What do you think?
Rate this book
The Declaration #1
The Declaration
In the year 2140, it is illegal to be young.
Children are all but extinct.
The world is a better place.
Longevity drugs are a fountain of youth. Sign the Declaration, agree not to have children and you too can live forever. Refuse, and you will live as an outcast. For the children born outside the law, it only gets worse – Surplus status.
Anna Covey is a Surplus; she should not have been born.
In a society in which ageing is no longer feared, and death is no longer an inevitability, children are an abomination.
Like all Surpluses, Anna is living in a Surplus Hall and learning how to make amends for the selfish act her parents committed in having her. She is quietly accepting of her fate until, one day, a new inmate arrives. Anna’s life is thrown into chaos.
But is she brave enough to believe this mysterious boy?
Children are all but extinct.
The world is a better place.
Longevity drugs are a fountain of youth. Sign the Declaration, agree not to have children and you too can live forever. Refuse, and you will live as an outcast. For the children born outside the law, it only gets worse – Surplus status.
Anna Covey is a Surplus; she should not have been born.
In a society in which ageing is no longer feared, and death is no longer an inevitability, children are an abomination.
Like all Surpluses, Anna is living in a Surplus Hall and learning how to make amends for the selfish act her parents committed in having her. She is quietly accepting of her fate until, one day, a new inmate arrives. Anna’s life is thrown into chaos.
But is she brave enough to believe this mysterious boy?
295 pages, Paperback
First published October 2, 2007
About the author
Gemma Malley
11 books473 followersGemma Malley studied Philosophy at Reading University before working as a journalist. She edited several business magazines and contributed regularly to Company magazine and the Sunday Telegraph before moving into the Civil Service in a senior communications role at Ofsted. The Declaration, her first novel for a teenage audience, and its sequel, The Resistance, were published to critical acclaim. She lives in South London.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,816 reviews
March 7, 2018
I'm so pleased I reread this! It was just as mind blowing the second or third time around!
Meet Anna.
"I hate my parents. They broke The Declaration...they're in prison now. None of us knows anything about our parents anymore. Which is fine by me - I'd have nothing to say to them anyway."
Imagine a world where people could live forever. A world where a pill called Longevity prevented people from dying. However, to take part in this world you must sign The Declaration - a contract confirming that you will never have children, in order to prevent overpopulation.
Those who have children anyway, are sent to prison - and the kids referred to as Surpuses, sent to live in halls, where they are beaten, starved and trained to become housekeepers.
Anna is one such Surplus, she has accepted her lot in life, thoroughly brainwashed by the horrible Ms Pincent. That is until Peter turns up, a late arrival - Peter has spent much of his life on the Outside, and begins telling Anna of her parents. How there is an underground movement fighting against Longevity, that Mother Nature believes in the new and young, rather than keeping the Old alive.
Peter's arrival turns Anna's entire world upside down, and it isn't long before she decides to take action. A thrilling dystopia with a fantastic premise! Highly recommend!
"Because no one needs to live forever. I think that sometimes you can outstay your welcome."
Meet Anna.
"I hate my parents. They broke The Declaration...they're in prison now. None of us knows anything about our parents anymore. Which is fine by me - I'd have nothing to say to them anyway."
Imagine a world where people could live forever. A world where a pill called Longevity prevented people from dying. However, to take part in this world you must sign The Declaration - a contract confirming that you will never have children, in order to prevent overpopulation.
Those who have children anyway, are sent to prison - and the kids referred to as Surpuses, sent to live in halls, where they are beaten, starved and trained to become housekeepers.
Anna is one such Surplus, she has accepted her lot in life, thoroughly brainwashed by the horrible Ms Pincent. That is until Peter turns up, a late arrival - Peter has spent much of his life on the Outside, and begins telling Anna of her parents. How there is an underground movement fighting against Longevity, that Mother Nature believes in the new and young, rather than keeping the Old alive.
Peter's arrival turns Anna's entire world upside down, and it isn't long before she decides to take action. A thrilling dystopia with a fantastic premise! Highly recommend!
"Because no one needs to live forever. I think that sometimes you can outstay your welcome."
June 11, 2015
I normally love dystopian teen fic. And the premise of this one sounded fairly interesting. I just assumed I would really enjoy it. But right off the bat I was annoyed by the beginning--a nine-page-long diary entry. Such a lazy (and boring) way to give background information! I mean, diary entries CAN be done well, and written in a believable way. The ones in this book are not. A lot of times it's a case of telling instead of showing, which always makes events feel flat and not quite believable. Other times, the journal entries repeat things that just happened in the story, only with the main character giving her (very immature) opinions on things as well ("stupid" seems to be one of her favorite words). The diary entries really irritated me.
But they aren't the only parts I found frustrating about this book. The characters don't feel real at ALL to me--a sterotypical evil headmistress, a naive, brainwashed girl who is suddenly UN-brainwashed without any real conflict of conscience after overhearing ONE conversation, a traditional mean girl/bully type, a heroic, overly patient boy who has all the answers...blergh. None of them have any depth whatsoever. On top of that, the overcapitalization!
The entire thing just feels really immature and unoriginal to me. I'm quitting to read something more compelling.
But they aren't the only parts I found frustrating about this book. The characters don't feel real at ALL to me--a sterotypical evil headmistress, a naive, brainwashed girl who is suddenly UN-brainwashed without any real conflict of conscience after overhearing ONE conversation, a traditional mean girl/bully type, a heroic, overly patient boy who has all the answers...blergh. None of them have any depth whatsoever. On top of that, the overcapitalization!
The entire thing just feels really immature and unoriginal to me. I'm quitting to read something more compelling.
March 31, 2011
My opinion on this book swayed back and forth between 3 and 5 stars, so I eventually settled on 4 and I'm now going to do my best to explain why.
Why it got 4 stars
This book got 4 stars for being a highly original and intriguing story. I'm a real lover of dystopian societies, especially those set in a foreseeable future, and this is one unlike any other but with elements that are so cleverly woven with the current thoughts and fears that it makes it seem like a tragic possibility.
