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Secret Under My Skin #2
The Raintree Rebellion
Janet McNaughton’s brilliantly realized novel The Secret Under My Skin has been critically acclaimed both here in Canada, where it won three awards, and in the US. Readers everywhere have been eagerly awaiting its sequel, also set in a darkly tinged future three centuries ahead.
Blake Raintree, the heroine of The Secret Under My Skin, is now eighteen. She returns to the city of her birth as an aide to a justice council charged with trying to address the wrongs of the technocaust. While there, Blake submits the ID code from the microchip that was implanted in her arm by her parents in infancy, hoping to find out more about her past, and especially her father. What she learns will cause her to question everything she knows about herself. Torn between terrible anger and a search for love and acceptance she has been denied her entire life, Blake must face a harsh choice.
Another superbly crafted blend of rich storytelling, thought-provoking ideas and sensitive character portrayal, The Raintree Rebellionreconfirms Janet McNaughton as one of our best juvenile novelists.
Blake Raintree, the heroine of The Secret Under My Skin, is now eighteen. She returns to the city of her birth as an aide to a justice council charged with trying to address the wrongs of the technocaust. While there, Blake submits the ID code from the microchip that was implanted in her arm by her parents in infancy, hoping to find out more about her past, and especially her father. What she learns will cause her to question everything she knows about herself. Torn between terrible anger and a search for love and acceptance she has been denied her entire life, Blake must face a harsh choice.
Another superbly crafted blend of rich storytelling, thought-provoking ideas and sensitive character portrayal, The Raintree Rebellionreconfirms Janet McNaughton as one of our best juvenile novelists.
256 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2006
About the author
Janet McNaughton
23 books52 followersJanet McNaughton is the multi-award-winning author of many books, including The Secret Under My Skin, An Earthly Knight and her most recent novel, Dragon Seer, which was shortlisted for the prestigious TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award, as well as both the CLA Young Adult Book Award and the Book of the Year for Children Award. McNaughton lives in St. John’s, Newfoundland, with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
January 5, 2011
So disappointed. I loved the first one. Nothing really happened in this book. I don't even know what the real plot was? I had to force my self to finish it. The only things that happened were in the very last pages. This book really went no where, all it was about was randomn people talking about.....the technocaust? Horrible. I wanted to like this so much, I'll stop complaining, k, uh, bye.
July 15, 2025
A decent sequel to The Secret Under my Skin. I found the piecing together of the past very interesting and found myself wanting more from it but like all history, fictional or not, that isn't always possible. Not as good as it's predecessor but still an enjoyable read
February 16, 2014
I must admit that I am very surprised by low ratings of this book. There was even a review stating that "nothing happens in this book". That is indeed very wrong. A lot happens in this book, it's just that the story is an emotional and intellectual struggle. It's true they don't have the physical altercations as the first book. The struggles are fought with ideas and words. I connected with this book to an extent that I did not suspect I would. This story is about what happens after the oppressors were defeated. The search for answers and a way to put the past behind and make way for the future. In reality you don't just get rid of the bad guys and everything is dandy and perfect and the rest fixes itself. And as Blake learns in this book, justice and who the guilty are is usually mever black and white. So if blood and romance is what your looking for then perhaps this is not your style of book. However if your willing to go on an emotional journey of what happens after the physical battle has been won then you might just enjoy this book as I did and perhaps learn something about the real world. " I must be changing because it seems to me I don't have the right to judge anyone anymore" (pg 209).
November 20, 2013
I was STOKED to read this novel. I LOVED its predecessor. Yet this novel is very different from the previous one. It has a slower pace and a more philosophical tone - asking the reader to question their own values and views on innocence, judgement, crime and punishment. The storyline was good and had some startling plot twists but it required dedication, at times to keep reading on. I am very glad that I read this novel, though I can understand that it might not suit the taste of many readers, especially after reading the previous novel. I believe that this novel offers some very important warnings about what we are currently doing to our environment and how we treat 'poor' people. I was really happy that this novel in particular made reference to many streets and landmarks in Toronto and Ontario. It is somewhat rare to encounter that in a novel. I am sad to see this series conclude though I found that the ending was VERY satisfying.
February 7, 2020
The Raintree Rebellion, by Janet McNaughton, takes us through the story of a teenage girl, Blake, determined to find out more about her backstory. Years ago, a rage broke out in their futuristic world, named the technocaust. During the technocaust, Blake and her Mother escape across Canada to Terra Nova, where her Mother ends up dying in a concentration camp. Blake is saved from a ‘tribe’ and moves in with two loving adults, Erica and William. They find a microchip in Blake’s arm and set out to Toronto. Erica had been offered a job on the justice court and chose Blake to become her aide. When they arrive, Blake strives to scan her microchip and find out what happened to her father while unravelling the mystery of the technocaust and all of its secrets.
The book focuses on the world-building aspect of the significant events, and the author describes the history. While this is astounding and well thought out, Ms.McNaughton tends to focus on the world rather than the characters and the emotion. However, when she does write about what Blake is thinking, she uses descriptive words wonderfully and makes the reader feel as though they are undergoing what the character is feeling at that moment, and this is a reason why the reader can find this story compelling to read.
When reading the book, I found that, while interesting, the romance aspect in the story does not contribute to the book’s value. This sideline was barely mentioned throughout the book and didn’t leave me feeling fulfilled. It could have started as another plot and then was lost in the world-building.
Overall, this was a captivating sci-fi novel. I loved the drama of Blake’s dynamic and everything she discovers during the story. She is a highly relatable character, and I loved to see her connect her background with what she saw around her - it made the narrative come together and helped the reader understand more and build a relationship with the main character. I would certainly recommend this book to anyone who comes across it.
The book focuses on the world-building aspect of the significant events, and the author describes the history. While this is astounding and well thought out, Ms.McNaughton tends to focus on the world rather than the characters and the emotion. However, when she does write about what Blake is thinking, she uses descriptive words wonderfully and makes the reader feel as though they are undergoing what the character is feeling at that moment, and this is a reason why the reader can find this story compelling to read.
When reading the book, I found that, while interesting, the romance aspect in the story does not contribute to the book’s value. This sideline was barely mentioned throughout the book and didn’t leave me feeling fulfilled. It could have started as another plot and then was lost in the world-building.
Overall, this was a captivating sci-fi novel. I loved the drama of Blake’s dynamic and everything she discovers during the story. She is a highly relatable character, and I loved to see her connect her background with what she saw around her - it made the narrative come together and helped the reader understand more and build a relationship with the main character. I would certainly recommend this book to anyone who comes across it.
July 29, 2022
I liked the book and was taken by the author’s (Janet McNaughton) ability to link her narrative thematically to many issues currently confronting our contemporary world — political polarization, science, and political expression.
In terms of genre, “The Raintree Rebellion” is a dystopian futurist coming of age novel whose central character is female teen searching for identity and belonging.
“Rebellion” is a sequel to “ The Secret Under My Skin.” Both novels are set in Canada 300 centuries in the future. Characters are well drawn. The plot moves predictably with the main character moving along a readily anticipated path making them somewhat flat even to the point of being trite at times. Dialogue is stilted. Too many incidents are predictable, which at times dulls the reading experience.
All that said, it is evident in the final chapter of “Rebellion” that the ground work for a third novel has been laid. Will Blake fully reconnect with her father? Does she find “true love?” Is democracy fully restored on North American continent?
I liked the first two books well enough to want to read a third book.
In terms of genre, “The Raintree Rebellion” is a dystopian futurist coming of age novel whose central character is female teen searching for identity and belonging.
“Rebellion” is a sequel to “ The Secret Under My Skin.” Both novels are set in Canada 300 centuries in the future. Characters are well drawn. The plot moves predictably with the main character moving along a readily anticipated path making them somewhat flat even to the point of being trite at times. Dialogue is stilted. Too many incidents are predictable, which at times dulls the reading experience.
All that said, it is evident in the final chapter of “Rebellion” that the ground work for a third novel has been laid. Will Blake fully reconnect with her father? Does she find “true love?” Is democracy fully restored on North American continent?
I liked the first two books well enough to want to read a third book.
March 26, 2026
The sequel to Secret under my Skin. More dystopia, more similarities to the current situation, but this one offers hope.
April 20, 2026
honestly this book is terrible. it has no plot,and they keep yappin bout sum technocaust. the author fails to show real emotion or meaning to Blake's feelings , tho I do love how they show toronto and the actual streets which is very rare in books
April 14, 2010
The Raintree Rebellion
Janet McNaughton
Harper Collins Canada
May 6, 2006
Its now 2370 AD and Blake is 18 years old. She only recently found out her name and birth date because of a mysterious micro-dot with her information placed under her skin. Now she is back in Toronto. The city that her belated mother had taken her away from. Returning now with her guardian Erica, a new member of the recently formed Justice Council and an old friend of Blake’s mother, Blake is serving as an aide to Erica as they attempt to find out the secrets of the technocaust (the supposed rebellion against technology). Secrets unfold of Blake’s past as they dig deeper. But are the answers what they were looking for?
