Jason Zhou and his friends live in a near distant future Taipei—a city infested with deadly pollution. As the poor suffer and die due to the toxic air, the wealthy are able to survive thanks to their expensive air filtering suits, made by the prominent Jin Corp.
When Jason witnesses the murder of his friend’s mother after making a speech against Jin Corp. and advocating for environmental laws, he and his friends take matters into their own hands. Although they don’t totally agree on the best method, Jason and his friends conclude that to make a statement, they must destroy Jin Corp.’s main factory. When Jason digs into the core of Jin Corp. he meets Dayiu, a girl from a wealthy family, and falls in love. As Jin Corps.’s eminent destruction draws closer, Jason must decide if he will remain loyal to his friends or save Dayiu.
As a fan of dystopian literature, I really loved the plot and pacing of Want! The author, Cindy Pon, did a fantastic job keeping the reader engaged throughout the entire book, as there were many plot twists and unexpected truths unveiled. Pon also did a fantastic job creating a mysterious and complex background for each character that readers slowly piece together as the story unfolds. I recommend Want to anyone who enjoys action-packed books with a dystopian setting and to readers who care about environmental justice.
Want by Cindy Pon