Peaceful Genocide by J.A. Reynolds
Publication date: November 25th 2013
Genres: Science Fiction, Thriller, Young Adult
Publication date: November 25th 2013
Genres: Science Fiction, Thriller, Young Adult
Synopsis:
Seventeen-year-old Mitzi and Deuce can recall how
many drops of water were on a leaf from a rainstorm five years ago and
conversations from last week, month, or year. They have the ability to
remember every second of everyday—since birth.
This gift has blessed Mitzi with a history of being sexually assaulted by researchers and abused by her own parents. She trusts no one. Likes no one. Deuce, however, is a high school standout. His gift has made him a superstar on the football field and his memory promises him endless opportunities.
When they both end up at an Alzheimer’s research facility under false proviso, they quickly realize this place isn’t what it seems to be. They endure crazy military-style tests, are forcefully drugged, and complete real-life simulations that haunt them.
Mitzi and Deuce have no idea what the researchers want to do with them or their memories. But one thing is clear: the researchers will go to any lengths to get what they want.
This gift has blessed Mitzi with a history of being sexually assaulted by researchers and abused by her own parents. She trusts no one. Likes no one. Deuce, however, is a high school standout. His gift has made him a superstar on the football field and his memory promises him endless opportunities.
When they both end up at an Alzheimer’s research facility under false proviso, they quickly realize this place isn’t what it seems to be. They endure crazy military-style tests, are forcefully drugged, and complete real-life simulations that haunt them.
Mitzi and Deuce have no idea what the researchers want to do with them or their memories. But one thing is clear: the researchers will go to any lengths to get what they want.
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Excerpt:
Mitzi
jogged down to her room. She didn’t care what Mark had said. She didn’t care
that Deuce thought all of this research was for the greater good. She’d been in
enough bad research situations to know when something was awry. And Mark and
his people smelled more than fishy. They were outright foul.
She
put her hand in the scanner, waited for the door to slide open, and then froze
mid-step when she looked up at a willowy, tall blonde standing in the middle of
the room. She looked familiar, but Mitzi couldn’t place where she’d seen her.
Odd. Mitzi hated the blips that seemed to be missing from her memory. That
wasn’t normal.
“Who
are you? And what the hell are you doing in my room?”
The
woman’s glossy pink lips curled in a smile. “This might be your room, Mitzi,
but this is my facility. I have the right to be wherever I want, whenever I
want.”
Mitzi’s
expression went from flat, to flat-out pissed. She took a cautionary step,
casting her eyes over the rest of her empty room. “What do you want?”
“I’m
Ikea.” The woman held out her hand. Mitzi looked at it and grunted. “I’ve heard
you’re having some trouble with the study. Would you like to talk to me about
it?”
“Va te faire foutre.” Mitzi could get
used to the cursing in a foreign language thing. It made her feel better and no
one knew what she was saying.
Ikea’s
eyes went wide. “French? Qu’il lest
intelligent.”
Fuck. Mitzi bit her
bottom lip. “Qué hay de espanol?”
“Sí.”
Mitzi's
temper flared. “Che ne dici di italiano?”
Ikea’s
eyes glimmered like a predatory cat. “Naturalmente.”
Great.
Mitzi’s breath rushed out. The woman spoke four languages—and probably more.
Not that Mitzi wanted to stand there any longer and find out. After several
minutes of staring each other down, Mitzi spoke. “Why do you think I’ll talk to
you, because you’re a woman?”
A
bubbly laughed escaped her lips. “No, actually. I’d hoped you’d listen to me
because I am one.”
“Sorry.”
Mitzi folded her arms. “Not interested. I need to check out of here. ASAP.”
Ikea’s
perfectly round blue eyes widened for a brief second before she gave a soft
smile. “So then,” she said in an annoying preschool-teacher-type voice, “no
talking?”
Mitzi
shrugged and pushed past the woman, heading for her foot locker. She wrenched
it open and yanked out her clothes. “You can talk,” she grumbled. “Doesn’t mean
I’ll be listening.”
Ikea’s
four-inch heals clicked on the floor as she maneuvered to Mitzi. Mitzi froze
when the woman’s cold hand landed on her own.
“Don’t
touch me.” She jerked her hand away and continued stuffing her clothes into her
bag.
“I
know about you, Mitzi.” The woman’s voice was uncharacteristically calm and
soothing.
“So?”
She slammed the lid to the footlocker, swinging her bag around her shoulder.
“Lots of people know about me.”
“Do
they know that you killed a researcher during a study or that you tried to
cripple your father?”
