The List by Patricia Forde is an action-packed and heartwarming fictional novel published by Little Island Publishers in 2014. Similar to The Giver, this book is about a futuristic dystopian society set after a horrific flood, caused by global warming, that wiped out most of humanity. With only a handful of humans left, a dictatorship is put into place, where the leader demands that words and food are heavily rationed. A main theme present is greed, as the everlasting effects of human selfishness are shown throughout the story. When the wordsmith apprentice, Letta, learns of all the forbidden words, she knows that language was not the cause of humanity's downfall. Soon after, she finds an exiled boy that she takes under her wing at the risk of exile herself. When her master is found dead, Letta knows something nefarious is going on and she works to find out exactly what that is. While it was partly cliche and predictable, it was still a memorable read. I agree with the author's opinions on how language is a strong tool, and if taken away, humans lack a way to develop and evolve. Forde’s book also raised issues of global warming, and what might happen if humans run wild until disaster strikes. While this is a momentous issue, this probably is not an accurate depiction of what is to come. Just like Luis Lowry, the author of The Giver, Patricia Forde agrees that a society cannot be at its fullest potential when limited in resources and senses. This novel has raised a higher awareness of the dangers of global warming and challenges associated with that. While I know I am not a large contributor to global warming, I would still like to slow down the effects anyway I can. All together, this was an enjoyable read that left me wanting to devour chapter after chapter. If there was a main takeaway from this emotional story, it would be to use your voice to inspire change. Put into words what you have to say, you may just inspire generation after generation to do the same.
Gretchen B.
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