The book tells the story of a society where longevity drugs mean that the body never grows old and dies, they keep all the organs working and eradicate diseases such as cancer, heart disease and AIDs. But a society where no one dies cannot exist unless no one is born either.
Hence the declaration. Signing the declaration gives you eternal access to longevity drugs, as long as you swear to never have children. Any children born illegally are called 'surpluses', and sent away to surplus houses where they are taught of their lack of worth. How they are a burden to mother nature and the Legals who were here first, they are trained to be slaves to the Legals and to expect beatings and mistreatment as a punishment for their parents' sins.
It's an incredible and well-constructed idea and you can feel the frustration at being told your nothing by people who have selfishly warped nature in order to avoid death. It questions some of today's issues, particularly some practises found in China, and is a story about the value of life... and, strangely, of death. I cannot wait to read the second book in this series.
Why it didn't get 5 stars
Quite simply, I didn't like any of the characters. The protagonist, Anna, was selfish and bratty and just really quite pathetic at times. Also, Peter was a drip. I've never been a big fan of the male hero coming in and saving the helpless princess, but if you are going to go down that route, at least make your hero memorable. There just isn't much to say about Peter, other than the fact that he was boring. The most interesting character was Mrs Pincham and the strange twist to this story that does come as quite a shock.
I am eagerly anticipating more and just hope that the author can develop her characters to match up to the standards of the the very imaginative story.
Why it got 4 stars
This book got 4 stars for being a highly original and intriguing story. I'm a real lover of dystopian societies, especially those set in a foreseeable future, and this is one unlike any other but with elements that are so cleverly woven with the current thoughts and fears that it makes it seem like a tragic possibility.
The book tells the story of a society where longevity drugs mean that the body never grows old and dies, they keep all the organs working and eradicate diseases such as cancer, heart disease and AIDs. But a society where no one dies cannot exist unless no one is born either.
Hence the declaration. Signing the declaration gives you eternal access to longevity drugs, as long as you swear to never have children. Any children born illegally are called 'surpluses', and sent away to surplus houses where they are taught of their lack of worth. How they are a burden to mother nature and the Legals who were here first, they are trained to be slaves to the Legals and to expect beatings and mistreatment as a punishment for their parents' sins.
It's an incredible and well-constructed idea and you can feel the frustration at being told your nothing by people who have selfishly warped nature in order to avoid death. It questions some of today's issues, particularly some practises found in China, and is a story about the value of life... and, strangely, of death. I cannot wait to read the second book in this series.
Why it didn't get 5 stars
Quite simply, I didn't like any of the characters. The protagonist, Anna, was selfish and bratty and just really quite pathetic at times. Also, Peter was a drip. I've never been a big fan of the male hero coming in and saving the helpless princess, but if you are going to go down that route, at least make your hero memorable. There just isn't much to say about Peter, other than the fact that he was boring. The most interesting character was Mrs Pincham and the strange twist to this story that does come as quite a shock.
I am eagerly anticipating more and just hope that the author can develop her characters to match up to the standards of the the very imaginative story.
January 21, 2008
Would you make the choice to live forever even if it meant you wouldn't be allowed to have children? In the year 2140 most people do. In order to take Longevity, people have to sign the Declaration. People that choose to have children anyway are arrested and put in prison and the children are taken and put into something that resembles an orphanage. The children are referred to as Surplus.
Surplus Anna is one of the most promising occupants of Grange Hall, a bleak and cold housing unit for illegal children. She is proud of her accomplishments as a housekeeper. She will soon reach the age where she leaves Grange Hall and is placed in a permanent job. Anna is happy she has been able to pay back society for exisiting. She feels anger toward her parents for even putting her in this situation and adding to the drain on the world's resources. Anna doesn't think much about a life of freedom until Peter shows up at Grange Hall and tells her things that only her parents could know.
Together, Anna and Peter set out on an adventure that changes their lives forever. They both find family they didn't know existed and Anna learns just how much she can care for another person.
THE DECLARATION is a frightening look at what can happen when the government takes control over life itself. As appealing as living forever may seem, it is clear the consequences far outweigh the benefits.
Surplus Anna is one of the most promising occupants of Grange Hall, a bleak and cold housing unit for illegal children. She is proud of her accomplishments as a housekeeper. She will soon reach the age where she leaves Grange Hall and is placed in a permanent job. Anna is happy she has been able to pay back society for exisiting. She feels anger toward her parents for even putting her in this situation and adding to the drain on the world's resources. Anna doesn't think much about a life of freedom until Peter shows up at Grange Hall and tells her things that only her parents could know.
Together, Anna and Peter set out on an adventure that changes their lives forever. They both find family they didn't know existed and Anna learns just how much she can care for another person.
THE DECLARATION is a frightening look at what can happen when the government takes control over life itself. As appealing as living forever may seem, it is clear the consequences far outweigh the benefits.
December 30, 2012
This is not a terrible book but it's not great either. The writing seems more like a children's book but the content is young adult so that kind of bothered me. It started really really slowly, i felt like 'I get it already, She wants to be a good little surplus, surpluses are bad, just shut up and start the story already!'
I got so sick of all the over explaining of EVERYTHING - Things that could have easily been written into the plot or the reader could easily work out for themselves. It also felt a little repetitive in places. The characters were pretty unbelievable too and I didn't get any sense of why Anna started to care about Peter aside from the fact that the author told me she did. That was pretty much the way the whole book was, 'it's like that because I said its like that' kind of writing.
As I said before, it reads like a children's book and if you can accept the story as a child would, without question, then you will probably enjoy it a lot more.
Final verdict - its OK.
I got so sick of all the over explaining of EVERYTHING - Things that could have easily been written into the plot or the reader could easily work out for themselves. It also felt a little repetitive in places. The characters were pretty unbelievable too and I didn't get any sense of why Anna started to care about Peter aside from the fact that the author told me she did. That was pretty much the way the whole book was, 'it's like that because I said its like that' kind of writing.