Mitzi
halted at the door and half-turned to see Ikea, her jaw agape. “How do you know
that?”
“I
know everything. About all of you. This study requires me to know the most
intimate details of your lives. I even know about your scars, Mitzi. And how
you got them.”
Heat
flared in her cheeks. “How do I get out of here?”
The
attractive blonde shook her dainty head. “You don’t understand. This study
depends on you. All of you.”
Something
tight constricted around Mitzi’s body from behind. She jerked, but couldn’t
move. Her legs kicked and flailed, but the squeeze continued.
“What—”
She couldn’t breathe. The aired was sucked right out of her lungs.
Ikea’s
face blurred. “I’m sorry,” she said. “Really…I am.”
Lights
out.
Author Interview:
Publisher’s Weekly reviewed the unpublished
manuscript and said it’s, “Reminiscent of Ender’s Game, the tension ratchets up
with every test…nicely done.” How do you feel about your book being compared to
Ender’s Game?
Full disclosure here: I’d never read Ender’s Game before I
wrote Peaceful Genocide, so I had no
idea what the reference meant. Space Opera isn’t a genre I read a great deal
of. I did, however, read it shortly
after. When I learned of its popularity, I was flattered, but then I was
worried because I wondered if I copied a book I hadn’t even known about. I
mean, it happens more than you think. Fortunately the books are nothing alike.
I can see an underlying correlation (not going to give you spoilers), but the
books themselves are quite different.
How did you come up with the idea for Peaceful Genocide?
I have a
daughter who is an avid reader and I was always amazed with her literary choices
in elementary school. Instead of girly books, she always picked up
action/adventure, sci-fiction, etc. I wanted to write a book for her, something
she would pick up and love. Peaceful Genocide was the product of that.
Do you have a specific writing style?
I tend to be
very colloquial, which is why I can’t make a living as a journalist or writing informational
articles. I’m a storyteller at heart, and I like to think my style reflects
that.
How did you come up with the title?
A dear
friend actually came up with the title for me. And it was perfect. After all,
genocide is not peaceful. Or is it?
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
The
beautiful thing about writing a story is that different readers interpret
things differently. I like to think there’s a message in the book, but what
that message is depends on who is flipping the pages.
How much of the book is realistic?
If this book
was realistic, mankind would be in some serious trouble. However, I did read an
article not too long ago that discussed a memory chips implanted in people.
Scary. That tells me the technology mentioned in the book is probably out
there…let’s just hope they don’t use it like the book does.
If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
I like to
think there’s always room for improvement, but I also think that Peaceful Genocide ended up in a very
nice place. I hope readers agree!
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
I always
find the “middle hump” challenging. It’s the middle of the book when everything
has piled up and now it’s time for some super action to start! Getting to that
stage is hard, and so is bypassing it. But once I do, everything seems to fall
into place, which is always a fulfilling feeling.
What was the hardest part of writing your book?
All the kids in Peaceful
Genocide are geniuses in some way, shape, or form. I am not a genius. Not
even close.
How are you the same/different from their main character?
Ha, I couldn’t be any further from my characters if I tried.
Like I said, they are brilliant. Along with many other wonderful attributes
that I can’t even come close to.
Did you learn anything from writing your book and
what was it?
I learned
that technology can be a scary thing. And I also learned I’m not near as smart
as I wish I was.
What were the challenges (research, literary, psychological, and logistical) in bringing it to life?
There are so
many different aspects to Peaceful
Genocide. From technology, to science, to brain functions, to the
government, to obstacles courses, to secrecy—so many facets and twists that
hopefully keep people guessing. The kids are brilliant and have their own
special talents. The story as a whole required a great deal of research and
learning things I would’ve never thought I would need to learn. And bringing
the characters and story to life proved a struggle, but I do hope it draws
reader into a world they wouldn’t have thought of before.
Which character will the author continue, or will
he/she kill off some characters? Which characters will the author find hardest
to part with?
I don’t want to give any spoilers, but it is entirely
possible that not all of the characters make it through Peaceful Genocide, or the remaining books. After all, it’s a sci-fi thriller, with lots of action and ups and
downs. I am quite attached to Mitzi and Deuce, but they have their work cut out
for them. Nothing should be easy in my mind.
About the Author:
JA Reynolds lives in the Midwest with a normal family, raising a normal daughter, with some abnormal pets. It’s extraordinarily ordinary.
JA Reynolds lives in the Midwest with a normal family, raising a normal daughter, with some abnormal pets. It’s extraordinarily ordinary.
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