The Declaration

Written by Gemma Malley

Narrated by Charlotte Parry

Gemma Malley's debut won praise for its powerful message and vision of a frightening future that seems all too near. Longevity drugs have made it possible for people to live far beyond normal expectations, and children are now an unnecessary commodity. Anna is a surplus, one of the children whose parents were selfish enough to create her, and who now must suffer penance for their indulgence. But when a new surplus shows up at Anna's compound, Anna is torn between everything she has been taught and everything she hoped might one day come true.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Nov 26, 2007
• ISBN: 9781428198913

Gemma Malley

Gemma Malley studied Philosophy at Reading University before working as a journalist. She edited several business magazines and contributed regularly to Company magazine and the Sunday Telegraph before moving into the Civil Service in a senior communications role at Ofsted. The Declaration, her first novel for a teenage audience, and its sequel, The Resistance, were published to critical acclaim. She lives in South London.

Reviews for The Declaration

[Catherine Donaldson · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I fairly good read. Liked the storyline and characters. If their is a book 2 want to see where author takes characters next.

[dairyqueen84 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The year is 2140 and people can live forever through Longevity drugs, but they must make the Declaration and never have a child. If they do give birth, they go to prison and the child becomes a surplus and goes to someplace worse than prison—Grange Hall. Anna is a fourteen-year-old surplus and she has been indoctrinated to hate her parents for breaking the Declaration and bringing her into the world, to Know Her Place, and to grow up to be a Valuable Asset. She has learned her lessons so well and atoned for the Sins of her parents so completely, that she is a Prefect of her floor and a Pending—Pending Employment as a maid for a Legal. But then an unusual new Pending comes to Grange Hall and threatens Anna’s future as a Valuable Asset. Peter claims he knows Anna’s parents and that they have been looking all over for her. This causes Anna to question everything she has been raised to believe about herself and the world. Should she trust Peter? Can she actually have a different life? This futuristic novel raises interesting questions about overpopulation, scarce natural resources, immortality, and much more for teens who like science fiction.

[julesgdside · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

a dystopian YA novel that took me some time to get into. actually it took me 2/3 of the book.
I liked the idea(s) behind the book but I would have wished for a different setting, the setting didn't feel/read like the year 2140. to me it rather read like they got stuck in the 1980s but had cool superdrugs to live forever.
not sure I'm going to read the other two books in the trilogy.

[mtlkch-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It was okay, very predictable. Wasn't attached to any of the characters, but it was an interesting story.

[bravenewbks · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Wildly predictable YA dystopia, but easy-reading and not entirely unenjoyable. The premise is that, with the advent of Longevity drugs that make people live virtually forever, a Declaration became necessary to prevent overpopulation. Under the Declaration, it's "a life for a life", and you can't have a child unless you choose not to be on Longevity drugs. The odd kicker is that you have to decide whether you are in or out at age 16. If you change your mind at 30, or at 300, too late.

Anna, the determined naif at the heart of the story, is a "Surplus", an illegally existing child whose parents had her despite the Declaration. Once caught, she was shipped off to a sort of home for Illegals, where they're trained none-too-gently to serve their Legal masters, and told to be grateful they weren't summarily disposed of instead.

But then a new Surplus arrives, and he claims to know Anna's parents...

and what happens next is pretty much exactly what you think might happen next.

[mirandalg14 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a quick read in my new favorite genre - dystopian fiction. I will be looking forward to reading the next one. It is definitely one for discussion groups.

[lyssa73 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This kind of sci fi is harder to support- I had some issues with a never ending supply (?) of frozen umbilical cords to support the life of the entire world, when 99% of people were no longer having kids. As well as extreme energy, etc tarrifs, that no one seemed bothered by. At least not to do anything. I tried not to fixate on these issues, among others, because you have to just accept some things in a book like this. But the way Anna flips her opinion overnight, and how -everyone- turns on them was a little more than I could buy. The ending came together too abruptly and cleanly. And I'm not entirely clear on what happened with Sheila. All in all, it was an interesting concept and a fairly interesting storyline. But not one I could lose myself in. And not as "thought-provoking" as trumpeted.

[katie1802 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Written by one of the better British authors, dystopia done well in my opinion, giver 'er a go.

[liveshipvivacia · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

This author is a big fan of telling without showing, repeating herself, and having plot developments and character relationships occur without creating real connections. Predictable, laborious to get though (If I weren't stuck on a plane with it, I would have given up on it). This book is the kind that makes me lose my faith in reading...ugh. I hope the next book I read is better.

[anissaannalise-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was on my TBR list forever & finally I got to it (trying to clear out some older YA books). It was a very quick read & good story & it had an interesting & particularly strong setting/world-build but I'm not going to continue with the series.

[jwarren42 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A strong novel, but nothing new. The longevity drug is somewhat innovative. Like most YA dystopia, there is a pattern (Diary of Anne Frank), and this novel doesn't deviate from it much. The climax is more fairy tale than anything else.

[marlene9nl · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I did enjoy reading this book and what i like best is that this series is finished meaning I do not have to wait to read the next book.

Think of a world where they discovered a cure for dying. Sounds good? Hmm think again! Because if nobody dies what happens is that there are too many people so they decide that people are only allowed 1 child. Oops. Still to many people so scratch that. People are not allowed to have any children except if they do not take the cure and don't sign the declaration which means they will live a normal life and die one day.

But there are people who do have children any how so the government created teams called catchers and they have to catch those children. In many countries the kids are being disposed of but in England they have a better idea. They brainwash them and make them feel like they should not be alive at all so they should be happy to just breath and they make them into slaves. Like housekeepers, gardeners. That is he world this story begins. A really intriguing concept and sometimes I was so into the book I really feared for the kids in there, I had to peek if all would be well. lol.

Yes the quick way that Anna changed from a very submissive kid into a rebel was not realistic perhaps but I did not mind that. I really enjoyed it and am already reading book 2.

[a_reader_of_fictions · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book is like a combination of Unwind, The Postmortal and Among the Hidden, although the last one was the only one actually published when The Declaration came out in 2007. Set in 2140, most people live forever, because of the miracle drug longevity. Unfortunately, this drug does not halt the aging process of the skin, meaning that wrinkles and sagging are still a serious problem. Basically, in this future, plastic surgery is de rigeur. Of course, there's the mysterious new Longevity which apparently keeps the skin young too.

Like in Among the Hidden, people are forbidden from having kids, although here most people aren't even allowed one, whereas in Among the Hidden families could have two. The governments feared over population with everyone living indefinitely. Thus, only if the parents opt out of taking the drug will they be allowed to reproduce.

What I wonder though is why the rules are quite that strict. Here's the thing. I agree that over-population is a definite concern, but it's not like most people are actually going to live forever. At one point, Malley mentions that crime has essentially been eradicated, because, apparently, it's not worthwhile if you're going to live forever. Really, that seems like bullshit to me. There would still be murder and there would still be accidents. People would be dying off, obviously at a very reduced rate, but there's still no need to institute a "life for a life" policy.

I still haven't really warmed up to Anna, although she definitely improved as the book moved along. At the outset, she was insufferable, with her complete belief in her own worthlessness and her desire to be the best slave ever. Ugh! Plus, as the prefect at Grange Hall, she helped make the already awful lives of other Surpluses even worse. Not exactly a heroine.

Still, I am definitely going to read the next book, as I am curious to find out what will happen next.

[librarybrandy · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The premise: technology has advanced to the point that, with just two little capsules each day, everyone can live forever. Hooray! But if nobody's dying, the world is getting mighty crowded--so nobody is allowed to have babies anymore. Anna is a surplus, a kid born to a couple who did not Opt Out of the Declaration [apparently a legal document that says I Won't Have Children?]. So she's been shuffled off to Surplus Hall, where she learns menial housekeeping tasks to earn her keep in the world that doesn't want to support her.

This could be a fascinating look at gender politics, overpopulation, medical advancements, or global resources, but it's just ... not. It's okay. It's a perfectly serviceable book for those who haven't read a lot of sci-fi/dystopia. But it's bland. The few characters who stand out, do so because they're almost cartoonish in their stereotypes (the evil head matron with a dark secret of her own! the troublemaker! the sycophant!). Characters' changes of heart happen relatively suddenly, with little to no time given to explain what prompted the change. This is not to imply there's little explanation overall; long portions are almost nothing but explanation, interrupting the narrative to give the background on the terminology, or the history, or the relationship between several characters.

I might still recommend this to some teens, but probably not as a first draft pick. For better population-control stories, I'd steer kids to Margaret Peterson Haddix's Among the Hidden or Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, depending on their ages.

I'm on a dystopian kick lately. With that in mind, I recognize the irony in complaining that this book sounds like it should be perfect and yet misses the mark so completely.

[nicola26 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I absolutely loved this book. It had be drawn in right from the start. The writing is a little choppy, but other than that, it's very captivating and an interesting concept.

[emleemay · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My opinion on this book swayed back and forth between 3 and 5 stars, so I eventually settled on 4 and I'm now going to do my best to explain why.

Why it got 4 stars
This book got 4 stars for being a highly original and intriguing story. I'm a real lover of dystopian societies, especially those set in a foreseeable future, and this is one unlike any other but with elements that are so cleverly woven with the current thoughts and fears that it makes it seem like a tragic possibility.

The book tells the story of a society where longevity drugs mean that the body never grows old and dies, they keep all the organs working and eradicate diseases such as cancer, heart disease and AIDs. But a society where no one dies cannot exist unless no one is born either.

Hence the declaration. Signing the declaration gives you eternal access to longevity drugs, as long as you swear to never have children. Any children born illegally are called 'surpluses', and sent away to surplus houses where they are taught of their lack of worth. How they are a burden to mother nature and the Legals who were here first, they are trained to be slaves to the Legals and to expect beatings and mistreatment as a punishment for their parents' sins.

It's an incredible and well-constructed idea and you can feel the frustration at being told your nothing by people who have selfishly warped nature in order to avoid death. It questions some of today's issues, particularly some practises found in China, and is a story about the value of life... and, strangely, of death. I cannot wait to read the second book in this series.

Why it didn't get 5 stars
Quite simply, I didn't like any of the characters. The protagonist, Anna, was selfish and bratty and just really quite pathetic at times. Also, Peter was a drip. I've never been a big fan of the male hero coming in and saving the helpless princess, but if you are going to go down that route, at least make your hero memorable. There just isn't much to say about Peter, other than the fact that he was boring. The most interesting character was Mrs Pincham and the strange twist to this story that does come as quite a shock.

I am eagerly anticipating more and just hope that the author can develop her characters to match up to the standards of the the very imaginative story.

[whiteknight50 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book by Gemma Malley. I listened to this one via audio book, and it was beautifully done. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys dystopia, well written, fascinating story line, and a really disturbing picture of where our current societal attitudes could carry us.

[smc_scookie · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I’m writing a dystopian fiction for teens so this book was part of my reading round the subject. It is aimed at a younger age group than I expected but I still managed to enjoy it. My rating is compensating for the age gap and for the fact it was a quick read. It reminded me of The Handmaids Tale, with the main character in a type of boarding school training to be a housemaid. She is clearly brainwashed, happy to believe that she must become ‘Useful’ to make up for her parents illegally giving birth to her while the rest of the world takes a Longevity drug that makes them immortal. The dystopian world was my favourite part of this book. I actually think Gemma Malley could use the same world and create a pretty brilliant series for an older audience with different characters because otherwise it feels a bit like of a waste of a great idea. The plot was alright but so much more could be done. I found Anna a slightly irritating main character, which in a way was a good thing. She’s supposed to be that bossy girl at school who does everything by the book so the characterisation is strong. However, I found Simon (love interest) to be a weak character. I felt if a little more thought went into him, if there was a bit more to him, and if how he moves the story forward was more complex with a few more twists then I would give this 5 stars. The ending was great too which made it worth reading. I’d say this was perfect for a 14 year old girl who has an interest in dystopian fiction or fantasy, a world with a bit of imagination but still a sense of a realistic life.

[cats_critters · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I loved the theme of this book, a perfect world where no one dies, but that means the world is quickly over populated. Meaning you end up with surpluses, childern born illegally who are forced to work to "repay" their sin of being alive.Our main characters are Anne and Peter, Anne who has been at Grange Hall (where surpluses are raised and taught how to work)from the age of 2 and a half and is a "Perfect" surplus. Peter only shows up after the base story line has been layed down. Anne believes what she has been taught her whole live, that her parents are horrible, selfish and she is doing the only right thing by paying for her sins. Then she meets Peter who turns her way of thinking upside down.....My problem is I figured out the main plot "twist" before it happened. But over all a good read, with an interesting plot.

[jcmontgomery · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It’s been a long time since I’ve read a book in one sitting. ONE. As in I didn’t realized I had, until I finished and looked up to find my cats very grumpy from lack of attention. Maybe I should change my rating system from stars to a “grumpy kitty meter”. If I did, The Declaration gets 5 out 5 Shredded Shoes.The premise for this dystopian novel derives from the author wondering what a society would be like if humans could live forever. However there remains the issue of population control.In the year 2140, this is managed by the Declaration, an oath taken by those wanting immortality:"Longevity drugs are a fountain of youth. Sign the Declaration, agree not to have children, and you too can live forever. Refuse, and you will live as an outcast. For the children born outside the law, it only gets worse – Surplus status." – From the back coverThe story is told from the point of view of Surplus Anna: a young, indoctrinated, yet authentic voice. The realization of what is really going on in the world would not have the dramatic impact it does, if the main narrator were anyone else.". . . captured when she was young and brought up in a Surplus Hall, a place where she is taught to hate herself and her parents; to be told again and again that she owes a debt to society, to Mother Nature, whose generosity she has abused by her very existence." – Description of Anna by the authorTo help her enlightenment is Peter. Another Surplus, but not like any Anna has known before. He’s spent most of his life on the “outside”. What unnerves her most is that he knows things about her that he shouldn’t. Luckily, seeds of doubt have already been planted in Anna’s mind, so it isn’t too hard to accept her sudden decision to turn her back on the only life she’s ever known.The author states that “The Declaration is, I hope, a story that will challenge its readers, that will stay with them, that will make them think about the freedoms and privileges we take for granted and about the price paid for these. But, ultimately, The Declaration is Anna’s Story.This story does stay with you. Makes you wonder how many of us are willing to accept our true role on this planet, and whether or not it should be an infinite one. What price would any of us pay in order to have a longer life? Would we accept a Fountain of Youth if what we had to sacrifice, is youth itself?Another highly recommended read. I can’t wait to get my hands on The Resistance and The Legacy.

[smg5mmorrison · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

when i read this book i was intranced by how it made me feel like i was almost in the story it was verry gripping and i found myself not letting it go its about a girl who lives in this hall that takes little kids who "were not meant to be born"!

[mhg123_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Dystopian novel of children born to parents who have signed the Declaration in order to receive an immortality drug. Any children born are considered "surplus" and sent to orphanages, the parents are thrown in prison. Riveting...

[gavin10_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The novel, The Declaration by Gemma Malley encompasses that every life is valuable. In the beginning, Anna struggles with trying to live up to being a Surplus (a child born from parents who didn't opt out of the declaration) by behaving and following rules. Throughout the middle she perserveres through trying to not listen to Peter, a new surplus who is trying to escape with Anna, ideas of how her parents love her, but eventually gives in and escapes with him. By the end she has learned that her parents truely love her because they kill themselves (if you kill a parent of a surplus, the surplus can becmoe a legal) in order to make Anna a legal so she can live her life with Peter, who is now a legal because his mother killed his father.Pages Read: 320/320

[phoebereading · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In The Declaration, Gemma Malley creates a future where man has learned to cheat death, illness, and old age. But these miracles come with a price--those who chose to take the drug called "Longevity" are legally barred from reproduction. Surplus Anna is one of the unfortunate results of these laws. Illicitly born into a world with no room or resources to spare, she must prove her usefulness through her training at Grange Hall, a home for surplus children where beating, starvation, and humiliation are the norm.Through strong, clear prose complimented by the protagonist's diary entries, Malley builds the compelling tale of Anna's adolescence as she grows from a compliant servant to a love-lorn runaway. Characterization of the villains, initially, is a little wooden, but Malley manages to rectify this by the novel's surprising and stirring conclusion. Her description of the budding love between Anna and Peter, a newcomer to Grange Hall, is especially stirring. This is an exemplary example of YA sci-fi and would be quite comfortable on a shelf besides dystopic classics like The Handmaid's Tale, 1984, and Brave New World.

[jessica08_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

In the beginning of The Declaration, Surplus Anna is introduced as a young girl who hates her parents. Her hatred just grows when the owner of her slave-like home tells her they broke the law, therefore putting her there, and they are bad people. In the middle of the story, Anna falls in love with a rebel surplus, Peter, who was actually there to find her and escape with her back to her parents. By the end of the story, Their parents end up killing themselve so that Anna and her baby sibling can live, and Mrs. Pincent, the house owner, kills her exhusband so Peter ends up living too. Peter and Anna end up living together helping the Underground Movement abolish the whole Surplus Movement. (320/320)

[gracie16_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The novel, The Declaration emcompasses how people should have the right to live. In the beggining, Anna Covery the protagonist struggles with keeping the Grange Hall clean and perfect. Throughtout the middle, she perses through helping a new surplus that thinks he knows everything about her. By the end she has learned that everyone has the right to live and her parents don't hate her , they love her. PAGES READ : 300 / TOTAL : 300

[veronica17_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In a future where nobody dies and having children is illegal, Anna lives in a "surplus" hall; basically a prison where illegal "surplus" children live. Life is miserable but Anna likes it that way - until Peter shows up. Peter, the new kid, fills her head with the idea that Anna's parents are searching for her, but she doesn't believe it. When she finally does believe him, the two teenagers devise a plan to escape from the surplus hall. When they do, a ruthless search party is sent after them, but Peter and Anna eventually find Anna's parents, and all seems well. But the catchers find them, and Anna's parents sacrifice their lives to save them. At the end, Anna learns that no form of government should be able to restrict the human spirit, no matter where or how they were born. This book turned out pretty good, but I have to admit that I became bored in some chapters, but this is still a great read. (320/320)

[sharu08 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In the novel, The Declaration encompasses a girl named surplus anna and she try to be a prefect at everything she is assigned to. In the begnning Surplus Anna was a perfect girl who could do any task. Throughout the middle, she preserves to escape with Peter because she wants to meet her parents. By the end, Surplus Anna realizes she doesnt belong in Grange Halls but belongs outside of Grange Halls.300/300

[shantel4 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The novel, The Declaration, encompasses that life has values not to be tampered with. In the beginning Anna struggles with being a prefect and keeping the surplus in line. Throughout the middle, she perseveres through escaping Grange Hall with Peter without getting caught. By the end, she has learned that there are better things than being a prefect, and that there are many opportunities to be more than that. (300 pages read/ 300 pages)

[callmecayce · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A story about living forever, which oddly we don't have a lot of -- or at least I haven't read much of. It was good, but not special.