The Adoration of Jenna Fox

The Adoration of Jenna Fox,
by Mary E. Pearson
Published by: Square Fish

Summary: The ethics of bioengineering in the not-so-distant future drives this story. Jenna, 17, severely injured in a car crash, is saved by her heartbroken father, a scientist who illegally uses the latest medical technology to help her. Only 10 per cent of her original brain is saved, but Dad has programmed her by uploading the high-school curriculum. She could live two years, or 200. Is she a monster or a miracle? Why have her parents hidden her away? The science (including allusions to the dangerous overuse of antibiotics) and the science fiction are fascinating, but what will hold readers most are the moral issues of betrayal, loyalty, sacrifice, and survival. Jenna realizes it is her parents’ love that makes them break the law to save her at any cost. The teen’s first-person, present-tense narrative is fast and immediate as Jenna makes new friends and confronts the complicated choices she must make now.


Personal Review: This book was very interesting from the beginning. It presents an interesting moral dilema about the meaning of life, and how far is too far for science to go in order to save a life. It also addresses issues of friendship, love and trust. It would be a good book to read while discussing genetics or bio-engineering, or other current issues such as cloning or genetic engineering.


Cautionary Note: Some of Jenna's friends have a history of violence, and the book describes it, but it is not too serious.