Among the Betrayed
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| Among the Betrayed | |
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| Author | Margaret Peterson Haddix |
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| Cover artist | Heather Wood |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | Shadow Children sequence |
| Genre(s) | Young adult, Science fiction |
| Publisher | Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing |
| Publication date | June 1, 2002 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) Print (Paperback) |
| Pages | 160 pp |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-689-83905-7 |
| Preceded by | Among the Impostors |
| Followed by | Among the Barons |
Among the Betrayed is a 2002 novel by Margaret Peterson Haddix, about a time in which drastic measures have been taken to quell overpopulation. It is the third of seven novels in the Shadow Children series.
[edit] Plot introduction
The general plot revolves around an overpopulated world and the Government’s procrustean attempts to arrest the symptoms of population growth and scarcity amongst the Earth's resources. In this turmoil, the democratic government has been overthrown and a totalitarian Government has been put in its place. Laws established by the regime prohibit a family from having more than two children (any more will be euthanized).
[edit] Plot summary
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Among the Betrayed is the first book that isn't told from the view of Luke Garner, but instead is told from the view of Nina Idi, the girl who was arrested along with Jason Barstow at the end of Among the Imposters. It is revealed that unlike Jason, who was a member of the Population Police, Nina was actually another third child who ended up becoming Jason's pawn.
Nina Idi, a third-child, wakes up in a jail cell. Having lived an extremely sheltered life with three elderly aunts and her grandmother as Elodie Luria, Nina reluctantly left a dreary but emotionally comfortable life to live at Harlow's School for Girls. After she met and fell in love with Jason Barstow, a boy at a nearby school, she was accused of trying to find third children in her school and was arrested by the Population Police along with Jason.
Nina is given the two options after a frightening Population Police official, "The Hating Man" interviews her: get three other prisoners to admit they are shadow children and be spared, or refuse to cooperate, and be killed immediately. Nina does not betrayed her and he is actually an informant for their group. Emotionally torn, she is moved into a different cell containing the three other children; Matthias, Percy, and Alia, shadow children who are even younger than she, orphaned, and have no chance of survival. As Nina cautiously befriends them, she struggles with Jason's betrayal and whether or not she should do the same. They manage to escape and find their way to Hendrick's School for Boys thanks to Matthias, Percy, and Alia's ingenuity and knowledge of the harsh world around them. They manage to live off the outdoor garden until they are caught by Lee Grant (Luke Garner) and Trey. Nina has become to trust Mattias, Percy and Alia so much that she spares herself and runs away, and gives them a head start to escape. But they stop her,. The Hating Man reveals himself to be Mr. Talbot, a rescuer of third children. He put Nina through a test to see if she really was a third child, and she passed. She is also told that Jason did not betray her.
[edit] Main Characters
Nina Idi, Jason, Matthias, Percy, Alia, Mr.Talbot, Luke Garner, Mr. Hendricks,
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