The Kill Factor Written by Ben Oliver. Reviewed by Arthur, Age 15

The Kill Factor, by Ben Oliver is a thrilling and gripping book that I extremely enjoyed reading. Immediately, the mysterious title catches your attention, and throughout the book there are an uncountable number of plot twists, turns and cliffhangers. For the entire duration of the book, Oliver does and incredible job of stealing, and keeping, your attention, to the point that the book is impossible to put down, as if it were glued to your fingers.

The storyline follows Emerson Ness, a teenage girl who will almost certainly be convicted for arson (and possibly manslaughter), has a chance to avoid punishment, by entering a new TV show, The Kill Factor, and if she wins, she can go free, but if she doesn’t win, she faces either death or the rest of her life in solitary confinement. The Producer, an evil and mysterious villain, controls the game, in which they must film themselves everyday in an attempt to win the public vote to stay safe, and they must also compete in various life-threatening tasks. Emerson must try to escape with her life, and friends, as well as uncovering hidden secrets, not just about the wicked game, but also about the perplexing, handsome Kodi, whom she has many different feelings towards.

Throughout the game, the characters must rely on their social abilities and circles, in order to stay popular and not go against the grain, but this means that, especially in front of cameras, they might not be showing their true self. Furthermore, in the world outside the game, the currency is brand credits, gained from having an online following and brand. Both of these points made me wonder whether there are undertones of how a world completely of social media would have negative effects on us all, perhaps driving us to participate in and watch more and more insane ways of entertainment, such as The Kill Factor TV show.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book, and will gladly read it again, because it is so unputdownable because of the millions of plot twists throughout, and the intricate and complex storylines and emotions. I would definitely recommend this book, but only to people over 14, as there are some dark moments and a lot of death in most of the book. Nonetheless, The Kill Factor is a captivating, well written, and enjoyable book.