Editorial Content for The Firefly Code
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Reviewer (text)
Sarah Rachel Egelman
THE FIREFLY CODE by Megan Frazer Blakemore is the story of Mori and her friends growing up in an unbelievable world, struggling to be wholly themselves and true to their own dreams. The town of Old Harmonie is a utopia. The adults have challenging and interesting jobs and the children always feel safe and are rarely sick. Thanks to the research, experimentation, dreams and ideals of an earlier generation, the residents in the small and physically isolated town enjoy having their lives improved by genetic enhancements and designs.
Firefly Lane is the home to four best friends coming into young adulthood. Twelve-year-old Mori is watching her friends turn 13 --- the age at which children of Old Harmonie learn the truths about their genetic codes. Some people are all natural and others have had their DNA cloned or modified. At 13 the children can also get their “latency,” a process by which a latent intellectual or physical ability is brought to the surface. When a new girl, Ilana, moves onto Firefly Lane, she challenges the friendship of the Firefly Four, and, even more importantly, their worldview, understanding of themselves and their future. Old Harmonie is a utopia. Or is it?
"Blakemore gives readers lots to think about and discuss, making THE FIREFLY CODE very entertaining. A highly recommended novel!"
Mori is the great-granddaughter of one of the founders of Old Harmonie, Dr. Lucy Morioka. Baba, as she is known to Mori, along with Agatha Varden, envisioned a peaceful and healthy world and created Old Harmonie according to that vision. Sixty years later, Old Harmonie is under the auspices of the Krita Corporation, with a fence separating it from nearby Boston. Agatha Varden left many years prior and her house at number 9 Firefly Lane is standing empty. It is summer and Mori longs to go inside number 9 Firefly Lane with her friends Theo, Benji and Julia, but they are not interested. The plan instead is swimming, bike riding and conversations about genetics. They are all anxious for their latencies and the revelations about their genetic codes, especially after Theo’s thirteenth birthday.
The Naughton family’s arrival on Firefly Lane, however, shakes things for Mori and her friends. It is Mori who becomes closest to the gifted Ilana Naughton and they seem to share a love of the nature that aligns with Agatha Varden’s passions. But all is not idyllic on Firefly Lane. Julia and Ilana do not get along, and Theo is acting strange after his latency. The friends finally decide to explore Agatha Varden’s abandoned house and inside Mori and Theo uncover an uncomfortable and dangerous truth about Old Harmonie and their new friend Ilana. Now Mori and Theo are confronted with the choice to do nothing and maintain the values of Old Harmonie, or to act and take control of their bodies and their lives.
THE FIREFLY CODE is a fantastic book. It is incredibly provocative as it examines conformity, free will, reckless science, good intentions gone awry, friendship, the meaning of family and, of course, humanity. Mori and her friends are written with a realness and compassion that will appeal to readers and there are some unexpected turns in the well-paced plot. Blakemore gives readers lots to think about and discuss, making THE FIREFLY CODE very entertaining. A highly recommended novel!
Teaser
Mori and her friends live a normal life on Firefly Lane in their utopian community, Old Harmonie. In a world this safe and perfect, they've never had to question anything . . . never had to wonder about how their lives came to be. Until a new girl named Ilana moves in. She's so perfect that Mori and her friends are curious . . . Where exactly did Ilana come from, and why does she act so strange sometimes?
Promo
Mori and her friends live a normal life on Firefly Lane in their utopian community, Old Harmonie. In a world this safe and perfect, they've never had to question anything . . . never had to wonder about how their lives came to be. Until a new girl named Ilana moves in. She's so perfect that Mori and her friends are curious . . . Where exactly did Ilana come from, and why does she act so strange sometimes?
About the Book
Mori and her friends live a normal life on Firefly Lane in their utopian community, Old Harmonie. In a world this safe and perfect, they've never had to question anything . . . never had to wonder about how their lives came to be. Until a new girl named Ilana moves in. She's so perfect that Mori and her friends are curious . . . Where exactly did Ilana come from, and why does she act so strange sometimes? When Ilana's secret is revealed, the kids on Firefly Lane must decide: is it finally time to start questioning the only world they've ever known?
In a stunningly imaginative story, critically acclaimed author Megan Frazer Blakemore takes readers on a journey with five friends --- new and old --- that will have everyone talking about not just what makes people human, but what makes them true friends