This book is very much falls under the genre of science fiction. It is based in the future and talks about the after- effects of the fictional technocast. The attention to the scientific details and timeline of this book, makes it without a doubt a science fiction book.
Blake Raintree’s past was filled with lies and few memories. She is independant, driven and can nearly be described as self-raised, because after being sucked into one of the many Tribes, which can be described as a modern day gang, she lost all memory of life before. Not knowing a thing of her father and having only a rare few of her mother, her adopted family was quite surprised by her ability to love. Growing up on the streets at the end of the technocaust was very challenging. She was lucky enough just to live through it, let alone finding a family after. Majority of those like her ended up in work camps or remained in Tribes or on the street. Her ability to learn had managed her as a bio-indicator’s assistant in the prequel to this book called The Secret Under My Skin. Her job as an aide know has also helped her find the secrets of her past and the micro-dot in her arm. Call it luck, but Blake Raintree has managed to lead a relatively good life in a world of chaos.
This book really made a point with protagonism and antagonism. Those who were much believed to be the antagonists, we’re later proved to not have been villains, but not heroes either. The same was proved for the protagonists. To really say who were good and who were evil, you would have had to have paid no attention to the end of the book. This proven point will keep you thinking, and remind you to always pay attention to both sides of a story.
Many minor characters played key roles in this book, such as Erica. The adopted mother of Blake. Though she is older, she lacks no character. If anything, she has more. She is very passionate and has good intentions at heart, no matter what she does. Working as a member of the newly formed Justice Council, she holds power that she attempts to use well. Her husband founded the newest university in St. Pearl, a city near their home town of Kildevil. Erica can be described in one word as motherly.
Kayko is another minor yet fundamental character who is introduced in this sequel. She works as aide to her uncle who is another member of the Justice Council. Bright and witty, she introduces a nice curveball to some of the safer elements of this novel. Though born in Canada, she prefers the clothing and traditions of her ancestors home country of Japan. Kayko acts as a good friend to Blake and is an irreplaceable part of this tale.
An author always has a message in their writing. The main point that I toke from here was stated earlier in my report. It was the fact of protagonism and antagonism. I hold true to that statement that there isn’t always a set bad and good guy, but a story with two sides.
After reading this book, I set it down and pronounced it good in my mind. Though I have only read one other report of this novel, and the writer of that report deemed it awful, I found this book wonderful. I thought this because there was a captivating attention to detail, that was great to have while reading. My proof of this detail is when they are going over the events in the tent and they were able to put all the events on to a flawless timeline. Say what you like, but the elements of this book are impeccable.
Janet McNaughton
Harper Collins Canada
May 6, 2006
Its now 2370 AD and Blake is 18 years old. She only recently found out her name and birth date because of a mysterious micro-dot with her information placed under her skin. Now she is back in Toronto. The city that her belated mother had taken her away from. Returning now with her guardian Erica, a new member of the recently formed Justice Council and an old friend of Blake’s mother, Blake is serving as an aide to Erica as they attempt to find out the secrets of the technocaust (the supposed rebellion against technology). Secrets unfold of Blake’s past as they dig deeper. But are the answers what they were looking for?
This book is very much falls under the genre of science fiction. It is based in the future and talks about the after- effects of the fictional technocast. The attention to the scientific details and timeline of this book, makes it without a doubt a science fiction book.
Blake Raintree’s past was filled with lies and few memories. She is independant, driven and can nearly be described as self-raised, because after being sucked into one of the many Tribes, which can be described as a modern day gang, she lost all memory of life before. Not knowing a thing of her father and having only a rare few of her mother, her adopted family was quite surprised by her ability to love. Growing up on the streets at the end of the technocaust was very challenging. She was lucky enough just to live through it, let alone finding a family after. Majority of those like her ended up in work camps or remained in Tribes or on the street. Her ability to learn had managed her as a bio-indicator’s assistant in the prequel to this book called The Secret Under My Skin. Her job as an aide know has also helped her find the secrets of her past and the micro-dot in her arm. Call it luck, but Blake Raintree has managed to lead a relatively good life in a world of chaos.
