Lockdown by Alexander Gordon Smith

Reviewed by Lori
Lockdown
Title: Lockdown

Series: Escape from Furnace

Author: Alexander Gordon Smith

Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 40155

Description: When fourteen-year old Alex is framed for murder, he becomes an inmate in the Furnace Penitentiary, where boys who disappear in the middle of the night sometimes return weirdly altered, and escape might be possible.

Rubric Rating: Level 2: Like it

Why I Read It: The cover looked really interesting and a little bit frightening; particularly the boy looking back in one eye of the gas mask.

Lori's Notes: Alex is no angel but he certainly doesn't deserve the hell that is Furnace Penitentiary.  Located miles underground, this prison is a nightmare.  No windows, no fresh air, and strange mutant guards and dogs. When Alex is framed for murder he finds himself facing a life sentence.  In order to keep his sanity he searches for a way to escape.  His cellmate Donovan and fellow inmate Zee and eventually "new fish" Toby attempt escape.  Although I found the premise of this book a little hard to believe (children being sentenced to life without parole, no outside groups keeping track of what's going on with the prison etc.) I did enjoy the pace of the book. The chapters were fairly short and the action moved rather quickly.  I was surprised to reach the end of this book so quickly.

Recommended Readers: Grade 9 and Up.  Because the chapters are short, and all the main characters are male,  this book would appeal to boys who struggle with reading.

Themes: Freedom, Incarceration, Friendship, Petty Crime, Society, Mutants, Children in Prison, Near Future dystopia

Cross-Genre Links:
Movie: Sleepers (1996)
Movie: The Count of Monte Cristo (2002)
Movie: Pitch Black (2000)
TV Series: Scared Straight
Music: Dad, I'm in Jail by Was not Was
News Search: Agnes MacPhail and Prison Reform
Heritage Minute Video from Historica-Dominion Institute: Agnes MacPhail Heritage Minute

Possible Discussion or Essay Topics:
  • Why do you think Alex was targeted for Furnace? 
  • What sort of experiments are going on at the penitentiary?
  • No outside agencies seem to be monitoring Furnace Penitentiary.  How do you think this effects how the inmates are treated?  If the prison was under scrutiny what things would change?
  • How do Alex, Donovan, Zee, and Toby manage to keep their humanity in such a horrific place?
  • Do you think that children and teens should be incarcerated?  How should society handle kids that don't follow the rules and/or law?

 Other Titles in the Escape from Furnace Series:
Vol 1: Lockdown
Vol 2: Solitary 
Vol 4: Fugitives
Vol 5: Execution


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