CODA: A novel of Revolution against addiction and control

Review: Coda by Emma Trevayne | Dark Faerie Tales   Coda (Running Press Kids) by Emma Trevayne $9.95

In her debut novel, Emma Trevayne has painted a punk and rock world in which addictive music controls a future society. The encoded music heals pain and sickness, and controls the citizenry by keeping them dependent. But it steals their lives, a little bit each day while the dependence takes each citizen a bit closer to overdoses and death. But the Corp—the leadership of this future world— is so powerful citizens carry out its wishes. Some citizens even serve as the energy conduits that keep addictive music filtering through sound systems everywhere.

Eighteen-year-old Anthem has known this ever since he was a young boy, and music first coursed through his veins. The Corp holds particular control over conduits like Anthem, whose life energy feeds the main power in the Grid.

Although Anthem finds hope and comfort in the twin siblings he cares for, he watches the life drain slowly and painfully from his father. But Anthem’s love for pure music helps him find a temporary reprieve from his destiny when he begins to play pure music with an underground rock band. Here, music sounds free, clear, and unencoded deep in an abandoned basement. When a band member dies suspiciously from a tracking overdose, Anthem knows that his time has suddenly become limited. Revolution all but sings in the air, and Anthem cannot help but answer the call with the chords of choice and free will. Despite the risk to himself and his twin siblings, Anthem becomes the voice and sound of a Revolution. But he doesn’t know who can be trusted or who will turn on him and his family.

Music is palpable in this novel of a sympathetic character who can’t help but choose freedom from addiction despite the risk to everyone he loves. Readers can’t help but draw connections between habits and addictions in their world to the world of the Corp. The story of Revolution and hope is sure to stay with them beyond the last page.

The novel received some well-deserved starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and the School Library Journal and was named a 2014 YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults nominee as well as a 2014 ALA Rainbow List nominee.

Emma Trevayne is a full-time writer, an avid music collector, a lover of computer code and a photographer. To read more about Emma’s interests, you can go to emmatrevayne.blogspot.com or follow her on Twitter@EMentior.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.