In a science fiction novel that takes place in the future, Jenna Fox has been in a very severe car accident. She has just awakened from a coma and has no memory. Her parents start showing her movies of her life to help her remember. As her memory starts to return she learns that her body is not her own. She is a robot made of bio-gel, a substance created by her father. Only 10 percent of her brain remains. All the rest of her body is artificial. The bio-gel contains chemical neurotransmitters. They learn from her brain and become smarter. Her memories have all been uploaded from her brain. She and the other two teenagers who were in the car with her have all had their memories stored in computers for future use. The FSEB, which controls all medical procedures, has outlawed the overuse of antibiotics and human organ reproduction. Jenna is illegal. If anyone finds out that she exists, her parents and the scientists who have helped them will be in trouble. Jenna must remain hidden, but she wants her freedom. She wants to be human. She wants friends and the human part of being a terminal being.
This is a great thought provoking science fiction book. It could lead to discussions about what makes us human and how far scientists and doctors should go in saving human life. It would be good to compare to Jules Verne and other classic science fiction novels that were written about things that actually later came to pass, like submarines. Will medical science eventually be able to create human beings from very small particles of actual human beings and what will be the repercussions of these advances? Would you really want to live forever?
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