The Pox Party: 18th Century Meets Evil Scientists

As I mentioned in the last post, I have recently finished The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: Pox Party by M.T. Anderson. This book has won numerous awards, including The National Book Award, The Printz Honor, and dozens of smaller awards. Due to the large amount of awards given to this novel, I knew I had to read it the moment I saw it. And here I am, I have finished The Pox Party, and it was nothing like I would've expected.

Many reviewers that have read this book claim that this novel is hard to get through. Many see this book as too provocative for the age group. In fact the majority of the readers (as seen through reviews), are adults. This Gothic lit follows the the first sixteen years of Octavian Gitney's life. He was a Prince of a far away, African nation. His mother, while pregnant with him, was exiled from the island, and was sold to the Novanglian College of Lucidity. This "college" was a house of philosophers and scientists. All the members of the house performed experiments, the results of which, were supposed to benefit mankind. The experiments were often vile, horrid, and cruel. It was not until one day, years after Octavian was born, did he realize that he, himself was one of the college's experiments.

The experiment was if an African child could thrive, as well as an English child, if he was raised with the same benefits. Throughout his life, Octavian was put through several tests, required to do strange things (including having his food, and his feces weighed), and was given a very rigorous education. Upon discovering this horrifying fact, that he was no more than an experiment, Octavian started rebelling.

One day, the college had decided to inject a form of small pox into themselves, the slaves (including Octavian and his mother), and other persons of high society. These injections were happening because, the small pox were starting to spread through the thirteen colonies, and instead of catching a fatal form of the small pox through the air, the injected were receiving a less harmful dose, and would be kept in a secure house. The college was doing this for experimental purposes, also. The members recorded, in detail, the sufferings of the people, including Octavian's mother. And when something unforgettable happens, Octavian runs away from the horrible wrath of the college. From that point of the story, Octavian starts living life on his own, questioning the differences between good and evil, and liberty and property.

I found this book very thought-provoking. It's not the kind of book to read, when you want to be happy. Honestly, not one happy thing happens in this Gothic novel. This book does discuss some major motifs: racism, good/evil, tyranny, Biblical allusions, and social class.

One other thing that may keep you away from this award winner, is the language. While not foul, it does contain some big, confusing, 18th century terms (novanglian and lucidity, for starters). However, don't let this keep you away. Give it a try. :)

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars