Brian Marion’s Reviews > The Other Side of the Island > Status Update

I think Honor's parents are about to be taken. Helix's parents were taken recently. The thought of losing her parents must be terrifying for Honor. She seems to be doing everything she can to make others think that her family is a good, dutiful one. But we know that they are not. I think they are going to be found out. I wonder what happens when you are taken??

Honour's mom is working in the gift-wrapping section of the local market. She slips Honour a length of ribbon on the sly. Quintilian starts hollaring that he wants one and they are busted. It costs her dad two points. Now we know that in the colonies, people don't spend money they way we do. They spend points and are issued coupon books which are the points they use.

Helix finds a coin. He and Honor examine it and we learn from their comments that people no longer believe in God (maybe just Earth Mother), the United States Of America may no longer exist, and the arm and torch from the Statue of Liberty is being used in some way in the colonies. Also, brochures are handed out that explain more of the rules about what is allowed and what is not. There are receptacles for disposing

Honour is excited because she will get an id number. When she meets the registrar, they are not very inviting and she has to give her thumbprint and a drop of blood. She is no longer excited about receiving her identification number.

Honour went to the nurses' office at school. She said she fell into the aquarium and Octavio saved her. She begged the nurse not to kill the octopus. The nurse asks, "Why are you not all wet?" Maybe she sensed Honour was lying. And the nurse says if the orderlies got Octavio, he's dead. The chapter ends with Honour meeting her baby brother for the first time. His name is Quintilian.