Feed

M.T. ANDERSON

In a future, consumer-driven world, America's elite are given brain implant computer “feeds” at birth, which allows them to chat and communicate mind to mind. More importantly, the feeds allow corporations to market personalized products right into their minds, which they can then purchase with a single thought. Titus and his friends go through life using their feeds to lead them from one product-based thrill to the next, until they meet Violet during Spring Break on the moon. Instead of using her feed to speak, she likes to communicate vocally, and even tries to confuse the corporate marketers by ordering a wide range of random products. Titus and Violet begin to date, but Violet's eccentricities become too much for him when her feed begins to malfunction. It was difficult to connect with Titus's voice at first, but I think that that's part of Anderson's point. Without having to do anything for themselves, the feed people no longer know how to think or even speak meaningfully anymore. I'd advise this book for older, more mature teens because of drug scenes, frequent profanity, and (nearly) hopeless ending.