Is House of the Scorpion a good book?
In the House of the Scorpion, Nancy Farmer tells the story of Matt, the clone of 142-year-old El Patron, dictator of Opium, a country between the United States and Aztlan. In Opium, clones have one purpose, to extend the lives of those whos This is one of the almost perfect books written for young adults.
What is the setting of the House of the Scorpion?
The House of the Scorpion (2002) is a science fiction young adult novel by Nancy Farmer. It is set in the future and mostly takes place in Opium, a country which separates Aztlán (formerly Mexico) and the United States. The main character Matteo, or Matt, Alacrán, is a young clone of a drug lord of the same name, usually called "El Patrón".
Who is El Patron in House of the Scorpion?
In the House of the Scorpion, Nancy Farmer tells the story of Matt, the clone of 142-year-old El Patron, dictator of Opium, a country between the United States and Aztlan. In Opium, clones have one purpose, to extend the lives of those whose DNA they possess by providing them with a source for spare parts.
What is the strong language in the House of the Scorpion?
Strong Language. According to Farmer, her publisher made her edit out parts of The House of the Scorpion where Celia, the main character’s caretaker, says “Damn” because “good” characters are not allowed to swear in children’s literature. “Good” characters are also not allowed to be written smoking.
See more
How long does it take to read The House of the Scorpion?
The average reader will spend 6 hours and 40 minutes reading this book at 250 WPM (words per minute).
How many house of the Scorpion books are there?
two booksThere are two books in The House of the Scorpion book series.
What grade level is house of the Scorpion?
The House of the ScorpionInterest LevelReading LevelATOSGrades 6 - 8Grades 3 - 65.1Sep 24, 2013
Is The House of the Scorpion a banned book?
The house of the scorpion was banned in churches, and schools because of drugs and profane language. My novel is about a clone that lives in an opium producing country and he was created for parts. The last reason The House of the Scorpion is banned is because of death and torture.
How old is Matt in The House of the Scorpion?
14-year-oldThough Matt has been spared the fate of most clones, who have their intelligence destroyed at birth, the evil inhabitants of El Patrón's empire consider him a “beast” and an “eejit.” When El Patrón dies at the age of 146, 14-year-old Matt escapes Opium with the help of Celia and Tam Lin, his devoted bodyguard who wants ...
How does House of the scorpion end?
At the end of the novel, Matt returns to Opium and takes over as the leader of that country, now that El Patrón has died. The novel ends on a fairly optimistic note as the intelligent and idealistic Matt sets out to undo the damage the ruthless El Patrón did during his rule.
Is there a sequel to The House of the Scorpion?
The Lord Of Opium is a 2013 science fiction novel by Nancy Farmer and is the sequel to the 2002 novel The House of the Scorpion.
What year is the House of scorpion set in?
It takes place in the 22nd century, where a thin strip of land between the now-impoverished United States and Aztlán (formerly Mexico) forms the country of Opium.
Are there scorpions in Texas?
Texas has 18 species of scorpions, but only the striped bark scorpion occurs throughout the state and is the most common species in Central Texas, she said. “This scorpion is yellowish-tan with two dark stripes that run along the back,” she said.
Is there a sequel to The House of the Scorpion?
The Lord Of Opium is a 2013 science fiction novel by Nancy Farmer and is the sequel to the 2002 novel The House of the Scorpion.
What year is the House of scorpion set in?
It takes place in the 22nd century, where a thin strip of land between the now-impoverished United States and Aztlán (formerly Mexico) forms the country of Opium.
Is The House of the Scorpion a dystopian novel?
The House of the Scorpion is a dystopian novel. That's a fancy way of saying that the book takes place in the future, and things aren't looking too great. What's not so great? Well for starters, our main character, Matt, is a clone, so he's got some identity issues.
What is the main idea of The House of the Scorpion?
Themes. The House of the Scorpion is a story about the struggle to survive as a free individual and the search for a personal identity. The novel deals with issues and ethics around human cloning.
What is the House of the Scorpion about?
The House of the Scorpion is a story about the struggle to survive as a free individual and the search for a personal identity. The novel deals with issues and ethics around human cloning.
Why did Farmer choose the scorpion symbol?
