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Book Review of Surviving Antarctica : Reality TV 2083

Surviving Antarctica : Reality TV 2083
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Reviewed by Karin Perry for TeensReadToo.com

Imagine a world where there are no public schools and only the extremely rich can afford to go to high school and beyond. Those not fortunate enough to be wealthy have to rely on "The Toss" that occurs once a year. All the fourteen-year-old teens gather for their opportunity to roll the dice. If the correct combination comes up (which changes for every person), they are awarded a scholarship for continued schooling. If you don't roll the correct combination, there is no education in your future.

For all children younger than fourteen, school consists of television. Programming is Historical Simulation Reality Shows, similar to today's Survivor. People are put in scenarios such as Civil War battles, the Alamo, and Egyptian Pyramid building. Intermingled with the show are quizzes about content and vocabulary.

This is the world five young people find themselves in during the year 2083. All five fourteen-year-old teens have lost their toss and can't afford to pay their own way through high school and college. So, when they see an advertisement offering a chance to participate in the latest survival show--this one involving kids instead of adults--they waste no time putting in their application for Historical Antarctica Survivor. Everyone that makes it to the end of the journey receives $10,000--enough for a year of high school. The person voted Most Valuable Player by the viewers will receive an additional $90,000.

After receiving a few days of snow and ice survival training, the kids take off for their adventure. As soon as they arrive at the Antarctic though, they understand just how dangerous the trip is going to be. Alone in the icy wilderness, the kids must survive natural and orchestrated calamities in order to make it to the end of the game. With the aid of an unlikely helper, the kids just might make it through.

Andrea White creates an interesting look at a possible future society. SURVIVING ANTARCTICA: REALITY TV 2083 is an exciting page-turner. Once the reader begins the story, they won't mind being snowed in until they finish.