The Kill Factor
Written by Ben Oliver
Chicken House Books
Ages 12-18
Available April 16th, 2024

Fifty young contestants compete for their chance at freedom in a reality game show fueled by popularity and brand credits, the currency of the day. Emerson Ness, a poverty-stricken teenager living in a stratified society, is arrested for manslaughter after setting fire to her school and unintentionally killing a janitor. A mysterious man known only as the Producer offers her a way out: participate on Retribution Island, a revolutionary new game show that, if won, could absolve her of any crime. But, as Emerson observes, “[h]istoric didn’t always mean good; in fact, more often than not, it meant very, very bad” (p 55). If she loses, she’ll spend the rest of her life in solitary confinement. Out of options and unable to pay for her legal defense, Emerson agrees to the game so her younger brother Kester, a deaf tech prodigy with a promising future, can have the brand credits to survive and go to college. The game begins as Emerson and forty-nine other contestants board a cruise ship, taking them to Retribution Island. Once they arrive, a shocking twist changes the stakes of the game and forces them to fight for survival.

The book is infused with social commentary on how we value life and popularity in the age of social media. Just like Emerson, each secondary character has their own motivations for joining the show: some are fueled by the desire for fame, while others compete to better their circumstances in poverty. Despite the violence of the show, the character dynamics are realistic to the teenage experience, complete with cliques, crushes and best friends. With a new and potentially deadly game every night, the pace accelerates, and the tone gets darker and more dismal. Emerson’s emotional journey through the twists and turns of the game keeps the reader engaged and interested. Her grim desperation to win against all odds is fascinating and contributes to the story’s dark atmosphere. The trauma incurred by viewing and participating in acts of senseless violence is realistically portrayed. The Kill Factor is a fast-paced and timely addition to the young adult dystopian genre that will appeal to a wide variety of readers.

Guest reviewer, Katie Steffensen, is a Dominican University MLIS candidate and works in youth services at a library in the North Chicago suburbs. She loves working with tweens and teens.