Farmer chose the scorpion symbol because El Patrón, a main character in the novel, is from the Mexican state of Durango. Farmer based many of the novel's characters on figures from her life, both in childhood and present day.
What is the name of the book that takes place in the future?
PZ7.F23814 Ho 2002. Followed by. The Lor d of Opium. The House of the Scorpion (2002) is a science fiction young adult novel by Nancy Farmer. It is set in the future and mostly takes place in Opium, a country which separates Aztlán (formerly Mexico) and the United States. The main character Matteo Alacrán, or Matt, ...
What is the name of the group of orphans in the book Lost Boys?
Arriving in Aztlán, Matt comes across a group of orphans, the "Lost Boys," who live in an orphanage operated by the "Keepers," a group of fervent Marxists who preach the "Five Principles of Good Citizenship" and the "Four Attitudes Leading to Right-Mindfulness". The Keepers operate plankton farms, force the orphans to do manual labor and to subsist on plankton, while they themselves enjoy luxurious quarters and food. At first, Matt is an outcast because the other boys think he is a spoiled aristocrat. However, he becomes a hero when he defies the Keepers and leads the boys in a rebellion.
Where is the story of the opium poppies set?
This story is set in the country of Opium, a narrow strip of land between Mexico (now called Aztlán ), and the United States, which is ruled by the original Matteo Alacrán, or El Patrón, an incredibly powerful drug lord, who is over 140 years old. Opium consists of several drug -producing Farms, the Alacrán estate (which produces opium poppies) being the largest and where some of the Alacran family stays.
When was the Lord of Opium book released?
The sequel was published on September 3, 2013. The story begins a few hours after the final events of the first book.
What is the main character in El Patrón?
The main character Matteo Alacrán , or Matt, is a young clone of a drug lord of the same name, usually called "El Patrón". It is a story about the struggle to survive as a free individual and the search for a personal identity .
What other items do customers buy after viewing this item?
Start reading The House of the Scorpion on your Kindle in under a minute .
About the author
Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
Overview
The House of the Scorpion (2002) is a science fiction young adult novel by Nancy Farmer. It is set in the future and mostly takes place in Opium, a country which separates Aztlán (formerly Mexico) and the United States. The main character Matteo Alacrán, or Matt, is a young clone of a drug lord of the same name, usually called "El Patrón". It is a story about the struggle to survive as a free ind…
Background
The idea was originally from a short story that Farmer wrote for an anthology, which she withdrew and then expanded after realizing it was too closely tied to her own life. The novel is partly inspired by Farmer's experience of rescuing a Mexican immigrant from dying in the desert, as is evidenced in the theme of illegal immigration.
On her personal website, Farmer says she wrote the novel for her son, who is dyslexic. Also on h…
Plot
This story is set in the country of Opium, a narrow strip of land between Mexico (now called Aztlán), and the United States, which is ruled by the original Matteo Alacrán, or El Patrón, an incredibly powerful drug lord, who is over 140 years old. Opium consists of several drug-producing Farms, the Alacrán estate (which produces opium poppies) being the largest and where some of the Alacran family stays.
Themes
The House of the Scorpion is a story about the struggle to survive as a free individual and the search for a personal identity. The novel deals with issues and ethics around human cloning.
Literary style
Though the novel details moral issues involved with human cloning, in his review for The New York Times, Roger Sutton argued that the novel is only nominally science fiction, and is more often a realistic fiction tale with elements of the adventure story.
Reception
Reviewing the novel in The New York Times, Roger Sutton traced the novel's roots back to Pinocchio, as both novels feature non-human characters desperate to become human. Sutton called the novel "a big, ambitious tale."
Publishers Weekly, in a starred review of the novel, noted that "Farmer grippingly demonstrates that there are no easy answers. The questions she raises will haunt readers long after the final p…
The Lord of Opium
As The House of the Scorpion drew on so much of her childhood, Farmer found it difficult to write the sequel, The Lord of Opium. The sequel was published on September 3, 2013. The story begins a few hours after the final events of the first book.
Awards
It won the U.S. National Book Award for Young People's Literature and was named a Newbery Honor Book and a Michael L. Printz Honor Book. In the speculative fiction field, it was a runner-up for the Locus Award in the young adult category and the Mythopoeic Award in the children's category.
• National Book Award for Young People's Literature (United States), 2002—winner