What would it be like to wake from sleep not knowing who you were? No idea of your name, age, what you had done in life, who your friends and family are.
When a girl wakes on a bus and looks around to see others also waking her mind is racing trying to find some memories. She looks down to find a nametag attached to her. Cecily. Her name is Cecily. The six others on the bus also have no memory, but all also have nametags. As they grapple with their situation, a screen on the back of each of their seats lights up and flashes up a question. A fork in the road is ahead. Straight ahead is one person on the road. Off the side road of the fork are five people. Do you have the bus carry on to hit the one person or take the turn at the fork and hit the five. Which do you value more? Each person has to choose. Majority rules.
What are they doing there, are they related to each other in some way? How can they choose to kill anyone?
The Erasure Initiative is a thriller, packed full of ethical scenarios that encourage you to dwell on your own moral compass. A bit futuristic (but not so much that it is unbelievable) with an interesting plotline which highlights how humans behave when push comes to shove.
A great read.
Reviewed by Alice Wilson
Age Guide 15+
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lili Wilkinson is the award-winning author of 19 books for children and teenagers, including A Hunger of Thorns, After the Lights Go Out, The Erasure Initiative and How To Make A Pet Monster. Lili established the Inky Awards at the Centre for Youth Literature, State Library of Victoria. She has a PhD in Creative Writing, and lives in Melbourne with her partner, child, dog and three chickens.
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