EchoStar: is always listening

By Author / Illustrator

Melinda Salisbury, Holly Ovenden

Genre

Suspense & Thrillers

Age range(s)

11+

Publisher

Barrington Stoke

ISBN

9781800902701

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

14-03-2024

Synopsis

Bestselling YA author Melinda Salisbury exposes the dark underbelly of new technologies and online friendships in this gripping thriller.

Ruby Brookes and her best friend Deva have won free places at the Ash Tree Foundation Performing Arts Camp over the summer, but only if their school grades seriously improve. So when Deva suddenly starts getting high marks in all their subjects, leaving Ruby behind, she is confused and jealous.

Until she finds out Deva's success is down to EchoStar, a new app that's helping her get ahead.

Ruby is desperate to start using it too, but there is much more to EchoStar than she has imagined. Because EchoStar is always watching and listening ...

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Reviews

EchoStar: is always listening is an excellent thriller that builds the tension until the very end and (spoiler coming…) with a great final twist! For a book of only 129 pages, Melinda Salisbury manages to create an elaborate narrative full of suspense and foreboding yet centred on the relationships of teenagers Ruby and Deva.

The story uses detailed, futuristic technology to draw the main character, Ruby Brookes, further into a situation that initially she uses to help her achieve better grades at school. She is determined to get to Summer camp but needs to cheat to achieve this. Soon she is out of her depth as the technology seems to take over, affecting her friendship, school and family life.

The friendship issues between Ruby and Deva are well written and relatable to young people. The emotional hurt and jealousy felt by Ruby in particular is particularly well observed and poignant. The artificial intelligence is worryingly plausible and as the story continues, it becomes menacing and intrusive.

The book provides the perfect opportunity to discuss the benefits and challenges of AI with young people as well as the ethical issues surrounding cheating in school. At the end of this excellent story is an exciting tease advertisement for Melinda Salisbury's follow-up book, so there is more to look forward to. Highly recommended - EchoStar: is always listening is a valuable addition to the school library offering a mix of real life issues, suspense and imagined future fiction. The publication by Barrington Stoke uses their accessible dyslexia friendly format.

136 pages / Reviewed by Ruth Cornish, school librarian