The House of the Scorpion (Matteo Alacran #1) by Nancy Farmer - MMC GBR - Starting August 1st 2021

[Anna 'Bookbuyer']

With undertones of vampires, Frankenstein, dragons' hoards, and killing fields, Matt's story turns out to be an inspiring tale of friendship, survival, hope, and transcendence. A must-read for teenage fantasy fans.

At his coming-of-age party, Matteo Alacrán asks El Patrón's bodyguard, "How old am I?...I know I don't have a birthday like humans, but I was born."

"You were harvested," Tam Lin reminds him. "You were grown in that poor cow for nine months and then you were cut out of her."

To most people around him, Matt is not a boy, but a beast. A room full of chicken litter with roaches for friends and old chicken bones for toys is considered good enough for him. But for El Patrón, lord of a country called Opium—a strip of poppy fields lying between the U.S. and what was once called Mexico—Matt is a guarantee of eternal life. El Patrón loves Matt as he loves himself for Matt is himself. They share identical DNA.

[Anna 'Bookbuyer']

The House of the Scorpion (Matteo Alacran #1) by Nancy Farmer will be our 6th GBR for August 2021.

Please read at your own pace, and hide any spoilers ☺ You are welcome to join at any time during the month ☺

Happy Reading Everybody!

[Anna 'Bookbuyer']

Pre-Reading Questions -

Anybody got any thoughts on this one before we start?

Has anyone read anything similar to this before?

Anybody read anything else by this author previously?

[Dannii]

I'm just starting this one :)

Anybody got any thoughts on this one before we start? The cover does absolutely nothing for me but the synopsis is very intriguing. I don't think it is a title I would have gravitated towards from seeing the cover in a bookstore though. Hopefully this will teach me not to judge a book by the cover :)

Has anyone read anything similar to this before? It sounds like a pretty unique YA Fantasy. I read a few reviews before starting and they all seem to say the same.

Anybody read anything else by this author previously? No. I'd not heard of this book or author before seeing it was a GBR title.

[Dannii]

Up to the end of Chapter 9 - (view spoiler)[I'm not disliking the writing style, but it's also not really doing anything for me either, at least so far. The story is interesting, however. Matt's treatment is so sad to read about. I felt so sorry for him when he was forced to live in amongst straw and in almost total isolation. He left food to rot so insects would arrive and form some entertainment for him.

Tom is a despicable character who totally takes advantage of Matt's situation and gets away with it due to his angelic looks and the ability to play the victim when other adults are present. I'm glad Matt's aim with the rotten orange was so great. The rotten fruit and worms he was coated with was only a little of what he deserved.

I'm glad Matt managed to escape that situation but it does not prove the end to his hardships and isolation though. (hide spoiler)]

[Dannii]

Up to the end of Chapter 19 - (view spoiler)[I wish Maria would realise the truth about Tom's hatred towards Matt. She only seems to see Matt's retaliations. All three are acting out as they are suffering from something though, so I don't actually dislike any of them anymore.

The focus has shifted away from the personal and solely Matt's story to incorporate more of the work occurring in Opium, which has given it its name and is conducted by the clone slaves. (hide spoiler)]

[Dannii]

Up to the end of Chapter 28 - (view spoiler)[I'm not hating this but also nothing is super compelling me either. I can understand the appeal of this story and like how it does seem different to so many other YA books written around this time, but it also just isn't doing anything for me. I can't really explain it... Maybe it is as the concept is interesting but little story has been structured around it.

Maria is set to marry Tom but still is trying to save Matt, who has now learnt his fate as a clone. (hide spoiler)]

[Dannii]

Up the the end of the book - (view spoiler)[I still didn't ever feel fully invested in this story but the new setting did make me more interested again. It kinda felt like an abrupt shift in attention but I did also love witnessing Matt gaining new friends, even if his new circumstances were just as dire as all those preceding it.

The metaphor of the dystopian story very obviously related itself to communism and it did provide some interesting insights/parallels to the real world, such as when the keepers turned into zombies every night and mindlessly follow the rules of those higher up than them.

I wish more of a conclusion, and more of a concrete storyline, had featured as I left this one feeling a bit 'meh'. (hide spoiler)]

[Sarah Elizabeth]

Hi, someone asked me about this, so just to clarify, you can read sequels on this months GBR threads, the rule is this -
* If a GBR has sequels, you may read up to 4 of those on the GBR thread for bonus points. (Novellas of less than 100 pages will not count)

☺

[Wolf (Alpha)]

25%: (view spoiler)[ I feel so bad for Matt. I hate how everyone treats him like he's an animal. I love that he finally gets to take lessons and he has one friend who actually cares about him. I love that his bodyguard is kind to him and helps him with things. (hide spoiler)]

[Wolf (Alpha)]

50%: (view spoiler)[ I hate Tom and how he keeps doing little things to get Matt in trouble. Whoever killed Maria's dog is completely heartless to hurt her like that. I'm glad Maria finally figures out who killed her dog and apologizes to Matt for the way she acted and treated him. (hide spoiler)]

[Wolf (Alpha)]

75%: (view spoiler)[ I'm glad Tam Lin saved Matt from being killed because he couldn't be used for a heart transplant. And I'm glad he saved Celia from becoming an eejit. I hate that Matt got sent to an orphanage and the kids there were forced to work in order to eat. (hide spoiler)]

[Wolf (Alpha)]

Finished: (view spoiler)[ I hate everything that happened to the boys at the orphanage but I'm glad that after they got through everything they were so close. I'm glad that Maria and Matt were finally united and that Matt got to return home. I hate that Tam Lin had to die. He was a really good guy. (hide spoiler)]

[Wolf (Alpha)]

Dannii wrote: "Up to the end of Chapter 9 - I'm not disliking the writing style, but it's also not really doing anything for me either, at least so far. The story is interesting, however. Matt's treatment is so s..."

The straw part was horrible. And I loved when he threw the rotten orange at Tom

[Wolf (Alpha)]

Dannii wrote: "Up to the end of Chapter 19 - I wish Maria would realise the truth about Tom's hatred towards Matt. She only seems to see Matt's retaliations. All three are acting out as they are suffering from so..."

I do hate how Maria only sees Tom's side and not Matts's.

[[deleted user]]

28.0% "Ch 11: (view spoiler)[ What the? Mr. Alacran is the grandfather of Mr. McGregor? I'm glad Mateo was saved by Celia and Mr. Alacran but I'm not liking he is becoming mean now. Poor Maria is so innocent. Haha "I hope you choke on it!" I like Celia. Rosa was so mean I'm glad she got fired from taking care of him, now she is just a eejit. (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

41.0% "Wow. (view spoiler)[ I can't believe Felicia killed the dog. At least Maria now knows he is a good clone. I don't like the priest that much. And Tom has a clone? Lol. (hide spoiler)]"

[[deleted user]]

55.0% "(view spoiler)[ now I get it!!! That's why the patron wanted clones. To harvest him and keep living. Ummm smart. Sadistic. I'm glad Maria is helping him. She told him "I love you" aww. (hide spoiler)]"

[[deleted user]]

77.0% "Awww poor Ton ton. I don't like Jorge he is so mean. Matt just can't help it can he? He is too smart for his own good. I like Fidelito and Chacho."

[[deleted user]]

94.0% "Well well well I guess it does make sense. He is now the boss."

[[deleted user]]

Finished... Noooo Tam Lin. He is dumb!! (view spoiler)[ I hope Mateo is a good boss and makes all the positive changes he hopes to, and that the kids he met do live with him. (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

Wolf (Alpha) wrote: "25%: [spoilers removed]"

Yes, Mateo is smart. (view spoiler)[ I like Tam Lin too. He is kind and a good bodyguard. (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

Dannii wrote: "Up to the end of Chapter 9 - I'm not disliking the writing style, but it's also not really doing anything for me either, at least so far. The story is interesting, however. Matt's treatment is so s..."

I thought the way (view spoiler)[ Rosa treated him was also sad, he was no chicken! Yes he is a clone but he is also human. I didn't like Tom either, ha! he had clones too. (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

Wolf (Alpha) wrote: "75%: [spoilers removed]"

Yes Tam Lin was able to redeem himself from (view spoiler)[ killing all those 20 children. I'm glad Celia didn't really become an eejit was able to fake it with Tim Lin's help. Yea that orphanage sucked, he was made fun of for being smart, aristocrat! (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

Dannii wrote: "Up the the end of the book - I still didn't ever feel fully invested in this story but the new setting did make me more interested again. It kinda felt like an abrupt shift in attention but I did a..."

I enjoyed the ending... (view spoiler)[ I think that Mateo will do great things, It sucked how Mr. Alacran had everyone drink that wine at the end, Tim Lin knew... why did he have to take it too??? he is dum!!! (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

Wolf (Alpha) wrote: "Finished: [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ Jorge was awful... he knew how to hurt Mateo, by hiring Fidelito!! thankfully Ton Ton went to help them and they all got away... not so dumb lol. (hide spoiler)]