The Program by Suzanne Young

Title: The Program (Program #1)
Author: Suzanne Young
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release date: April 30th 2013

Rating: 4/5

Buy on: Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

In Sloane’s world, true feelings are forbidden, teen suicide is an epidemic, and the only solution is The Program.

Sloane knows better than to cry in front of anyone. With suicide now an international epidemic, one outburst could land her in The Program, the only proven course of treatment. Sloane’s parents have already lost one child; Sloane knows they’ll do anything to keep her alive. She also knows that everyone who’s been through The Program returns as a blank slate. Because their depression is gone—but so are their memories.

Under constant surveillance at home and at school, Sloane puts on a brave face and keeps her feelings buried as deep as she can. The only person Sloane can be herself with is James. He’s promised to keep them both safe and out of treatment, and Sloane knows their love is strong enough to withstand anything. But despite the promises they made to each other, it’s getting harder to hide the truth. They are both growing weaker. Depression is setting in. And The Program is coming for them.

This book reminded me a little of Delirium, so if you are fan of Delirium you might like this book.

Sloane the main character, lives in a world where suicide has become a global epidemic and one in three adolescents commits suicide, that´s why the city in which she lives decides to create a pilot program called "The Program" where young people from 13 to 17 years-old are monitored at home and at school to detect any signs of depression or suicidal tendencies, and once they´re detected as potential suicide are sent to "The Program" where they are subjected to a treatment where they get erase specific memories erased that are the cause of their depression and once they complete the treatment are sent to a special school where only cured teenagers attend and where they will be monitored constantly until they turn 18 year-old. The "cured" live without remembering their friends, boyfriends/girlfriends and other details that can depress them and with the help of their parents and psychiatrists have a life without depression.

But teens who have not gone through "The Program" are terrified of it, they live in constant fear of being reported,  they do not show their feelings openly, they pretend to be happy, so much is the fear of being sent to "The Program" that some prefer commit suicide than go to "The Program ".

One detail that caught my attention is that Sloane is constantly monitored at school and at home, but she can go camping on weekends or go to the river to swim with her friends and no one says anything.

An important part of the plot The Program is the romance between Sloane and James, they have been dating for two years and through the memories of her, we can see a little of how they fell in love and part of their relationship. But the main thing is what happens in "The Program", I really did not expect the story to be that good and is a page-turner, the plot has many sad moments, there are two scenes in particular that where particular sad and it has a very interesting twist that I did not see coming ... just...wow. I really liked this book, the idea is very interesting and is a great dystopian novel. I´m looking forward to read The Treatment, the next book in this series.

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