Review: The Program by Suzanne Young

Author: Suzanne Young
Title: The Program
Series: Program #1
Publication: April 30, 2012
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Source: AroundtheWorldArcTours

Synopsis

Sloane knows better than to cry in front of anyone. 

With suicide now an international epidemic, one outburst could land her in The Program, the only proven course of treatment. Sloane’s parents have already lost one child; Sloane knows they’ll do anything to keep her alive. She also knows that everyone who’s been through The Program returns as a blank slate. Because their depression is gone—but so are their memories.

Under constant surveillance at home and at school, Sloane puts on a brave face and keeps her feelings buried as deep as she can. The only person Sloane can be herself with is James. He’s promised to keep them both safe and out of treatment, and Sloane knows their love is strong enough to withstand anything. But despite the promises they made to each other, it’s getting harder to hide the truth. They are both growing weaker. Depression is setting in.

And The Program is coming for them.

Thoughts: Suicide is an epidemic, this is different. I admit at first, I thought this was crazy but as the story unfolds, I became wrapped up in all the details. Sloane and James are few of the last teens not touched by the epidemic. They each have suffered much loss but they don't dare cry, to cry is to show that something is wrong and once that happens, they will lose everything. Slowly it becomes harder to cope with all the emotions, people close to them falter and succumb to the disease. It's spreading, and they are being watched. Sloane and James are on edge waiting to see if they will be the next one to be re-programmed. 

I think the situation is completely unfair to Sloane. How can the parents in this book willingly send their children off to these facilities that make them less of a person, unable to remember someone they once loved or better yet hated. I found this to be quite disturbing and the fact that the people at The Program take away the choice to seek treatment.It's just so weird how they come out of it so odd...it's like they are drones or something. I am curious as to what sparked the epidemic, why is it only being seen in teens? I also want to know The Program's motivations for administering the supposed cure and who came up with it?

The writing is captivating to say the least. I never would've imagined a suicide outbreak could be believable but the writer has woven it in such a way that it comes off as plausible. The characters are emotionally developed and it is easy to identify with their situation. This is a good read about suicide and the affects it has on others. I would recommend this book to readers that are looking for a dystopian book that's emotionally twisted with a hint of mystery and romance.