Review of Access Restricted by Gregory Scott Katsoulis

Katsoulis, Gregory Scott.  Access Restricted.  Harlequin Teen, 2018.

Speth Jime ends the tyrant Rogs’ oppressive hold over Portland with a resounding boom.  As a result, in a futuristic, dystopian United States, where all forms of communication is owned, Portland’s citizens are hoping the “Silent Girl” will guide them in their quest to be free from word and gesture oppression.  Speth and her friends make a getaway from the dome on the “Outer Ring” while the government is trying to restore Portland’s Wi-Fi and bring order.   Unfortunately, Silas Rog’s sister, Lucretia, and her lawyers are close behind the escapees.

Speth is not sure what to do next, but she wants to locate her parents, who are “Indentured”, working as legalized slaves, in Crab Creek in the Carolina dome.  To find them, she and her friends must cross the country outside of the regional domes.  On their journey, they face challenges, adversity, and danger but learn that Speth has helpful supporters in other domes. 

Once reunited with her parents in Tejico, formerly Mexico, Speth and her sister, Saretha, face a grueling, prejudicial trial back in Portland, where they will try to prove that the Rogs stole Saretha’s likeness for use as a famous movie star.   Even though she dreads and fears returning to Portland, Speth realizes that the trial is about more than her family—it is about freedom.

Access Restricted, the second and final book in the Word$ duology, begins moments after the first book, All Rights Reserved, ends.  The chapters are titled with words and phrases, many of which are trademarked, listed with their costs, which get increasingly larger as the story continues.  The reader learns that many names, especially those of foreign origin, have been shortened, both because they cost less and also so that people will not learn about their ancestry.

The characters are fascinating and multi-layered.  Speth, the main character, is a strong, reluctant heroine, not expecting to cause a rebellion, or even be a part of one.    The minor characters have distinct personalities and play a large part in the plot.  The Rog family members are evil, manipulative villains--cold, calculating, and controlling.  The author is especially gifted at world building, creating a vivid technology-enhanced world, where advertisements play constantly on screens in citizens’ homes and inside the domes.

The plot is mesmerizing and engrossing, filled with nail-biting action, thrilling chase scenes, and spy drones flying around.  This series is very timely because it is certainly something that could eventually happen.  Although some backstory is given, it is my recommendation that readers read the first book before reading this installment.

I highly recommend Access Restricted and the Word$ series for middle school, high school, and public libraries, and especially for collections where libraries have purchased All Rights Reserved.  It is a real page-turner, and I give it five out of five fleur de lis!