The Declaration (novel)

The Declaration is a children's novel by Gemma Malley, published in 2008.

Plot

In year 2030, humankind found the cure to the aging process, the medicament called Longevity. Longevity prolongs one's life span to the point of no dying, and soon, the world becomes too crowded, because, in the world where no one dies, and more children are being born, there is no place for everyone to go. Therefore, in the year 2080, humankind is forced to sign The Declaration, claiming that if they take Longevity, they will have no more children.

Of course, there are people who resist, and refuse not to bear children. The children of those individuals are offensively referred to as "Surplus". In some countries, the Surplus are killed the moment they are born, but in civilized Britain, they are taken away from their parents at very young age and brought to a kind of boarding school where they are taught that their very existence is a crime against Nature, and that they ought to work hard if they want to redeem for their parents' sins and become the "Valuable Asset", in which case they would be able to work for "The Legals" and be partially free.

Surplus Anna is nearly fifteen years old. She lives in Grange Hall, and is a prefect. She has been taken away from her parents at two and a half years old and now, in year 2140, she has learned to hate them for bringing her to this world.

Anna has already worked for a kind lady for a month, as a part of her pending process, by which she ought to become Valuable Asset the moment she comes of age. The lady had given her a small pink diary in which Anna writes every night, but is forced to hide it away in the bathroom, in order not to get in trouble with Ms Pincent, the unkind woman in charge of the Grange Hall.

Then one day, Peter arrives to the Grange Hall, and Anna's world is turned upside down. Peter defies everything she believes in, insists upon calling her Anna Covey, and keeps telling her that he knows her parents, and they love her. Anna is at first annoyed with him, but soon she becomes intrigued by his bold attitude and bravery. When Peter offers for them to run away, to find her parents, Anna is torn between her curiosity and the rules she has been following her whole life. She then accepts Peters invitation to run away from Grange Hall, leading to a lot of trouble. They then have a close call with the Catchers and are helped by a lady named Julia Sharpe. The plot proceeds to Anna reuniting with her parents and later, them killing themselves to make her, and her brother Ben Legal. Meanwhile, Margaret Pincent kills Peter's father, making him legal as well. The two legals arouse a lot of suspicion leading to the next book, The Resistance.

Skills of the author

This author, Gemma Malley, uses her imagination to create intricate plots that spark the imagination. The emotions of Surplus Anna grip any reader, compelling them to read on. The actual plot has been thought of by many authors; immortality in the future, but with Gemma's skills, any book could come alive more than most. The characters in the book have been thought of and planned, giving them all a background and hopes and dreams. Gemma starts the book with the brutality of Grange Hall, and then moves on to how Peter changes Anna's life. There are a few minor characters, which grow into important people in the 2nd book, such as Sheila.

Characters

•Anna •Peter •Ben •Ms Pincent •Sheila •Peter's father •Peter's grandfather •Anna's parents •Teachers at Grange Hall •Other surpluses

The Sequel

Gemma Malley confirmed she was writing a sequel in mid-2008. The book was published in the UK in September 2008 under the name The Resistance. Gemma Malley's The Declaration series is made up of The Declaration (2007), The Resistance (2009) and The Legacy (2010).