Rated by Melissa Grey

Name: Angelica

Grade: 8th

Title: Rated

Author: Melissa Grey

Published in: 2019

Pages: 319

Rating: 4 stars

Review: In the book Rated, author Melissa Grey creates a fictional world where everyone, from students to doctors, has a rating. In this imaginary world, your place in society changes with your rating. However, many student’s ratings are affected by their background and family. Richer, more influential people have access to better education, housing, etc. The story takes place in Maplethorpe Academy, an intense high school that boasts high graduating ratings. The story starts with a big bang: someone had vandalized the front of the school with spray paint saying: “THE RATINGS ARE NOT REAL.” Plus, the criminal had plastered jester stickers over the camera lenses, making the crime even more puzzling.

As time passes in the story, six main characters join together after each receiving a mysterious letter containing a strange poem. Bex, the top student in the academy; Noah, a quiet boy who loves photography and his sick sister; Hana, a petite figure skater who would do anything for Olympics gold medal; Chase, an athlete who hides a struggling family; Javi, who takes care of his poor family by his gaming profession; and Tamsin, the lowest-rated student in the academy, known as the”The Witch of Maplethorpe”.

Even in this troubling dystopian future, the teens surprisingly survive and live with the flawed system. I loved the character development in this book, even though not many physical features were given and were left to the imagination. The six characters each fight their separate but real battles that would be important today. This book is a good read for anyone who enjoys slight dystopian scenarios or sweet gay relationships (though the latter is just a supplement to the main plot of the book). However, the deep and disturbing message in between the cheerful lines of high schoolers provides a powerful thought for anyone and is a great book to read.

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