Pam Bachorz
Pam Bachorz | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1973 (age 50–51) Salem, Massachusetts |
| Occupation | Author |
| Genre | Speculative fiction |
| Website | |
| pambachorz | |
Pam Bachorz (born 1973) is an author of speculative fiction from the United States.
Biography[edit]
Bachorz was born in 1973 in Salem, Massachusetts. She has written two speculative fiction novels for young adults: Candor, published in 2009, and Drought, published in 2011.[1] Candor, set in the near future, uses a trope common to horror in speculative fiction, that of a small town "malevolently under some kind of mesmeric or unholy control".[1] A review in Wired magazine described the book's fictional setting as one that would produce "Stepford children", children brainwashed into conformity via subliminal messages.[2] Its protagonist is Oscar Banks, whose father founded the town, and operates its system of indoctrination. Banks pretends to be a conformist, while covertly helping residents escape.[3][4] Banks encounters a new girl in town, Nia, who has a strikingly different personality, forcing him to decide whether to keep her in town to alleviate his boredom, or help her also leave.[2]
A review of the volume by Publishers Weekly called some aspects of the premise "difficult to swallow", but was positive overall, calling it a compelling story.[4] The Wired review similarly praised Bachorz's ability to keep the plot moving and build suspense, though it described the book as "not terribly deep", and with a larger quotient of romance than expected.[2] An essay in The ALAN Review commented on the varying motivations of the adults in the town; for Oscar Banks's father, brainwashing the children represents an opportunity for wealth, while for the parents, it is the idea of a "perfect family".[3] The book references several works of fiction that feature propaganda or psychological control, including Nineteen Eighty-Four and The Clockwork Orange, while its ending was described as resembling that of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, which also explores psychological control.[3] Bachorz's second novel, Drought, is also set in a small and coercive community, which the protagonist seeks to escape.[1]
Awards and honors[edit]
| Year | Title | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Candor | ALA Best Books for Young Adults | Nominee | [5] |
| Cybils Award for Young Adult Speculative Fiction | Finalist | [6] | ||
| 2011 | Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults | Selection | [7] | |
| YALSA Teens' Top Ten | Nominee | [8] |
Publications[edit]
- Candor (2009, EgmontUSA, ISBN 978-1-6068-4012-2)
- Drought (2011, EgmontUSA, ISBN 978-1-6068-4016-0)
References[edit]
- ^ a b c Clute, John (August 11, 2018). "Bachorz, Pam". In Nicholls, Peter; Clute, John; Sleight, Graham (eds.). The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction. Gollancz. Archived from the original on September 18, 2021. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
- ^ a b c Ceceri, Kathy (14 December 2009). "Candor is Stepford for Kids- But Is That So Bad?". Wired. Archived from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
- ^ a b c Jones, Patrick (Winter 2012). "Mind Games: Mind Control in YA literature". ALAN. 39 (2). doi:10.21061/alan.v39i2.a.2.
- ^ a b "Candor". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
- ^ "Best Books for Young Adults Nominations". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). 2006-09-29. Archived from the original on 2020-06-13. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
- ^ "2009 Cybils Finalists". Archived from the original on 2023-03-22. Retrieved 2023-03-22.
- ^ "Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults | Awards & Grants". American Library Association. Archived from the original on 2023-04-05. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
- ^ "2011 Teens' Top Ten Nominations" (PDF). American Library Association. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-04-21. Retrieved 2023-04-05.