Engagement and Characters & Character Development:
Was the novel engaging? If you think the book was engaging or not engaging explain why?
My friend I just finished reading the barcode tattoo and we give it a 4/5 rating.The story was filled with a bunch of shocking and interesting parts. We loved reading about how Kayla was trying everything she could to not get the barcode tattoo and it worked. We saw how she really believed in herself and didnt let anything get to her and in the end she did it, she didn't get the barcode tattoo. We really loved that.
Was the themes clear to the audience. If it was how so?
&
Did the themes resonate with you?
and yes the themes were clear to us, we understood everything that was going on.
Not really, we think we don’t really have anything in common with any of these characters
What did you think of the author’s writing style? Is the book well-written?
We think that the author's writing style is very creative and based on a person's life journey. The whole book is based on what Kayla is going through in her life, her challenges and her success. The book is definitely well written with interesting parts, funny parts, and suspense. Personally we think that this book can be read by any age. From a child to an adult, this book could be very interesting to anybody. We really liked this book for the thought of the book and making it more interesting to read each chapter.
how the novel do a good job of explaining this fictional society and how it works?
We think that the author does a good job of explaining this society and how it works. The book explains how the barcode tattoo works, why people should and need to get it, and more about society. I also learned a lot and it was very clear to me of what happened with Kayla's journey with the barcode tattoo, family, friends, and more
What was your favorite character in the book and why?
Our favorite character is Kayla because she always believed in herself and did what was right. She never listened to anyones opinions but hers.
Were the characters well-written or relatable, if they were or weren't, explain
Some of the characters in the novel were very well written. Others, not so much. I think Kayla was very relatable. She did not believe in the barcode tattoo and did everything she could to stop it. Kayla went into the center to get it, but she never got the tattoo. Kayla was a very emotional character. Sometimes she was very gullible. For example, she didn’t realize that Zekeal was using her.
What are the main themes/lessons of the novel?
The main themes/lessons of the novel are that if you don't like something and you're forced to do it, you can stand up and talk about it. Just like Kayla did. Kayla went through so much just for her to not get the barcode tattoo. Another lesson is, Mfumbe always stuck by Kaylas side.
What made the novel dystopian?
The novel was dystopian because there was something that was forced. The barcode tattoo was forced by every individual when they turned 17.
Are the rules of the society clear and are they consistent if yes or no, how so?
everything that kayla went through made the whole book interesting and better to read. The book definitely did an amazing job of making the rules clear and are very consistent.
What was ur favorite part of the book?
Our favorite part of the book was the end. When Kayla and Mfumbe didn't get the tattoo. We really liked this part because she worked so hard and finally got where she wanted to be.
Were you able to understand their motivations and relationships, if yes or no please explain how?
We were not able to understand Kaylas and Zekeals motivations and relationships. We think that the book has too many plots in one chapter. There is a lot of stuff happening in the book and there were at least more than 6 plots. When somebody asks you what is the book about you don't really know the main plot to say. That connects to their relationships and motivations.
Why do you think the plot was engaging and easy to follow?
Well overall it was pretty easy to follow, of course kayla was moving around a lot to escape and go other places which got confusing sometimes, but otherwise everything was easy to keep track of where kayla was.
How did the novel feel like it belonged in the dystopian genre?
Yes. There are many things in the novel that feel dystopian.
What kind of meaningful connections can you make between this book and yourself, the real world, or to other stories?
We think that this book really showed us how powerful your opinion can be. Kayla wasn’t scared. She did what she had to do to not get the tattoo. That was the main idea of this whole book. That ties in with eugenics and democracy. Kayla had a strong opinion but still communicated with one another. She communicated with her friends and even was in a love triangle. This can affect the democracy. If people would see how Kayla didn’t get the tattoo they might follow in her footsteps and do the same thing. That would not be good for the governor.
What would you change in the book if you had the chance? Why?
We would change how Zekeal was acting because he betrayed Kayla.
Did they develop/change/grow over the course of the story in ways that made sense and that felt earned? If you think yes or no please explain
Definitely. For example, Kayla realized that Zekeal was playing her. Kayla didn’t like Zekeal anymore after he turned out to be bad. Kayla always loved her mom but she was just frustrated at times. She started to respect her more. There is much more, but overall I think the characters changed for the better. (Except Zekeal.)
Was it predictable or did you find that it surprised you, if so how?
My friend and I did not think that the shocking parts that happened were predictable. We thought that the book really surprised us with everything that happened which made it more interesting to read the book. For example when we found out Zekeal was a part of the tattoo generation.. We really would have never thought that would happen and it was very interesting to read more about it.
How does it compare to the popular novel “The Giver” by Lois Lowry?
I feel like we can compare this book to “The Giver” by Lois Lowry. The Giver was much more strict than the barcode Tattoo. Everything there was more closed off and there were much more rules you had to follow. We won’t get into details, but we would say the Barcode Tattoo was much more free. The only thing that was forced was the tattoo.
What would happen if Kayla got the barcode tattoo?
if Kayla got the barcode tattoo I think she would have tried to burn it off just like her mother.
Who do you think would get affected the most if Kayla died?
We think Mfumbe would get the most affected because they were best friends.
Why do you think Zekeal joined the tattoo generation?
We think he did because he never really was on Kaylas side.
was and how was the ending satisfying?
Personally, my friend and I loved the ending. It was one of our favorite parts! We loved how Kayla and Mfumbe both escaped and finally accomplished their goal of not getting the tattoo and not getting caught. I also loved how they had a vision of the future about how the future groups win. I thought that it all connected very well.
How does the dystopian genre connect to the themes?
A theme is the main part of something. If you're referring to a society as dystopian it is basically the “theme” of the society.
What would happen if Mfumbe and Zekeal were on a team all a long?
We think Kayla would have been mad and stopped been friends with them and started to get close with other people.
If Kayla died how do you think she would have died?
We think she would have died if she got caught when she didn't get the barcode tattoo, and they would hurt her for it.