I have a confession to make. Before I read this book, I’d
never heard of Walter Dean Myers, who is apparently a well-known and beloved
author of over 100 children’s/YA books. Shame on me. So, On a Clear Day was the first Walter Dean Myers book I’ve read
(I listened to it on audio) and the last one he wrote, published
posthumously after his death in July.
Dahlia is a young Latina girl living in the near future, in
2035, at a time when eight huge corporations, known as C-8, control all
resources. The world is strictly divided into haves and have-nots. Gaters live
in gated communities to keep them safe, and favelos are the poor, many of whom
are homeless and get by through crime. Dahlia is a Gater but just barely; she
lives in a poor gated community in the Bronx, with little real protection aside
from its fence and elderly guards. Dahlia is an orphan who lives in a tiny
apartment by herself, surrounded by kind neighbors who look out for her and for
each other.
Dahlia’s life changes drastically when two young men show up
looking for her. Michael is a former rock star, and Javier is a disabled
computer whiz in a wheelchair. They seem to be an odd pair, but common goals
have brought them together and led them to seek out Dahlia. She wrote an article about computer projections a few years ago, and they need a math
expert to round out their team. They invite Dahlia to join them at a world
conference, made up of people who want to see things change in the world.
Their team of teens/young people also includes Drego,
Tristan, Mei Mei, and Anja, each of whom has his or her own unique skills.
Together, they make up the unofficial U.S. delegation that is attending this
conference in London. They meet with other teams, made up of equally youthful
delegates, and discuss the current state of the world and how they might
somehow take some power back from the C-8. Later, back in the U.S., they gather
more information and plan an incident designed to bring attention to their issues
that ultimately turns violent.
This was an odd book in many ways. It’s a very thoughtful
dystopian story, with obvious parallels drawn to our own world (after all, it’s
only 20 years in the future), but perhaps it’s too obvious. Myers is clearly trying
to make some points about the dangers in our world – about corporate power and
the increasing gap between poor and rich – but he’s kind of heavy-handed with
his messages. The first two-thirds (or more) of the book is all talk and little
action, which might be off-putting to some teens. There are long passages of young people
debating lofty topics and a lot of talk of mathematical modeling (Dahlia’s
specialty).
I tried to just go along for the ride, but I also had some
trouble with believability. Although the story is set in a very real, gritty
world, the situations involving the young people often felt implausible. For
instance, this conference of rebels takes place in a luxury hotel in downtown
London (odd to begin with), and Dahlia is whisked from her just-scraping-by existence
to a world of first-class airfare and luxury hotels (presumably, the ex-rock
star is paying for everything) with scarcely any notice. She settles into her
expensive suite – which is much larger than her apartment at home – as if
that’s a normal thing for her to do.
Overall, I tried to suspend disbelief and just enjoy the
story, and I did, to some extent. Myers’ writing style in this novel is
somewhat rambling, though, and the story often felt disjointed. It feels
somewhat undeveloped and ends rather abruptly, just when you feel like you are
getting into it. However, the world he’s created is easy to imagine based on
some of the flaws in our own world, and his primary message – that anyone can
make a difference if they work together – is a hopeful one.
NOTE: I keep hearing great things about Myers
and would love to read one of his better books. Let me know what your favorite
Walter Dean Myers’ books are.
Listening Library
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