This book really made a point with protagonism and antagonism. Those who were much believed to be the antagonists, we’re later proved to not have been villains, but not heroes either. The same was proved for the protagonists. To really say who were good and who were evil, you would have had to have paid no attention to the end of the book. This proven point will keep you thinking, and remind you to always pay attention to both sides of a story.
Many minor characters played key roles in this book, such as Erica. The adopted mother of Blake. Though she is older, she lacks no character. If anything, she has more. She is very passionate and has good intentions at heart, no matter what she does. Working as a member of the newly formed Justice Council, she holds power that she attempts to use well. Her husband founded the newest university in St. Pearl, a city near their home town of Kildevil. Erica can be described in one word as motherly.
Kayko is another minor yet fundamental character who is introduced in this sequel. She works as aide to her uncle who is another member of the Justice Council. Bright and witty, she introduces a nice curveball to some of the safer elements of this novel. Though born in Canada, she prefers the clothing and traditions of her ancestors home country of Japan. Kayko acts as a good friend to Blake and is an irreplaceable part of this tale.
An author always has a message in their writing. The main point that I toke from here was stated earlier in my report. It was the fact of protagonism and antagonism. I hold true to that statement that there isn’t always a set bad and good guy, but a story with two sides.
After reading this book, I set it down and pronounced it good in my mind. Though I have only read one other report of this novel, and the writer of that report deemed it awful, I found this book wonderful. I thought this because there was a captivating attention to detail, that was great to have while reading. My proof of this detail is when they are going over the events in the tent and they were able to put all the events on to a flawless timeline. Say what you like, but the elements of this book are impeccable.
May 10, 2011
Blake journey only seems to have started when she returns to Toronto as an aide to her adopted mother, Erica, who has been chosen to serve under the Justice Council - the council which means to put on trial / conduct an inquest on the the Technocaust.
An interesting look at what happens after a successful revolution - set in a future where technology was the dividing factor. Lots of emotional development for the character Blake, who realises there is more to just black and white, innocent and guilty.
I would read the first book in the series - as the character Blake is very compelling. But there were times during this book when I thought McNaughton's writing was a little to obvious and I think I would have to get past this first.
An interesting look at what happens after a successful revolution - set in a future where technology was the dividing factor. Lots of emotional development for the character Blake, who realises there is more to just black and white, innocent and guilty.
I would read the first book in the series - as the character Blake is very compelling. But there were times during this book when I thought McNaughton's writing was a little to obvious and I think I would have to get past this first.
July 14, 2015
Mu daughter picked this up in a neighbourhood book sharing bin. She enjoyed it so much that she passed it on to me. I returned it when I was done so that others will get the same chance.
Although this is the second book of the series, it's the first I have read. I generally don't like post-apocalyptic settings, as they are usually fairly devoid of hope. In contrast, this book is packed with hope, much of which is realized during its course.
Although the setting and premise are unusual, they are made believable by the writer. The principal character is not only well-drawn and credible, but also very likeable.
Altogether a fascinating and enjoyable read.
Although this is the second book of the series, it's the first I have read. I generally don't like post-apocalyptic settings, as they are usually fairly devoid of hope. In contrast, this book is packed with hope, much of which is realized during its course.
Although the setting and premise are unusual, they are made believable by the writer. The principal character is not only well-drawn and credible, but also very likeable.
Altogether a fascinating and enjoyable read.
August 11, 2009
God. This book. I want so much to like it, because its ideas are awesome. But the writing is not good. At all. The plot is totally predictable, the folks of color in the book are stereotyped and mostly underdeveloped, and there are several cringily cheesy moments. Whyyyyyy? Y'know, it's not often that a post-apocalyptic ya novel focuses on the formation of a truth and reconciliation commission. I'm bummed that this was so disappointing. It could have been really amazing. But no.
February 5, 2014
I read the first book over ten years ago when I was in middle school. I didn't know there was a second one until I accidentally came across this one. Unfortunately this book couldn't live up to its predecessor. The premise, what happens after a rebellion, is intriguing but I've read better examples.
Overall, the story dragged on until it reached a not-so-thrilling climax. The End.
Overall, the story dragged on until it reached a not-so-thrilling climax. The End.
February 14, 2011
Really liked the technocaust idea as the grounds for the story.
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November 1, 2011i did not finish this book but i did not want to keep reading bacause it was so bad! I don't think you should read it.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews