Little Brother by Cory Doctorow Review

"Marcus aka “w1n5t0n,” is only seventeen years old, but he figures he already knows how the system works–and how to work the system. Smart, fast, and wise to the ways of the networked world, he has no trouble outwitting his high school’s intrusive but clumsy surveillance systems.

But his whole world changes when he and his friends find themselves caught in the aftermath of a major terrorist attack on San Francisco. In the wrong place at the wrong time, Marcus and his crew are apprehended by the Department of Homeland Security and whisked away to a secret prison where they’re mercilessly interrogated for days.

When the DHS finally releases them, his injured best friend Darryl does not come out. The city has become a police state where every citizen is treated like a potential terrorist. He knows that no one will believe his story, which leaves him only one option: "M1k3y" will take down the DHS himself."

I'm reading this book in 2013. The first thing I think of is whether or not Edward Snowden has read this book. Which is good, because that means I'm paying more attention to the news instead of reading three books a day. (And less books to review. Three books a day is nutcase's reading speed according to my classmates. What I think? I think it's my average in 2011 or 2010 or something like that).

Enough of Snowden (I have a feeling that was probably one of his fav books). I'm reading too much about one subject and not focusing on another. I'm moving on to more a bigger issue in front of us. This book, Little Brother.

For those of you who hate four hundred page books, this is not for you. It requires patience, love faith... I'm joking. I'm simply reciting what is needed for a strong marriage. No, Little Brother requires patience, yes, and a lot of will. I would have dropped the book, if I didn't have those two. I wanted to, yes, but I didn't drop the book. (So now, I'm writing a review, instead of an abandoning memo).

Little Brother is actually pretty amazing. Even though it has a large portion of useless information. No, the information is not useless. The information is just background for those people who aren't hackers. People like you and me. But background information can be kind of boring. If the character hacks, please simply say he hacks instead of giving us the every details of hacking. Well, not every details. More like sugar-details. 

The plot is sloooowwww. I kid you not. When I say slow, I say slow. I feel so bored throughout the middle parts of the book. 

The ending. Hmm... I actually think the acknowledgements and author's note is worth more than the entire book put together. The morals of the book is pretty much summarized in the last few pages. Thank you very much for putting that in there.

Rating: Three out of Five