In the near future of 2025, Kayla Reed is a typical
high school student worrying about how she will get into art
school. She's also worried about her parents. Her father is
depressed and not going to work. He claims that it's the
fault of his newly received bar code tattoo, which many
people are getting as an "easy" form of identification,
banking, and shopping options. The bar code is supposed to
provide all the vital information on a person with a quick
scan. Worldwide conglomerate Global-1, in their dominion
over all the world's major business franchises, has forced
the legalization of bar codes for all people, starting at
the age of seventeen. That means that under law, Kayla will
soon be forced to get the bar code tattoo. After tragedy
strikes within her family, Kayla joins a resistance group
against the bar code in her high school.
Not only does she not want to be labeled, but she
notices the strange behavior exhibited by many of the people
who have gotten the bar code tattoo. Her best friend's family
is suddenly homeless when their bar code tattoos stop
working. Her odd neighbor, who works for the drivers license
office that administers the tattoo, claims that he has
discovered some hidden information contained within the
code. Soon after, he is killed by police officers at his
job and a false story is publicized that he was an
anti-tattoo extremist. Again Kayla's life is turned upside
down and she goes on the run from the law, hiding with other
resisters against getting the bar code. Kayla decides to
journey to the Adirondacks where a safe haven for tattoo
resisters is based. Along the way, she meets others who have
found a way to survive on the fringe without getting the
intrusive tattoo. With the help of these friends, Kayla
discovers that the government behind the bar code tattoo has
a plan to create their own Utopia.
Ultimately, this story is about loss of freedom that
happens when people stop fighting for their rights and lose
their human identity. It is set in a near-future dystopian
society, but at first glance it doesn't seem like many of
the others of its genre because it is so similar to modern
day society. There are some unusual plot devices where in
which large numbers of resisters start developing mental
powers such as telepathy. This is just one example of the
author making the plot too easy for the main character. The
author also came up with some new "future" teen slang that
gets quite repetitive throughout the book. The novel is
simply written and geared towards adolescents and young
adults. There is a little romance in the book that is age
appropriate and no cursing. THE BAR CODE TATTOO is the first
book in a trilogy by Suzanne Weyn.
Individuality vs. conformity. Identity vs. access. Freedom
vs. control.
The bar code tattoo. Everybody's getting it. It will make
your life easier, they say. It will hook you in. It will
become your identity.
But what if you say no? What if you don't want to become a
code? For Kayla, this one choice changes everything. She
becomes an outcast in her high school. Dangerous things
happen to her family. There's no option but to run for her
life.
Individuality vs. conformity.
Identity vs. access.
Freedom vs. control.
The bar code tattoo.
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