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Monday, October 2, 2017

AARU by David Meredith

AARU
by
David Meredith

Although they had tried everything medically possible, sixteen year old Rose Johnson was dying of cancer. But, the man in the white lab coat assured Rose that he could save her. Her mother, father, and younger sister, Koren, begged her to let the man try. So, she did. And, he did. Sort of.

Although Rose’s body still died, Rose continued to live – cancer free – in Aaru, a virtual reality. In David Meredith’s young adult novel, Aaru, we learn about Rose’s adjustment to her cancer free life in cyberspace. We also follow the changes in Koren’s life as she becomes a spokesperson for Aaru and adjusts to life with Rose in Aaru.

            I had reviewed an earlier book by Meredith, The Reflections of Queen Snow White, which I found to be clever and thoroughly enjoyed. Aaru is very different, however, and I have mixed feelings about this latest novel.

            On the one hand, I found Rose and Koren to be somewhat off-putting. Both girls were teenagers; however, the characters acted – and reacted – in ways that, in my opinion, were not age appropriate. I did not find Koren, in particular, to be a very flattering character; in my opinion, she was simple, superficial, and juvenile. In addition, I was troubled by one of the other characters who was written with an accent. It seemed to me that the written portrayal of this accent was inconsistent. Throughout the book, I was never able to create a clear “picture” of this accent from the writing; every time I encountered this character, I felt like I tripped over the accent.


            On the other hand, Meredith’s writing is very good. I tend to think that I have a fairly well developed vocabulary, but the writing in Aaru left me wishing I had a dictionary by my side while reading. Furthermore, the primary issues raised in the book – e.g., life after death and capturing and maintaining the essence of a person – are fascinating. The book is a good vehicle to encourage young adults to think about these interesting Philosophical questions.

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