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    The House of the Scorpion
    The House of the Scorpion
    The House of the Scorpion
    Ebook433 pages6 hours

    The House of the Scorpion

    By Nancy Farmer

    4.5/5

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    About this ebook

    Discover this internationally bestselling, National Book Award–winning young adult classic about what it means to be human with an updated, reimagined cover!

    Matt Alacrán wasn’t born. He was harvested.

    His DNA came from El Patrón, the drug-lord ruler of the country of Opium. Most people hate and fear clones like Matt—except for El Patrón. El Patrón loves Matt as he loves himself, because Matt is himself.

    As Matt struggles to understand his existence, he is threatened by a sinister cast of characters, and realizes escape is his only chance to survive. But escape from the Alacrán Estate is no guarantee of freedom.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAtheneum Books for Young Readers
    Release dateMay 11, 2010
    ISBN9781439106556
    Author

    Nancy Farmer

    Nancy Farmer has written three Newbery Honor books: The Ear, the Eye and the Arm; A Girl Named Disaster; and The House of the Scorpion, which also won the National Book Award and the Printz Honor. Other books include The Lord of Opium, The Sea of Trolls, The Land of the Silver Apples, The Islands of the Blessed, Do You Know Me, The Warm Place, and three picture books for young children. She grew up on the Arizona-Mexico border and now lives with her family in the Chiricahua Mountains of Arizona.

    Read more from Nancy Farmer

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    Reviews for The House of the Scorpion

    4.5/5

    197 ratings102 reviews

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    • 4/5
      A great story that teaches about courage and choosing your own path in life. The characters really come alive and you can actually relate to them. A good book about coming of age and other social and ethical issues.
    • 5/5
      This was one of the only books I could actually get through that was assigned to me during my high school years. I highly recommend it. Not only is this story interesting, it is thought provoking and action packed.
    • 5/5
      Love it more every time I read it.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      This book was amazing. I have reread it many times from when I was 10-13 and it keeps on surprising you
    • 5/5
      Best book ever to ever read in your life ever
    • 3/5
      I enjoyed the first two thirds of this book. Matt's life as a clone in a world of non clones and his struggle to understand the difference (if there really was one) was interesting and thought provoking. I feel like the story falls apart when Matt leaves this world. Farmer barely fleshes out the world outside of Opium. Matt's experiences in Aztlan seem rushed because it's hard to grasp how that world operates. At the same time, his time at the plankton farm drags on forever. The end of the book is also too neat. I did enjoy this book, but I can't give it more than three stars. I just feel like Farmer dropped the ball on world building.
    • 4/5
      Genre: science Fiction. This book deals with characters that are clones. Though this is not yet possible, the book limits any disbelief from the reader and explains the science. Plot: In the story the main character is battling agains society. Though he is valuable, he is still a second class citizen because he is a clone.
    • 4/5
      Finished this book yesterday and I did enjoy it. Glad to discover it is not part of a series.

      I liked the writing. Not so sure that I liked the last part of the story but I do recommend giving this book a try. It is different than the now YA dystopian books you see everywhere. A different style. No romance. well maybe a little, but more about friendship. 3.5
    • 4/5
      Richly imagined, sensitively told tale of a young clone and his coming-of-age. Horrific parts balance with tenderness and the whole is both magical and redemptive. Highly recommended.
    • 3/5
      A solid read if at times a bit slow. But what a rich, full world Farmer creates.
    • 5/5
      This book is great because:
      1. It is a young adult book about, I kid you not, every social policy and -ism you can think of--drugs, slavery, cloning, classism, socialism, EVERYTHING
      2. I read all 400 or something pages in a day
      3. The story is really unique and I wasn't really sure what was going to happen

      Anyways, it is basically the story of the clone of the biggest drug lord in a country solely made up of drug farms.

      A few people on the book's goodreads page mentioned that the writing was not amazing but, to tell the truth, I never really noticed. And I read. A lot. Some of the female characters are a little bit annoying but that won't stop me from recommending this book to most of my reader friends.
    • 3/5
      Aside from the whole "Matt's a clone" thing, this doesn't read as particularly science fiction-y. Maybe a little dystopian/alternate future, but the tone feels more like historical fiction--to the extent that the first mention of a hovercraft gives a kind of mental whiplash. The story is a little slow through the first half, but then the pace (and the adventure! intrigue! drama!) picks up. Unfortunately, something in this just never grabbed me. I wanted it to--I was interested in the story, curious where it was going, even enjoying both the writing and narration styles, but I never felt like I connected with the characters. Whether that's a deficit in the writing or in my current concentration levels, I don't know, but overall I'm left with a somewhat mediocre impression. Three, maybe three and a half, stars.
    • 2/5
      Only 2 stars because it was truly aimed at very young kids. Though it has an interesting and original dystopian future, set in a series of new feudal kingdoms between the US and Mexico, parts of the plot were extremely contrived. People were bad when the story needed them to be bad and good when making them anything less than helpful would've been too difficult to write. Also there was this weird anti-communism vein.
    • 4/5
      Farmer's book has won many awards, most notably the National Book Award, so you do not need me to tell you whether it is well-written or interesting. Although I had not heard it particularly listed as such, The House of the Scorpion is a dystopian novel. Matt lives in the country of Opium, formed as a barrier to immigration between the United States and Mexico. Opium, as its name implies, earns money almost solely from the export of drugs. The workers are treated even worse than slaves. A steady supply of new workers come from the people in the U.S. hoping for better conditions in Mexico and vice versa. There is no better place: there is only Opium. Mexico has become a communist country, with all of the excesses and hypocrisy that brings.

      Although the story was incredibly interesting, I had trouble relating to much to the characters. They all seemed to be driven by only one personality trait, which got quite old. People have more depth than that generally. Matt and El Patron were both driven almost entirely by the desire to preserve their lives, although El Patron includes with his life his hoard. Maria wants to save all creatures who cannot save themselves. Tom only cares about screwing with people. None of the characters were particularly likable, even Maria, who could be too trusting of people despite the evidence to the contrary.

      Recommended for fans of dystopia and alternative futures. Especially recommended if you liked Neal Shusterman's Unwind.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      "The House of the Scorpion" is a top-notch book. Although labeled "juvenile fiction," it is perfectly suitable for adults and older children. The book is set in the future in an opium-growing border state between the U.S. and Aztlan (Mexico). The book chronicles the struggles of Matt, clone of the infamous El Patron, the 140-year-old dictator of the opium empire. Farmer builds not one, but two interesting cultures which are at once surprising and alien, and yet plausible outgrowths of the facts of the setting and the reality of human nature. Matt himself is a very deep and complex character who changes tremendously throughout the book (while he progresses from around 6 to over 14 years of age). Farmer clearly has an intuitive grasp of child psychology and is adept at making a hero who is recognizable as a child, yet who embodies meritorious qualities beyond his years. Matt is able to understand and empathize with the needs of others, and though he makes mistakes and suffers prejudice, he nevertheless manages to acquire valuable friends. He is an easy hero to admire.The setting is overwhelmingly dystopian, but it has that strange, elusive quality which makes the reader wonder if he/she might enjoy a visit, or if perhaps living there would at least be more interesting than living in the real world. The story reflects on illegal immigration and drugs, issues which are relevant today, although I do not see any allegory to particular events, people, or political positions.Overall, Farmer has made an exciting, interesting, and unique story of overcoming adversity and growing up in a hostile environment. It's fast-moving and hard to put down, yet it is thoughtful and inspiring. Give it a try.
    • 3/5
      content spoilers: slavery, corporal punishment, child abuse triggers.
      If you accept the artful use of dramatic license and the what-if plot premise, this near future narrative feels horrifyingly close.

      The chance of a healthy (expected lifespan over 20, usable organs) human clone from a skin sample is much less than 1 in 32. It may be impossible because non-sex cells are specialised.
      The vested interests which profit from the supply of drugs to North America would not allow it to be curtailed.
      States (or mercenaries) would rush in if there were a power vacuum.
      Don't emigrants from the North have guns? The Farm Patrol would be annihilated.


      By the ending, the plot threads are resolved, the author throws a bone to readers who desire a happy ending but the future is left open for reader interpretation. If you don't allow dramatic license the ending may seem too convenient or undramatic.
    • 5/5
      This is a fantastic epic story that kept me on the edge of my seat and never ceased to entertain and surprise me. Right when I thought I knew what would happen, Farmer had another dimension waiting for me.
    • 4/5
      Very good. Well written, good characterization, and the ethical issues presented were interesting. I found the ending to be lacking--it was was too easy and quick for everything the reader had been through. I loved Matt's will to survive.
    • 5/5
      This book reminds me of when I was little and would read my favorite books over and over again, because as soon as I reached the end of The House of the Scorpion, I wanted to start all over again with my knowledge of the world to see what else I could find out during a second reading.Matt is one of the absolute best main characters I've ever encountered, and the supporting cast is equally impressive. Both the writing and the plot are brilliant. Some of the connecting bits seem rushed (but that may have been because I was reading so fast trying to see what happens next).I was not expecting to read this book in two sittings, but I found it pretty much impossible to put down. Normally, once I finish a book, I'm ready to move on to the next, but I -really- want to start back at the beginning and take the ride all over again. It's excellent.
    • 5/5
      This book was a big surprise to me. To be completely honest, I didn't expect much of it when I first started. But the book quickly grabbed hold of me and made me wonder. It reminded me of Brave New World many times (albeit a strongly simplified version) and I loved it. Even though it is a YA (Young Adults) book it doesn't shun the harder facts. I enjoyed it a lot.
    • 5/5
      Matt, a clone, grows up under the thumb and constant supervision of his maker, El Patron. He lives in the land of Opium, between Mexico and the United States, where normal laws don't apply and human life is hardly valued. Matt must choose between the life he knows where he has some power, and the unknown where he knows he doesn't belong.Farmer beautifully creates the world of Opium and the not-so-distant future, where cloning is commonplace, but frowned upon, and people can be bought and sold if you have the power. Matt's journey from childhood, into the understanding of his position, and finally into his choice of who he wants to be in life is at times touching, funny, horrifying, and always deeply moving. The only complaint is that, in a book that takes its time with everything, the ending feels rushed. REcommended for grades 9 and above due to violence and adult themes.
    • 4/5
      While this book is technically science fiction, it's written in a way that I think can appeal to a broader audience. It's the relationships and social issues that drive the plot of the book and kept me engaged in the story. The main character (Matt) spends most of his life trying to figure out where he fits in, a common issue with most children. Matt is rejected and sometimes bullied as he learns about the world and encounters various situations. The book poses a number of moral and ethical questions that would be excellent discussions in a classroom setting, not just about the topic of cloning but also about bullying and acceptance. Well worth reading even if you aren't the traditional sci fi fan.
    • 5/5
      This book had a lot going on in a good way, totally a science fiction book but the author does a great job in providing more than just a far from this world science fiction book, the book provides depth and substance. The story goes deep into characters and many issues. Intense is a great way to sum up this book. Interesting it deals with many controversial issues, yet it does not deal with these issues in a manner that it becomes inappropriate for younger readers. Issues this book deals with cloning, war on drugs/cartel/political, family relations, some religious overtones, inner struggle, acceptance, cultural problems, and a bit of romance thrown in. It was difficult not wanting to continue reading this book. Elements of the story that was science fiction; cloning of humans (for advancement in life, for labor, for medical), takes place in the future (but is believable because it seems as if this can take place in the not too distant future). The plot is creative and original, I was guessing through out the pages of what would become of Matt (the main character a boy who is a clone). The author does a great job in creating Matt into a boy with substance, feeling, and emotion thus the reader forgets he is a clone. Very difficult book to recommend to young children, the reader must be mature enough to handle these issues. Ages 13/14 and up
    • 4/5
      Farmer, Nancy. The House of the Scorpion. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2004. This cience fiction story takes place in America in the future. It's premise is that the opium ring leaders gain control of vast parts of America close to the Mexican border. The drug lords plant vast fields of poppy fields and us iggits to harverst them. Iggits are people who have had a chip implanted into their brain and are controlled by a single command. The story is told from the point of view of a boy that is the clone of an old drug lord that plans to transplant his organ into his own body to live as long as possible. But there is the conflict in the clone. He wants to live his life like a real boy and he wants to do things right. The plot is so original and imaginative it kept me reading.The theme, which asks "what is life?," continues throughout the novel to be questioned and proven. This books is more appropriate for 7-8th grade middle school. It is more realistic than any other science fiction books I have read. Age group: 12- Adult.
    • 5/5
      Fields of white opium poppies stretch away over the hills, and uniformed workers bend over the rows, harvesting the juice. This is the empire of Matteo Alacran, a feudal drug lord in the country of Opium, which lies between the United States and Aztlan, formerly Mexico. Field work, or any menial tasks, are done by "eejits," humans in whose brains computer chips have been installed to insure docility. Alacran, or El Patron, has lived 140 years with the help of transplants from a series of clones, a common practice among rich men in this world. The intelligence of clones is usually destroyed at birth, but Matt, the latest of Alacran's doubles, has been spared because he belongs to El Patron. He grows up in the family's mansion, alternately caged and despised as an animal and pampered and educated as El Patron's favorite. Gradually he realizes the fate that is in store for him, and with the help of Tam Lin, his bluff and kind Scottish bodyguard, he escapes to Aztlan. There he and other "lost children" are trapped in a more subtle kind of slavery before Matt can return to Opium to take his rightful place and transform his country.
    • 5/5
      This book truly deserved its Newberry Honor Medal! I find that there are many post-apocalyptic/futuristic novels that often just miss the mark. The House of the Scorpion, however, hits it spot on. The story follows Matt, who is the honored outcast in his own home. As he discovers the truth of his existence, his life shatters before him and he strives to find out who he really is.
    • 5/5
      Note: This review contains mild spoilers.The House of the Scorpion is a novel intended for young adults, but it is only distinguishable as that by the youth of its main characters and the sometimes simplistic straightforwardness of the writing. The themes it addresses — the outsider, the moral obligations of those in power, the determination of nature vs. nurture — are much more complex and will appeal to readers of any age.The House of the Scorpion is set 140 years in the future, in a dystopian country called Opium or Dreamland, located between the U.S. and Mexican (now Aztlan) borders. Opium was founded by a drug lord named El Patrón in a deal with its bordering countries to eliminate illegal immigration and funnel the drug trade to Asia, Europe and Africa. El Patrón rules Opium absolutely, modeling it on a fantasy version of his childhood Mexico. His Farm Patrol captures illegals and lobotomizes them, turning them into slaves called “eejits” or “zombies” to work the opium fields. El Patrón keeps himself alive by harvesting organs and tissue as needed from clones of himself, whose brains are also destroyed.Except, in his hubris, El Patrón decides to keep the brain of of one his clones, a boy named Matt, intact. The novel is divided into sections based on Matt’s age and important periods in his life, from youth to middle age to old age. Never intended to have a long life, Matt’s “death” — and most critical turning point — comes at age 14, when he discovers that his true purpose is not to take over the family business from El Patrón, but to supply his next heart. The House of the Scorpion is Matt’s coming-of-age story, and at this point when Matt escapes to Aztlan, he begins the final process of becoming himself: no longer a despised, inferior clone, an outsider, but a true leader.Sharing El Patrón’s genetics, Matt also shares many of his characteristics: pride, innate leadership, the drive to do what is necessary to achieve his goals. For most of his youth, although he is largely ostracized, Matt is not completely alone. Three people highly influence him: Celia, the woman who raises him and loves him unconditionally; Tam Lin, his bodyguard, who teaches him about the world and who believes in him; and Maria, his childhood friend who shows Matt that he is capable of being loved, despite being a clone. These are influences that El Patrón lacked. So when Matt comes into his own as a leader, he has the potential to do what El Patrón never could: to correct the egregious moral sins of his culture.The House of the Scorpion won many honors, including the Newbery Award and the National Book Award for young adult literature.
    • 2/5
      This book is about Matt who is a clone in House of Scorpion. El Patron, a powerful drug lord, is the original Matteo Alacran. Patron is the master mind beind the whole thing. He uses Matt's clone from cells of a cow. In Opium, El Patron catches the "illegal immigrants" that try to cross the border. If they get caught, they will become enslaved. They refer to people as eejits, who suppose to have a computer chip in their brains. What will happen to Matt? Will El Patron get caught? Read on and see.One thing we can do is fill out a K-W-L chart on cloning. Since most students wouldn't be too familiar with cloning, we can start with this activity to activate some background knowledge (if any). A K-W-L chart is a graphic organizer that stands for what we know, what we want to know, and what we learned. So, with the topic being cloning, I would let my students fill out what they know first and then what they want to now. Next, we will learn about cloning and what it is and then go back to our K-W-L charts to write what they had learned. The next idea I had was for my students to take a picture of themselves (a photo) and bring it to class. With their picture, the student is going to play the role of El Patron. On paper, the student will look at their picture and draw how their clone would look, if they were creating one like Patron did.I didn't enjoy the book. I'm not too familiar with cloning and it would't be a topic of choice that I would want to read about anyway. I'm not sure if I would share the book with middle schoolers. I give it 2 stars. I did make the connection of House of Scorpion (cloning) to the Movie Splice, which I enjoyed watching. Finally, others may have liked it, but I really didn't. It didn't interest me nor keep me motivated to keep reading more.
    • 2/5
      The House of Scorpion by Nancy Farmer is a speculative fiction novel about cloning. In this story, the reader is introduced to a clone named Matt. Matt was made from the DNA of El Patron, a lord of a small country near the Mexican border. Matt was placed in a petri dish, then in the womb of a cow. Normally, at birth clones have needles injected into their brains causing them to go brain dead. However, Matt was more fortunate than any other clone strictly because he was El Patron's clone. El Patron wanted Matt to live a healthy life, so that he could be available if he needed Matt's organs. Matt was raised in a small house by a housemaid, Celia. Most clones are thought of a monstrous creatures and live in cells or worse; again, Matt was more fortunate than most clones. Matt has lived confined to Celia's house until he meets the children from the house who find him. After his discovery, Matt is taken to the house were he lives in animal-like conditions. The book then follows Matt's journey as he meets El Patron, makes friends, finds love, escapes to freedom, and more.Due to the subject matter of this text in our very politically correct society, I do not know that it could be used in a classroom setting. However, there are many different themes, ideas, and connections that can be used in the classroom. This text would have a great opportunity to be used for vocabulary and word study. Words in the text such as "treacherous, corrupt, malevolent" and other words provide a learning opportunity for students to discover word meaning through context. My major concern with this text is that parents and administrators would have a hard time supporting this text because it is about cloning. Cloning, stem cell research, and similar issues are a sensitive issues religiously and politically. I feel the same controversy would apply with the topic of the eejits, who have computer chips placed in their brains and perform required tasks, like robots. I also feel that although according to Scholastic this book is at a sixth grade reading level, I would use it in a high school English classroom due to content. I had a very hard time getting interested in this text. The first section of the book, which followed Matt from birth through six years of age, were full of information. I found the information overwhelming and it made it hard to put all the pieces of the story together. Because I had a hard time getting into the book in the beginning, I did not ever get really attached to the story. Although i enjoyed the book more as Matt got older and watching his relationships form with Maria, Celia, Tam Lin, El Patron, and other characters. However, I did find it erie that El Patron was so affectionate and interested in Matt because he saw Matt as himself.
    • 5/5
      This story was full of suspense. Had a great storyline and transitioned from chapter to chapter great. Would recommend this story to any reader. If you don't like thrillers or suspense, this book will make you

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    The House of the Scorpion - Nancy Farmer

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