All Rights Reserved

In this intense if somewhat formulaic dystopian debut novel, a young woman uses silence to protest a culture in which free speech has been eradicated and every word, gesture, and method of communication has been patented, copyrighted, or trademarked. Upon turning 15, Speth Jime is supposed to read a speech that will bind her to a corporate sponsor, after which she’ll be financially liable for anything she says or does. (Just saying “It’s beautiful” costs Speth’s older sister more than $10.) Instead, she refuses to speak, accidentally setting off a cultural firestorm and a low-level rebellion among her peers. Now excluded from almost everything society has to offer, she takes a secret job as a nocturnal product Placer, which provides her with access to the city’s most secure and exclusive locations and gives her a chance to strike back at the lawyers who maintain a stranglehold on communication. Although Katsoulis pushes his premise to the breaking point with its focus on how everything from common words to a simple shrug or kiss can be controlled and monetized, it’s still a provocative setup. Ages 12–up. Agent: Lisa Rodgers, JABberwocky Literary. (Aug.)