Welcome to Binge-worthy Books, where we review the title for that month's edition of our new Streaming Book Club, a book club around those titles that were later turned into hot new streaming shows or movies. So sit back and relax. We're getting ready to binge another book: The 100 by Kass Morgan
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The 100
by Kass Morgan
Book Summary
No one has set foot on Earth in centuries—until now.
Ever since a devastating nuclear war, humanity has lived on spaceships far above Earth's radioactive surface. Now, one hundred juvenile delinquents—considered expendable by society—are being sent on a dangerous mission: to recolonize the planet. It could be their second chance at life...or it could be a suicide mission.
CLARKE was arrested for treason, though she's haunted by the memory of what she really did. WELLS, the chancellor's son, came to Earth for the girl he loves—but will she ever forgive him? Reckless BELLAMY fought his way onto the transport pod to protect his sister, the other half of the only pair of siblings in the universe. And GLASS managed to escape back onto the ship, only to find that life there is just as dangerous as she feared it would be on Earth.
Confronted with a savage land and haunted by secrets from their pasts, the hundred must fight to survive. They were never meant to be heroes, but they may be mankind's last hope. -- Publisher Description
CW Series: The 100
Nearly a century after humanity was forced to evacuate Earth in the wake of a devastating nuclear war that left the entire planet unlivable, mankind has secretively reached it's limit in space. Unaware of the dire straights of their orbiting home, a group of 100 incarcerated young misfits and malcontents have been sent to Earth to see if the planet their forefathers abandoned is safe to re-inhabit. They don't know it yet, but they might just be humanity's last hope for survival. The 100 was a hit CW show for seven seasons, until finally calling it quits on their terms in 2020 on their 100th episode.
It should probably be noted that while it is often the case that in turning a book into a movie or series, material changes somewhat. Elements (or characters) are combined and sometimes something (or someone) else gets added in. One reviewer stated that nearly the entire first book is dealt with in the first episode. I personally found it rather interesting that in the book, the last time humans had been on Earth was about three centuries while in the show, only almost a century had passed (that combined with the 100 episodes ends up being a little on the nose for that number repetition in the series). Otherwise, while at times it ranged somewhat far afield from its origin, the show stayed remarkably close to the original spirit of the books and the vision the showrunner had for the show, which aren't always in line with one another. And the original author herself was ecstatic with the show as well, despite (she would say because of) no involvement with its creation, another thing that doesn't always happen.
Discussion Questions
A fairly significant portion of the book is spent in flashbacks, told in a different font but otherwise not immediately evident, that directly affect the current situation. Did you find this helpful or were you at all confused?
In what way did you find humanity living in a confined world with limited/shrinking resources commentary on today's world?
Shots are fired, one person sneaks onto the ship, another off. How do you think this affected the the events of the 100?
How was time handled in the book? One reviewer mentioned problems tracking it. Do you agree or disagree?
Chapters are used as opportunities to switch between characters and get a fresh perspective. How did this affect your understanding of the plot?
Did you have a character that you connected to more than the others? How so? Was the character in both the books and the show or just one or the other? If the later, were you okay with their absence?
Rather than what the West currently views as traditional education, each of the characters were assigned a form of apprenticeship in a various field. Do you think these were appropriately assigned? Why do you think this became the norm? How would you have done differently?
As more of these juvenile delinquents' secrets come to light, are there any that truly surprised you?
While specific motives differ, most stem from the idea that something is wrong or unfair. What motive does Bellamy have against the strict regulations of the ship? Why do you think they are or are not worth it?
Given some of these secrets, do you think the punishment fit the crime? Do you agree with how things were handled?
Some characters seem to be more rebellious than others. How do these characters' truths seem to stand them in good stead once the recolonization begins?
What moment stood out the most to you? Good or bad? In what way was it memorable?
Some characters sent to Earth were actual hardened criminals. Others seemed to have very minor offenses. What are the positive and negative implications for resettlement and survival of the individuals based on this?
When Glass gets pardoned, she sees thing in a very different light. Suddenly her survival hinges on her walking a very fine line pretending everything is alright. Discuss the seriousness of her situation. Are there others in the real world that mimic this? Situations in which conformity makes such a huge difference?
Leadership on the space station colony often relies on extreme measures to maintain the station's existence. In the case of one child per household, an accidental pregnancy can mean these leaders must put a pregnant woman to death. Most citizens have not been given an understanding of their precarious situation. Discuss the implications and situations that can arise due to this sort of misunderstanding and lack of complete situational knowledge.
How realistic do you think this book was? Could you see something like this happening? In your version, how would things look?
Part of the reason the show differed so significantly from the book is how soon from the release of the initial book the rights to a show were snapped up (months before the first book was released). In what ways did the show differ from the book? Did it help or hurt the storyline?
There are a few characters that were either eliminated and others that were added from/to the show. How do you think these changes helped or hindered the storyline?
Do you have a favorite version? Why? Which version did you experience first? How did this affect your expectations?
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