The Rules Have Changed

by Lesley Choyce

After three years abroad, sixteen-year-old Blake Pendleton returns to his old high school and is shocked to find that the world he knew has turned upside down. Everyone at school wears a military-style uniform now and Blake soon learns the hard way that independence in any form is not encouraged. After questioning something his teacher tells him, he gets locked up in an isolation room. Once he’s released, Blake goes looking for allies and finds Ming and Gina, two students who have learned how to play along. From them, Blake learns about the school’s “induction education,” a mind-training program set up by the government to train students to be teachers, cops and other types of community leaders. It’s brainwashing and job training all in one. Somehow, Blake and his new friends must find a way to escape their predetermined fate. But who can they trust?

Genres: Young Adult, Mystery, Fantasy, Dystopia, Teen

120 pages, Paperback

Published January 19, 2021

About the author

Lesley Choyce is a novelist and poet living at Lawrencetown Beach, Nova Scotia. He is the author of more than 80 books for adults, teens and children. He teaches in the English Department and Transition Year Program at Dalhousie University. He is a year-round surfer and founding member of the 1990s spoken word rock band, The SurfPoets. Choyce also runs Pottersfield Press, a small literary publishing house and hosted the national TV show, Off The Page, for many years. His books have been translated into Spanish, French, German and Danish and he has been awarded the Dartmouth Book Award and the Ann Connor Brimer Award.

Lesley Choyce was born in New Jersey in 1951 and moved to Canada in 1978 and became a citizen.

His YA novels concern things like skateboarding, surfing, racism, environmental issues, organ transplants, and rock bands.

Reviews

[Alaina · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Rules Have Changed was somewhat interesting for me. It was honestly a really quick read to devour and Blake, the MC, was kind of intriguing. I just think it was the writing or the edition that I received which I couldn't get invested in.

Weird, I know.

I'm thinking it was the edition because words in this would have random letters within them. So it wasn't making sense because my brain was thinking one word but my eyes were like.. what is this gibberish? So when I saw that happening throughout the chapters of the entire book, well, I wasn't a big fan of that.

Then there's the rules. They were okay and I wanted to know more about this world and these strange new rules.. but with the spelling mistakes - I just didn't seem to care anymore. Maybe if it was edited I might enjoy this book a bit more and what the characters go through.

[Cherlynn | cherreading · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blake returns home after spending 3 years out at sea to a new world... and a New Order. This is an interesting speculative fiction novel set in a dystopian world. It was an okay read with lots of potential, but left me wanting more. The ending felt too abrupt for my liking after all the world-building and what the characters went through. The scary thing is the events in this novella don't seem implausible at all.

[Leslie McKee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've never read anything by this author, but the blurb caught my attention. It didn't disappoint!

I used to teach students in this age group/target audience. I love the fact that the author has this series which is focused on providing engaging stories for teens who are struggling readers. My students would have loved this book.

It was interesting to follow Blake, who was trying to navigate a strange, new reality after having spent three years on a boat with his family. Society watches his every move, and he soon discovers that punishment for non-compliance is harsh.

This was a quick read written for young adults or middle grade students. The action is at a pace that keeps the reader engaged, and it has a dystopian feel to it. I look forward to reading other books by this author.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy, but I wasn't required to leave a positive review.

[Valerie Sommers · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 Stars rounded up to 2.
Only took 15 minutes to read.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

First sentence: “The rules have changed.” That’s the first thing I was told when I showed up on my first day back at school. What rules? I wanted to ask. What kind of changes? But I decided to say nothing and keep my mouth shut. Why? Well, because everything about the school freaked me out. The uniforms. The kids staring at those slim metallic phones. The look on everyone’s faces. I can’t quite explain it. Let’s just say they looked stern and serious.

Premise/plot: Blake and his family are in for a shock when they return from an extended boating trip--three whole years disconnected from society and world events. Blake has trouble fitting in and conforming with the new rules and expectations. His parents have trouble finding jobs. Life is unpleasant--but is it also dangerous?

My thoughts: This was a quick read written for young adults. I would say it's more action-driven or premise-driven than character-driven. That isn't a bad thing--just a thing. I'll also add that it doesn't really have an ending in the traditional sense--more a cliffhanger of sorts? It is a dystopian-in-the-making.

[Alex Nonymous · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of The Rules Have Changed in exchange for an honest review.

The Rules have changed is part of Orca Sounds series of high interest, low difficulty YA books, written for teens who have reading difficulties so they can still read books with characters and plotlines at their reading level.

This book was really interesting! Following 16-year-old Blake when he returns to school after having spent the last 3 years on a boat, he realizes society is drastically different than he remembered. Now, society and his teachers seem to be monitoring everything he says and harshly punish kids to try and make them more complicate. I do with a little more time was spent on Blake trying to break out of the system, but I also get why it was important to dedicate the time this book had to the plot points and pacing it chose to highlight.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Rules Have Changed by Lesley Choyce story feels very close to what is happening in the world now or what could happen with our society, government, and divide among the people. The story's premise was good overall.

I liked the part in the story when Blake says, "I remembered what my father had taught me about panic and fear and doing irrational things in desperate situations. Stay calm, use your head, assess the situation, and decide what to do. Remember, if you don't fully understand what's going on, if you can't decide what to do, sometimes it's better to do nothing at all."

The story was good, and I liked the characters, though there was not much in the way of character development as this was a short story. However, I felt the ending was a bit rushed and left the story on a cliffhanger.

I would read more from this author.

[Sophia Bahm · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was honestly quite disappointing. Now, I’m a HUGE sci-fi enthusiast, however this book was merely elementary. When you read the back of the book, it sounds fantastic…. part of the reason I picked it up. I figured it was small and could pack a dystopian punch, yet it barely held my interest. Not only can you read the book in an hour flat, but I did not find it interesting. There was no plot development and the characters were simply…… flat. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t recommend this as there are better books in this genre.

[Jinky · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very interesting story so it was incredibly easy to turn the pages, but at the end I cried out, "Whaaat? That's it?!". I was nearly seething. Then I learned from a reviewer that books like these were "written for teens who have reading difficulties so they can still read books with characters and plotlines at their reading level" (Alex, Oct 31, 2020). Subsequently, I didn't hate the book as much. ;)

[Caroline David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, I'm not sure what I was expecting from this book but it didn't disappoint. I think it opens up so many great discussions. I would compare this book to a new-age, young-adult version of "1984".

[Meredith James · Rating 4 out of 5]

I only wish it was longer!

[Jaq]

A book I will recommend to my students, it has a timely message and one we need to openly discuss with students.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well this was weird and unsettling....

[KK · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great and insanely quick read! (It only took me about an hour to finish.) Wish it was a full novel rather than a novella/short story. So interesting to see this dystopian world—though some of the things about this world were from the author’s imagination, a lot of it felt shockingly realistic and contemporary today, and seemed to be ripped from the headlines (anti-immigration, racism, A FREAKIN PANDEMIC that happened in the past). I wish there was more backstory about how the New Order came to be and who created all these rules and why.

Great intro to dystopian literature for ages 12+