminal justice system, the people are divided into two social status groups: Burrowers forced to live underground; and the Topsiders who can afford not to. When Emerson Ness of the Burrows is arrested, she learns her charges are far worse than expected for attempted robbery and arson—she faces prison for manslaughter. A charismatic television producer intervenes with a way out if Emerson agrees to compete in a high-stakes gameshow where adolescent criminals endure mental and physical challenges to earn the most followers from the audience, for cash, clout, and freedom. Sadly, neither contestants nor viewers realize the true extent of the game's brutality. This pulsating dystopian tale has echoes of The Hunger Games, Black Mirror, and more recently Squid Game, especially in its indictment of a society that seeks entertainment at the deep emotional and physical cost of others. The gameshow setup claims to reform the contestants with virtuous themes like Respect, while its creators lack the same virtues, making a clear, searing commentary on the exploitative nature of the prison system and others who profit from misfortune. When growing your brand and attracting followers is currency, teens like Emerson grapple with implications of playing a game that is morally questionable but necessary for survival. Viewers are also in an impossible position—watching means views, but they'd have to watch to have the opportunity to be outraged, thus still contributing to the spectacle. The complexities found within the text offer opportunities for a myriad of discussion topics (existential, civics, etc. ) reaching far beyond the classroom. Copyright © 2024 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois