The Rule of Three by E. Walters
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.20361/G2F012Abstract
Walters, Eric. The Rule of Three. Toronto: Penguin Canada Books Inc., 2014. Print
With all the dystopian novels written over the last ten, years Eric Walters has composed a refreshing and believable look at how a community survives after the world has been changed by a computer virus which has immobilized any vehicle, utility, or device that requires computer technology. The villains the community members have to face are not zombies or other fantasy creatures but humans. How long will this disaster last? They don’t know.
The “rule of three” is an idea that we can live for three seconds without air, three days without water, and three weeks without food. Keeping this in mind, the protagonist, sixteen-year-old Adam Daley, his mom, the police chief, and neighbour Herb, an ex-spy, must come up with ways to keep their community of Eden Mills safe and self-reliant. Three days after the outage, people begin to panic because the basics of life – water and food – become either inaccessible or depleted. The protection of one’s own family becomes the priority and mob mentality and the survival of the fittest become paramount obstacles that Eden Mills residents must endure. There is a fight for power both figuratively and literally. They must get energy to survive and also have the physical, mental, and social power to live.
In some ways, The Rule of Three takes an idealistic view of how a community could band together to survive after a disastrous event. I would hope that if this happened in any community that citizens would have the same attitude and skills.
Following Eric Walter’s style, the characters are realistic, relatable, and believable. Like We All Fall Down and many of Walters’ other books, reluctant readers would find the book both readable and interesting. Readers looking for high vocabulary and intricate plot may find this read disappointing.
The Rule of Three has suspense, drama, likable characters, and even a little romance; ages 13 and up would enjoy this novel. I am looking forward to the sequel The Rule of Three: The Fight for Power.
Recommended: 3 out of 4 stars
Reviewer: Marylou Dickson
Teaching Division III English Language Arts and impacting students’ abilities to improve their literacy practices are passions of Marylou Dickson. She is a teacher in the Edmonton Public School Board and is also a doctoral student at the University of Alberta researching adolescent literacy. When not teaching or studying, you can find Marylou and her husband Al watching movies, enjoying friends, and/or working on their homestead.
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