As I said before, it reads like a children's book and if you can accept the story as a child would, without question, then you will probably enjoy it a lot more.
Final verdict - its OK.
August 15, 2015
This book could've been really been nice, but it absolutely wasn't. I liked the idea of the story, but hated how it was told. The characters were flat and uninteresting, but what I hated most about this book was the writing. It was immature and everything was described with the same words. Like I said, this could've been a really good book, but it was pretty much ruined by the writing and how the author told the story.
August 9, 2008
The premise: technology has advanced to the point that, with just two little capsules each day, everyone can live forever. Hooray! But if nobody's dying, the world is getting mighty crowded--so nobody is allowed to have babies anymore. Anna is a surplus, a kid born to a couple who did not Opt Out of the Declaration [apparently a legal document that says I Won't Have Children?]. So she's been shuffled off to Surplus Hall, where she learns menial housekeeping tasks to earn her keep in the world that doesn't want to support her.
This could be a fascinating look at gender politics, overpopulation, medical advancements, or global resources, but it's just ... not. It's okay. It's a perfectly serviceable book for those who haven't read a lot of sci-fi/dystopia. But it's bland. The few characters who stand out, do so because they're almost cartoonish in their stereotypes (the evil head matron with a dark secret of her own! the troublemaker! the sycophant!). Characters' changes of heart happen relatively suddenly, with little to no time given to explain what prompted the change. This is not to imply there's little explanation overall; long portions are almost nothing but explanation, interrupting the narrative to give the background on the terminology, or the history, or the relationship between several characters.
I might still recommend this to some teens, but probably not as a first draft pick. For better population-control stories, I'd steer kids to Margaret Peterson Haddix's Among the Hidden or Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, depending on their ages.
I'm on a dystopian kick lately. With that in mind, I recognize the irony in complaining that this book sounds like it should be perfect and yet misses the mark so completely.
This could be a fascinating look at gender politics, overpopulation, medical advancements, or global resources, but it's just ... not. It's okay. It's a perfectly serviceable book for those who haven't read a lot of sci-fi/dystopia. But it's bland. The few characters who stand out, do so because they're almost cartoonish in their stereotypes (the evil head matron with a dark secret of her own! the troublemaker! the sycophant!). Characters' changes of heart happen relatively suddenly, with little to no time given to explain what prompted the change. This is not to imply there's little explanation overall; long portions are almost nothing but explanation, interrupting the narrative to give the background on the terminology, or the history, or the relationship between several characters.
I might still recommend this to some teens, but probably not as a first draft pick. For better population-control stories, I'd steer kids to Margaret Peterson Haddix's Among the Hidden or Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, depending on their ages.
I'm on a dystopian kick lately. With that in mind, I recognize the irony in complaining that this book sounds like it should be perfect and yet misses the mark so completely.
November 25, 2010
4.5 - Yikes. If there's anyone out there who thinks only the horror genre can scare them they need to pick this up.
I have a hard time with the classification of some books, YA in particular. Why is this YA? Because of the main characters? There are more than a few supporting non-teen characters. What are they? Nothing? I mean, I'm a decent ways past my teens and I can say that I'd recommend this more to adults than to teens. Now, I know more adults than teens so that may play a part, but it's also not the entire reason. This book is just as made for adults as for teens IMO.
Malley managed to pull me right in, something not easily done. I read a lot so I tend to find many books I love, many, many that I like, and many that I don't like. But out of them all, even some of the ones I've loved, only a small percentage took me in like this did.
I felt like I wanted to jump in the book and change all of the rules. I wanted to save Anna Peter, and her parents and ever other Surplus.
I think what I liked most was what happened with Anna's parents. That sounds strange right? Yeah. It does. Allow me to explain. I don't like pat endings. I like when they're as realistic as possible. This is probably my love of non-fiction streaming over into my fiction reading but either way, a 'happily-ever-after' ending rarely does it for me.
What happened with Anna's parents needed to happen. If it wouldn't have happened the story would have lost all meaning (for me) around that time.
I've already started the sequel which I'm happy that I have available as this is one I wouldn't have wanted to wait in between on.
I have a hard time with the classification of some books, YA in particular. Why is this YA? Because of the main characters? There are more than a few supporting non-teen characters. What are they? Nothing? I mean, I'm a decent ways past my teens and I can say that I'd recommend this more to adults than to teens. Now, I know more adults than teens so that may play a part, but it's also not the entire reason. This book is just as made for adults as for teens IMO.
Malley managed to pull me right in, something not easily done. I read a lot so I tend to find many books I love, many, many that I like, and many that I don't like. But out of them all, even some of the ones I've loved, only a small percentage took me in like this did.
I felt like I wanted to jump in the book and change all of the rules. I wanted to save Anna Peter, and her parents and ever other Surplus.
I think what I liked most was what happened with Anna's parents. That sounds strange right? Yeah. It does. Allow me to explain. I don't like pat endings. I like when they're as realistic as possible. This is probably my love of non-fiction streaming over into my fiction reading but either way, a 'happily-ever-after' ending rarely does it for me.
What happened with Anna's parents needed to happen. If it wouldn't have happened the story would have lost all meaning (for me) around that time.
I've already started the sequel which I'm happy that I have available as this is one I wouldn't have wanted to wait in between on.
April 21, 2010
This book surprised me in a good way. I had expected to give it 3 stars, but in the end I had to give it an extra star for the huge twist that I never saw coming.
This book has the political view points of Unwind and the government pull of Hunger Games. During the story you find out what happens to the word when a drug company finds a way for people to stop the aging process and what has to be done in order to preserve resources. People are made to sign a declaration in which they promise to stop having kids in order to take this new longevity drug and live virtually forever. But, as you guessed some people decide that having kids is worth more and go against this order. The story goes on to tell how a Surplus (a child born after the declaration was put into effect) has to lie and what they are taught about their life.
This book is sad and I felt strong emotions for Anna. No child should ever have to go through what she and several others were made to endure. If you liked Hunger Games and Unwind I would say give this one a try. It is the first in the series and it is milder compared to the two mentioned but I think it is a worthwhile read.
This book has the political view points of Unwind and the government pull of Hunger Games. During the story you find out what happens to the word when a drug company finds a way for people to stop the aging process and what has to be done in order to preserve resources. People are made to sign a declaration in which they promise to stop having kids in order to take this new longevity drug and live virtually forever. But, as you guessed some people decide that having kids is worth more and go against this order. The story goes on to tell how a Surplus (a child born after the declaration was put into effect) has to lie and what they are taught about their life.
This book is sad and I felt strong emotions for Anna. No child should ever have to go through what she and several others were made to endure. If you liked Hunger Games and Unwind I would say give this one a try. It is the first in the series and it is milder compared to the two mentioned but I think it is a worthwhile read.
January 26, 2022
Îmi plac mult distopiile cu adolescenți, dar cartea asta deloc nu m-a prins.
Am citit-o relativ repede, dar nu m-a cucerit, nu m-a ținut cu sufletul la gura... nu nimic. Slăbuța scris și un pic răsuflat subiectul, pot sa spun.
Cred ca cel mai mult m-a enervat personajul principal Anna. Deloc n-am placut-o! Oricat de spălată pe creier ai fi, nu poți sa n-ai pic de caracter, sa fii atat de ștearsă. Aaa, iar faza cu sărutul... doamne, cea mai proasta scena citita de mine vreodată ;))).
În fine, am văzut ca sunt mai multe volume ale acestei povesti, nu le voi mai continua, am primit un răspuns și un final, deci e ok.
Nu știu dacă sa recomand cartea sau nu. Nu e cea mai rea dar pe mine nu m-a ținut deloc în priza.
Ii dau 3 stele.
Am citit-o relativ repede, dar nu m-a cucerit, nu m-a ținut cu sufletul la gura... nu nimic. Slăbuța scris și un pic răsuflat subiectul, pot sa spun.
Cred ca cel mai mult m-a enervat personajul principal Anna. Deloc n-am placut-o! Oricat de spălată pe creier ai fi, nu poți sa n-ai pic de caracter, sa fii atat de ștearsă. Aaa, iar faza cu sărutul... doamne, cea mai proasta scena citita de mine vreodată ;))).
În fine, am văzut ca sunt mai multe volume ale acestei povesti, nu le voi mai continua, am primit un răspuns și un final, deci e ok.
Nu știu dacă sa recomand cartea sau nu. Nu e cea mai rea dar pe mine nu m-a ținut deloc în priza.
Ii dau 3 stele.
February 12, 2017
The Declaration wordt gekenmerkt door een enorm originele dystopische wereld, die je aan het denken zet over de wetenschap en de bijbehorende ethische kwesties. Heeft de onsterfelijke mens het alleenrecht op de aarde of moeten we juist de wetten van de natuur volgen? De levensechte personages - gebrainwasht en al - brengen het verhaal tot leven en de vlotte schrijfstijl zorgt dat je het boek geen seconde naast je neer wilt leggen. Ik kan niet wachten om verder te lezen over Surplus Anna.
Mijn complete recensie vind je op Oog op de Toekomst.
-- 2015 --
I absolutely loved The Declaration. This dystopian story is set in a future were people can live forever, if they pledge to not have any children. But of course, there are children being born, and those 'illegal' children are called Surplusses. Anna, our protagonist, is a Surplus.
First of all I loved the idea behind this book. It's very original and both the writing style and the world building are amazing. I feel like the world could be like this in the future.. I really loved Anna's point of view, because she is so brainwashed in Grange Hall, feeling like a Burden who doesn't Know Her Place and working hard to repay her sins. I also feel like her personality is realistic.
I feel like this book really questions the current society we're living in and I like that a lot. On the romance area I wasn't quite there yet, but I can't give this book less than five stars. I just couldn't stop reading.. Loved it!
★★★★★
Mijn complete recensie vind je op Oog op de Toekomst.
-- 2015 --
I absolutely loved The Declaration. This dystopian story is set in a future were people can live forever, if they pledge to not have any children. But of course, there are children being born, and those 'illegal' children are called Surplusses. Anna, our protagonist, is a Surplus.
First of all I loved the idea behind this book. It's very original and both the writing style and the world building are amazing. I feel like the world could be like this in the future.. I really loved Anna's point of view, because she is so brainwashed in Grange Hall, feeling like a Burden who doesn't Know Her Place and working hard to repay her sins. I also feel like her personality is realistic.
I feel like this book really questions the current society we're living in and I like that a lot. On the romance area I wasn't quite there yet, but I can't give this book less than five stars. I just couldn't stop reading.. Loved it!
★★★★★
June 23, 2017
I don't remember much about this one; it's fairly tropey and not much beyond that. I have to admit, it's a terrifying dystopia. On the other hand, the characters are some of the flattest I've ever come across.
The romance in particular was a fault here. Peter is a sixteen-year-old boy in a higher position of societal power than the fourteen-year-old Anna. Predictably, Anna is naive and Peter is more mature. It was honestly just kind of skeevy even to me as a fourteen-year-old? Yeahhhhh.
The romance in particular was a fault here. Peter is a sixteen-year-old boy in a higher position of societal power than the fourteen-year-old Anna. Predictably, Anna is naive and Peter is more mature. It was honestly just kind of skeevy even to me as a fourteen-year-old? Yeahhhhh.
January 13, 2022
Aylar yıllar sonra bir kitap bitirebilmenin mutluluğunu yaşıyorum.
January 4, 2018
Okay, it wasn’t bad. It’s not a 5 star but I’ll graciously give it 4 stars. 5 stars would be if I’d read it more than once lol. The MC, Anna, like most YA or dystopian girls was uptight and kind of a brat.
This book is all about longevity and living forever if it meant you couldn’t have kids. As long as you agreed to that, you were given longevity pills to live forever. Cancer was cured, aids was cured, everything was cured. There are no illnesses. Instead, if you have a child illegally, you’re sent to prison and your child goes into a group home (essentially) where they are taught and told they are abominations and shouldn’t be alive and that they’ll be slaves forever to legal people. And they were told their parents hated them and that was another reason they were there. I’d say about 98% of the kids believed it. Even Anna.
Anna was the model surplus and did everything she was told. Until she met Peter. He eventually talked her into escaping with him so he could take her back to her parents who did love her. He came to rescue her you see.
My biggest shock in the whole story was when the truth about Peter and his heritage came out. That was pretty much all the excitement lol. I hated that Anna’s parents did what they do but I can understand it.
overall, it was a good read. And it’s a quick read too.
This book is all about longevity and living forever if it meant you couldn’t have kids. As long as you agreed to that, you were given longevity pills to live forever. Cancer was cured, aids was cured, everything was cured. There are no illnesses. Instead, if you have a child illegally, you’re sent to prison and your child goes into a group home (essentially) where they are taught and told they are abominations and shouldn’t be alive and that they’ll be slaves forever to legal people. And they were told their parents hated them and that was another reason they were there. I’d say about 98% of the kids believed it. Even Anna.
Anna was the model surplus and did everything she was told. Until she met Peter. He eventually talked her into escaping with him so he could take her back to her parents who did love her. He came to rescue her you see.
My biggest shock in the whole story was when the truth about Peter and his heritage came out. That was pretty much all the excitement lol. I hated that Anna’s parents did what they do but I can understand it.
overall, it was a good read. And it’s a quick read too.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 13, 2018
I read this one back in high school, and remember loving it. This time around, it was a bit too YA for my current taste. I won’t be reading the rest of the series. The premise is interesting, but the characters are too immature, and things get resolved too quickly, neatly and unbelievably for my liking.
December 27, 2020
This was fine, but wasn't the best thing I've ever read! I did enjoy reading it, and learning about the make-up of this dystopian world, but I'm not in a massive rush to find the sequel.
December 23, 2016
Oh my gosh, I LOVED this book! And it's so annoying, because I've had it sat on my bookcase for a few years for some reason! The whole series in fact! Foolish past me!
I wasn't expecting to love this so much. I thought it would just be one of those quick reads that you enjoy enough, but it's not amazing. But boy was I wrong! I'm speed typing this so I can go and start the second book right away!
I loved Anna's character. I thought it was really well done how much she's bought all the brainwashing about being worthless and needing to pay the world back for being born. And I like how as soon as things start happening she doesn't just change her mind about everything immediately.
Mrs Pincent was the most interesting character to me I think. Seeing as I'm only writing about her and Anna in this review, and Anna is the main character. I thought at the beginning that she was just going to be this side character, the awful Adult who is terrible to the main characters before they move on with the story. But she just kept on getting more and more evil and ruthless and crazy as the book went on!
Also, my prediction was correct!
Random thoughts:
- Haha at the guy who invented the drug dying before he could even take it.
- The amount of brutality in this is insane! The poor kids! The poor people who break the law for good causes!
- Mrs Pincent is fucking insane!
- It's so scary to think how this, really, is totally a plausible future. And that's kind of terrifying!
-
- It's nice to read a Dystopian book set in England, rather than the US.
One last thing. How old is Anna? Because at the beginning she says in her diary that in six months it will be her 15th birthday. But on the blurb and on the description on Amazon and everywhere else it says that she's 16?
I wasn't expecting to love this so much. I thought it would just be one of those quick reads that you enjoy enough, but it's not amazing. But boy was I wrong! I'm speed typing this so I can go and start the second book right away!
I loved Anna's character. I thought it was really well done how much she's bought all the brainwashing about being worthless and needing to pay the world back for being born. And I like how as soon as things start happening she doesn't just change her mind about everything immediately.
Mrs Pincent was the most interesting character to me I think. Seeing as I'm only writing about her and Anna in this review, and Anna is the main character. I thought at the beginning that she was just going to be this side character, the awful Adult who is terrible to the main characters before they move on with the story. But she just kept on getting more and more evil and ruthless and crazy as the book went on!
Also, my prediction was correct!
Random thoughts:
- Haha at the guy who invented the drug dying before he could even take it.
- The amount of brutality in this is insane! The poor kids! The poor people who break the law for good causes!
- Mrs Pincent is fucking insane!
- It's so scary to think how this, really, is totally a plausible future. And that's kind of terrifying!
-
- It's nice to read a Dystopian book set in England, rather than the US.
One last thing. How old is Anna? Because at the beginning she says in her diary that in six months it will be her 15th birthday. But on the blurb and on the description on Amazon and everywhere else it says that she's 16?
May 13, 2008
This is teen targeted fiction published by Bloomsbury Children's Books, but the premise is so completely fascinating that I'd literally recommend this book to the 12 to 102 crowd with no reservations.
It's the year 2140 and the fountain of youth has come to the world by way of Longevity, a drug that literally lets
people live forever. But it's caused a problem--if everyone lives forever, the planet is going to fill up--FAST. The solution is to ban anyone on Longevity from having children, and banning all other medications so that folks NOT on
Longevity die fairly quickly. Of course, rules get broken and illegal children get born--they are the Surpluses. They are cruelly rounded up and, if "trainable", put into institutions to learn service trades in order to atone
for their existence. The others are destroyed.
Society has become static--no new people means no new ideas. There is not youthful enthusiasm--Surpluses are
taught to be fearful automatons. But of course there is a rebel faction trying to rescue the children and keep the "old ways" of freedom and variety alive.
This book is extremely well thought out, and I found it equally terrifying and fascinating. The issues brought up in this book haunt me still--this would make an AMAZING book club selection because you just HAVE to talk about it--the
issues are too big and too exciting/chilling to keep to yourself.
It's the year 2140 and the fountain of youth has come to the world by way of Longevity, a drug that literally lets
people live forever. But it's caused a problem--if everyone lives forever, the planet is going to fill up--FAST. The solution is to ban anyone on Longevity from having children, and banning all other medications so that folks NOT on
Longevity die fairly quickly. Of course, rules get broken and illegal children get born--they are the Surpluses. They are cruelly rounded up and, if "trainable", put into institutions to learn service trades in order to atone
for their existence. The others are destroyed.
Society has become static--no new people means no new ideas. There is not youthful enthusiasm--Surpluses are
taught to be fearful automatons. But of course there is a rebel faction trying to rescue the children and keep the "old ways" of freedom and variety alive.
This book is extremely well thought out, and I found it equally terrifying and fascinating. The issues brought up in this book haunt me still--this would make an AMAZING book club selection because you just HAVE to talk about it--the
issues are too big and too exciting/chilling to keep to yourself.
September 1, 2016
If I was Suzanne Collins or the publishers of the Hunger Games series then I would be suing the hell out of this author. According to the book blub - Before The Hunger Games, there was... The Declaration.
What twaddle.
This book was boring, clichéd, and written in a childish immature manner that grated. The h, was a prim, brain washed, determined to fit in Surplus. It was hard to feel any sympathy for Anna, as the author dumped loads of information on me, not just in a repetitive manner, but to doubly ensure I got it - lets introduce the diary entries so I can read all the information yet again, and to add to the offense - have Anna write about things that have just occurred but from her view point. WTH?
The premise was interesting. But this author couldn't write her way out of a paper bag. I found her delivery listless, ponderous and boring.
There was any number of ways this story could have been told - this attempt went beyond dismal. Dnf at the 30% mark. My time is too precious for this limp effort.
What twaddle.
This book was boring, clichéd, and written in a childish immature manner that grated. The h, was a prim, brain washed, determined to fit in Surplus. It was hard to feel any sympathy for Anna, as the author dumped loads of information on me, not just in a repetitive manner, but to doubly ensure I got it - lets introduce the diary entries so I can read all the information yet again, and to add to the offense - have Anna write about things that have just occurred but from her view point. WTH?
The premise was interesting. But this author couldn't write her way out of a paper bag. I found her delivery listless, ponderous and boring.
There was any number of ways this story could have been told - this attempt went beyond dismal. Dnf at the 30% mark. My time is too precious for this limp effort.
January 25, 2018
This book is very SPECIAL!!!! It’s everything, I cried in the end ♥️♥️♥️♥️loved it from the beginning until the last word written in it, so many beautiful emotions ☺️It’s an oldie but a goodie 🤩
December 16, 2010
Originally Posted On Guy Gone Geek.
It’s year 2140. Aging, lethal diseases such as cancer, AIDS, etc., and even death is no longer a problem, much thanks to the Longevity drugs. Mankind achieved what seemed to be the impossible, immortality. The world soon realized that this poses a problem. If no one will die and people keeps of reproducing, what will just happen to the limited resources of the planet? So they introduced the Declaration, an agreement a person have to sign that devoid them the rights to bear a child once they choose to take the Longevity drugs. There is, of course, another choice, an unpopular one, Opting Out. This will give the person the opportunity to have a child, but they must agree that they will never take the wonder drug. Any child conceived by couples who didn’t Opted Out are considered illegal and tagged as a Surplus.
Anna, 15 years old, is a Surplus. She resides at Grange Hall along with other Surpluses. They are taught that their existence is a crime against Mother Nature, and the only way they can pay the Sins of their Irresponsible Parents is by being a Valuable Asset(read: slave). Anna Knows Her Place(read:believes she’s worthless) and strives hard to be a Valuable Asset. Then Peter, a Surplus who grew up on the Outside, arrives at Grange Hall. Peter forced his way into Anna’s life, turning her world upside down.
Gemma Malley penned an entertaining dystopian novel that is rooted upon the questions our society is currently facing. She was able to draw — albeit presented in massive info dumps at the beginning of the book — a solid dystopian world that is not far from coming to life what with all the day-to-day advancement in Science and our day-to-day diminishing perception on what it means to be human, and as a person.
There’s just one question — a logical one, I assume — that I kept asking while reading it, and was only answered towards the latter half of the book; If the government is so keen on eliminating reproduction, why not include contraceptives in the Longevity drug. It was answered, yes, but I just don’t buy the kind of answer Malley gave me. I thought she took the easy way out. The author shouldn’t have left it like that even if (just guessing) she’s planning to raise it again on the sequels. It just dug a hole in the entire story.
Perhaps I’m already nitpicking but I just can’t let this pass. The ending was a wee bit too melodramatic for my taste. I’ve seen it a hundred of times in our local tv series. It’s been a long time since I stopped watching these kind of series but I think I’ve already seen enough for me to not like it when it makes a guest appearance on the books I read. It also hurts the book that I saw it coming miles away. I’m very particular with endings, and this ending was just a big let down for me. It’s not enough for me to dislike the book, but enough for me to consider it a mediocre one.
The Declaration, by any means, is one flawed boo but it is still thought-provoking one, which is a feat for something you can read in the span of 2-3 hours. If you have 3 hours to spare, read it – who knows, you might like it more than I did.
It’s year 2140. Aging, lethal diseases such as cancer, AIDS, etc., and even death is no longer a problem, much thanks to the Longevity drugs. Mankind achieved what seemed to be the impossible, immortality. The world soon realized that this poses a problem. If no one will die and people keeps of reproducing, what will just happen to the limited resources of the planet? So they introduced the Declaration, an agreement a person have to sign that devoid them the rights to bear a child once they choose to take the Longevity drugs. There is, of course, another choice, an unpopular one, Opting Out. This will give the person the opportunity to have a child, but they must agree that they will never take the wonder drug. Any child conceived by couples who didn’t Opted Out are considered illegal and tagged as a Surplus.
Anna, 15 years old, is a Surplus. She resides at Grange Hall along with other Surpluses. They are taught that their existence is a crime against Mother Nature, and the only way they can pay the Sins of their Irresponsible Parents is by being a Valuable Asset(read: slave). Anna Knows Her Place(read:believes she’s worthless) and strives hard to be a Valuable Asset. Then Peter, a Surplus who grew up on the Outside, arrives at Grange Hall. Peter forced his way into Anna’s life, turning her world upside down.
Gemma Malley penned an entertaining dystopian novel that is rooted upon the questions our society is currently facing. She was able to draw — albeit presented in massive info dumps at the beginning of the book — a solid dystopian world that is not far from coming to life what with all the day-to-day advancement in Science and our day-to-day diminishing perception on what it means to be human, and as a person.
There’s just one question — a logical one, I assume — that I kept asking while reading it, and was only answered towards the latter half of the book; If the government is so keen on eliminating reproduction, why not include contraceptives in the Longevity drug. It was answered, yes, but I just don’t buy the kind of answer Malley gave me. I thought she took the easy way out. The author shouldn’t have left it like that even if (just guessing) she’s planning to raise it again on the sequels. It just dug a hole in the entire story.
Perhaps I’m already nitpicking but I just can’t let this pass. The ending was a wee bit too melodramatic for my taste. I’ve seen it a hundred of times in our local tv series. It’s been a long time since I stopped watching these kind of series but I think I’ve already seen enough for me to not like it when it makes a guest appearance on the books I read. It also hurts the book that I saw it coming miles away. I’m very particular with endings, and this ending was just a big let down for me. It’s not enough for me to dislike the book, but enough for me to consider it a mediocre one.
The Declaration, by any means, is one flawed boo but it is still thought-provoking one, which is a feat for something you can read in the span of 2-3 hours. If you have 3 hours to spare, read it – who knows, you might like it more than I did.
June 17, 2011
On the cover of my paperback edition the Sunday Telegraph is quoted: "One of the best written books of the year". I wholeheartedly disagree.
The story is set in the 22nd century in a world where diseases like Aids and Cancer are cured and where there is a drug that prevents that people die of old age, so with a regular intake of ha drug you can live forever. The downside is of course a massive growth of the population, so birth rates have to be minimized to the extreme. Only parents who "opt out", that means stop taking that drug, are allowed to have a child. Acting against that law will lead to prison for the parents and a life in a so called Surplus hall for the kids, where they are trained to be invisible servants, making life easier for those with a "legal" status.
Heroine of the story is "Surplus Anna", a student, eager not to be any burden to anybody and just be a good surplus. She befriends Peter, the new student, claiming to know her real parents, who she thinks of as selfish people thinking of their own good instead of the good of the country and the world and decided to have a child and hide it.
The premise of the story is fascinating. The question whether you have the right to live forever and deny future generations the right to live is an interesting one.The way Gemma Malley lays out her answer to that question is very straightforward, without giving the reader the chance of a single thought of their own.
The character development is poor. Anna overhears one conversation and from that moment on her whole outlook on life and society is radically changed. She isn't a very likable character to start with and she isn't really improving. The first half of the novel is extremely lame and redundant, towards the end it gets more interesting, but the storyline is very predictable from the very start. The diary entries for example felt unreal, it was so obvious it was just a way of introducing the world the book is set up in to the reader. It didn't feel like something a person would actually write in a diary at all. Anna is apparently 15 years old, but her way of talking and writing feels like a 10-11 year old girl to me.
There are a lot of teen dystopian novels out there and I read quite a few. ALL of them were better than The Declaration in my eyes, I was very disappointed and wouldn't recommend this novel at all.
The story is set in the 22nd century in a world where diseases like Aids and Cancer are cured and where there is a drug that prevents that people die of old age, so with a regular intake of ha drug you can live forever. The downside is of course a massive growth of the population, so birth rates have to be minimized to the extreme. Only parents who "opt out", that means stop taking that drug, are allowed to have a child. Acting against that law will lead to prison for the parents and a life in a so called Surplus hall for the kids, where they are trained to be invisible servants, making life easier for those with a "legal" status.
Heroine of the story is "Surplus Anna", a student, eager not to be any burden to anybody and just be a good surplus. She befriends Peter, the new student, claiming to know her real parents, who she thinks of as selfish people thinking of their own good instead of the good of the country and the world and decided to have a child and hide it.
The premise of the story is fascinating. The question whether you have the right to live forever and deny future generations the right to live is an interesting one.The way Gemma Malley lays out her answer to that question is very straightforward, without giving the reader the chance of a single thought of their own.
The character development is poor. Anna overhears one conversation and from that moment on her whole outlook on life and society is radically changed. She isn't a very likable character to start with and she isn't really improving. The first half of the novel is extremely lame and redundant, towards the end it gets more interesting, but the storyline is very predictable from the very start. The diary entries for example felt unreal, it was so obvious it was just a way of introducing the world the book is set up in to the reader. It didn't feel like something a person would actually write in a diary at all. Anna is apparently 15 years old, but her way of talking and writing feels like a 10-11 year old girl to me.
There are a lot of teen dystopian novels out there and I read quite a few. ALL of them were better than The Declaration in my eyes, I was very disappointed and wouldn't recommend this novel at all.
February 8, 2021
3 stars.
I read this because my best friend and I decided to start buddy-reading each other's favourite books. This was one of hers, from when she was a teenager, and I see why. I think, if I'd read this as a teenager myself, I'd have rated it a bit higher. I did actually enjoy the story and the main characters were both very likeable. Their journey was relatively interesting. It just didn't challenge me much, if that makes sense? Like, it's a very straight-forward plot, kind of predictable here and there, with characters who don't have all that many layers.
But it was still pretty enjoyable, you know? Although I'll admit there were several scenes that made me a bit uncomfortable.
All in all an alright read.
I read this because my best friend and I decided to start buddy-reading each other's favourite books. This was one of hers, from when she was a teenager, and I see why. I think, if I'd read this as a teenager myself, I'd have rated it a bit higher. I did actually enjoy the story and the main characters were both very likeable. Their journey was relatively interesting. It just didn't challenge me much, if that makes sense? Like, it's a very straight-forward plot, kind of predictable here and there, with characters who don't have all that many layers.
But it was still pretty enjoyable, you know? Although I'll admit there were several scenes that made me a bit uncomfortable.
All in all an alright read.
May 31, 2017
4.5 stars really. It started off kind of slow but I enjoyed it overall. There were some surprises and I felt the ending was different than most dystopian YA books, which I liked. I also got an Anne Frank vibe which I didn't hate.
April 3, 2012
This story is set in a future world where people live forever making it illegal to have children because of overpopulation. Longevity drugs have made it possible for people to live forever but with this brings a tremendous strain on the world. We certainly get a look at life in such a world. A world where there are not children. Children that have been conceived illegally are taken to facilities where they are raised to be slaves for those that are legal. They are treated as surplus citizen and the cruelty they are subjected to was sometime hard for me to read. Horrible mental and physical abuses at the hands of their captors that were supposed to be caring for them. And once free of such abuse how do you learn to live free? I love one of the final quotes from Anna about this, "I know that we have to live each moment because we won't be here for ever, and that I wouldn't want to be anyway, because knowing something's going to end makes you appreciate it more, makes you want to savour every moment." More people should take this advice.
I tend to really like dystopias and this one is certainly original. Its definitely more than what it appears to be. Its not only a YA novel about the possiblity of eternal life. Its also about child abuse within the system by those that are supposed to be protectors. Its also about differences in society with those that are somewhere legally as opposed to illegally and how they are treated. People are still people and we all deserved to be treated with dignity. Loved this one, it will make you think. I recommend this to anyone that loves a good dystopia.
*Edit*
I keep thinking about this book, I kept thinking that something was missing about this story and I figured out what it was: religion. Most religions have thoughts about the afterlife and that the next world is better than this one. However, in this book that was never addressed. Is this a future with no relgion? Or due to the longevity drugs was religion deemed no longer needed since no one was going to the next world? I'm personally not a religous person, but society as a whole is, but not here. Its certainly a different world from our own.
I tend to really like dystopias and this one is certainly original. Its definitely more than what it appears to be. Its not only a YA novel about the possiblity of eternal life. Its also about child abuse within the system by those that are supposed to be protectors. Its also about differences in society with those that are somewhere legally as opposed to illegally and how they are treated. People are still people and we all deserved to be treated with dignity. Loved this one, it will make you think. I recommend this to anyone that loves a good dystopia.
*Edit*
I keep thinking about this book, I kept thinking that something was missing about this story and I figured out what it was: religion. Most religions have thoughts about the afterlife and that the next world is better than this one. However, in this book that was never addressed. Is this a future with no relgion? Or due to the longevity drugs was religion deemed no longer needed since no one was going to the next world? I'm personally not a religous person, but society as a whole is, but not here. Its certainly a different world from our own.
January 15, 2012
I wasn't even going to buy this book, I bought it on my Kindle by accident, so I decided to read it. It might be okay. Right?
Wrong!
The Declaration May be the slowest, dullest book I have ever read. The plot has so much potential, but it just turns out to be blah because of poor writing and little action.
After reading books like The Hunger Games and Divergent, I assumed that all female protagonists were kick-butt heroins. But Anna is the exact opposite of Katniss Everdeen. She has no mind of her own!
Another thing that bothered me was the overcapitalization. Almost Every other Word in This book Was capitalized! It drove me crazy.
So please, anyone that is looking to read this book, please don't, save yourself some time and money.
Wrong!
The Declaration May be the slowest, dullest book I have ever read. The plot has so much potential, but it just turns out to be blah because of poor writing and little action.
After reading books like The Hunger Games and Divergent, I assumed that all female protagonists were kick-butt heroins. But Anna is the exact opposite of Katniss Everdeen. She has no mind of her own!
Another thing that bothered me was the overcapitalization. Almost Every other Word in This book Was capitalized! It drove me crazy.
So please, anyone that is looking to read this book, please don't, save yourself some time and money.
August 17, 2017
ספר דיסטופי על אנגליה עתידנית שבה אנשים לוקחים כדורים שמעניקים חיי נצח, אסור ללדת ילדים, ויש משבר אנרגיה. הילדים שנולדים באופן לא חוקי הופכים להיות משרתים נחותים, או שהורגים אותם. הספר מעלה סוגיות מאוד רלוונטיות על מעמדות ועל אריכות החיים שרק הולכת וגדלה. ברובו הגדול הוא מאוד מותח ומוצלח, אבל מתדרדר קצת לקראת הסוף מבחינת הכתיבה, שנעשית דביקה ומעצבנת משהו. בכל זאת, קראתי אותו בשקיקה.
February 15, 2013
Dobrá kniha. Určitě bych ji doporučila spíše mladším čtenářům, i když je doporučena od patnácti. Třeba by to starší nemuselo bavit ale zase je tady ta stránka knihy, nad kterou se nedá docela dost dobře zamyslet. :)
Want to read
July 24, 2019this sounds so ridiculous it must be some level of good
August 3, 2022
This was a great and easy to read book.Loved the world building and the descriptions of the places the characters went to like Grange Hall and the house in Bloomsbury.The language the author used was really easy to understand and the chapters where small and easy to read.Also the plot twist in the end with Mrs. Pincent and Peter was shocking and really had me glued in the book.The only reason I’m giving this book 4 stars and not 5 is because I believe the first 50 pages where constantly repeating about how life was at Grange hall and because the end was kind of sudden,it would have been better if we knew more about how Peter declined his grandfathers offer and how he reacted to the truth about Mrs.Pincent.Overall this was a great book and I’m excited about the second one.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,816 reviews