Our book group choice for March 2010 is Shadow Web by NM Browne. Jessica Allendon is bored and Googles her name. Weirdly, she finds another girl, same age, same name, also living in London.
Jessica Allendon is a normal 16-year-old girl living in London. She’s bored one day and decides to Google herself. To her surprise, she finds another girl with the same name, same age, and same address. The other Jessica lives in the same building, but on a different floor.
Intrigued, Jess decides to meet the other Jessica. They meet at Waterloo station, and when they shake hands, something strange happens. They are both transported to different worlds. Jess finds herself in a parallel London that is very different from her own. The year is still 2008, but the history is different. Key war memorials are missing, and the government is oppressive.
Jess soon realizes that she has been swapped with the other Jessica. The other Jessica is involved in a dark and sinister conspiracy. She is working for a group of terrorists who are planning to bomb London. Jess must convince everyone that she is the same girl, at all costs, if she wants to get back to her London – alive.
Jess is helped by her best friend, Johnno, and her mother. They track down the other Jessica and try to stop the bombing. However, the terrorists are one step ahead of them. They kidnap Jess and take her to their headquarters.
The two Jessicas must work together to find a way to get back to their own worlds. Along the way, they must face danger, betrayal, and even death. But they also find friendship, love, and the strength to overcome anything.
Shadow Web is a gripping adventure story that will keep you guessing until the very end. It is also a thought-provoking book that explores the real contemporary issues of war, terrorism, and civil liberties. Browne does an excellent job of creating a believable parallel London, and her characters are well-developed and relatable.
Here are some additional thoughts on Shadow Web:
- The novel does a good job of depicting the dangers of government surveillance. The government in the parallel universe has a vast network of surveillance cameras and informants, and they use this information to control the population.
- The novel also explores the importance of freedom. The characters in the novel are constantly fighting for their freedom, both from the government and from the Nazis.
- Shadow Web is a powerful story about the power of individual courage. The characters in the novel are all ordinary people who are faced with extraordinary challenges. They must find the courage to stand up for what they believe in, even when it is dangerous to do so.
Shadow Web Discussion Questions
- What are the different types of hackers that are featured in the book?
- What are the motivations of the hackers in the book?
- What are the different ways that hackers can access and steal data?
- What are the different ways that hackers can disrupt or destroy computer systems?
- What are the different ways that businesses and governments can protect themselves from cyberattacks?
- What are the ethical implications of hacking?
- What are the social implications of hacking?
- How has the rise of the internet and social media changed the nature of hacking?
- What are the future trends in hacking?
- What are the lessons that we can learn from the cyberattacks that are featured in the book?
- What are the similarities and differences between the hackers in the book and real-life hackers?
- How does the book portray the relationship between hackers and the law?
- What are the different ways that hackers can be portrayed in the media?
- What are the different ways that hackers can be portrayed in popular culture?
- What are your thoughts on the future of hacking?