Extra Credit Assignment 

Blurb:

“Let the ruling classes tremble at a Communistic revolution. The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win.

Workingmen of all countries unite!” 

― Karl Marx, The Communist Manifesto

Asaria Harker has only ever known hardship. Whatever family she had, long ago forfeited their rights to her, unable to afford another mouth to feed and entering her into the government program that sees her living in a designated project doing menial labor at whichever factory she is assigned that week. A citizen of a world that has tipped over the brink of economic and environmental disaster, most of humanity is left in circumstances not unlike her own. Working day to day, from the moment they are able, in order to survive, under the leadership of a newly formed global government whose intent is merely to ensure that its citizens might have the opportunity to eat. But not everyone lives this way. Hundreds of millions of miles from Earth’s scorched surface, 99% of its wealth lives on a lush utopic planet more beautiful and abundant than Earth at its finest. Its existence is all but a myth to Asaria until one day she receives a working order unlike any she has ever seen. She is to report off world to the planet Theia where she will be a ladies maid to none other than Femi Keita, the girl in whose mother's factories Harker has worked in all her life. The pay for the job is more money than Asaria has ever seen and she is promised an entire house to herself on the planet at the end of a ten year contract for her services. But her positioning is not coincidental and she discovers that her entire existence is a consequence of lies, betrayal, and unchecked greed. With her eyes newly opened she becomes a spy for the organization that saw her placed on the planet, an organization that desires nothing short of revolution, to reclaim a stolen world and punish those who have lived in opulence while the rest of humanity starved around them. But what will she do when she discovers that the truth of Earth’s current existence is far more complex than she was lead to believe?  With a war looming on the horizon Asaria finds herself involved in the fate of two worlds, with every decision she makes more consequential than the last.

“Puts you on the edge of your seat and leaves you there for 374 pages.”

-The Guardian

"Never has a YA book taken such a hard look at the workings of the world. Controversial, heartbreaking, and inspiring, “The 1%” captivates as much as it terrifies, putting the world on notice of a future that seems more possible the longer you read.”

-NY Times

"I have never seen a love story as complex and powerful as Asaria and Femi.  It is, even in the context of such a fantastic story, utterly realistic... sometimes devastatingly so."

-J.K Rowling

Pitch:

The 1% is first and foremost a novel about injustice, empowerment, and realism. The book strives to circumvent the tropes of dystopian and futuristic novels even as it is exists within those settings. Asaria is always real. She is a young girl involved in a conflict much bigger than herself, but the longer the novel goes on and the more she grows as a character the more power and autonomy she is granted as a player in the conflict. She will make mistakes, be selfish, be weak, because in the end those experiences will make her into the woman she becomes by the novels end. Her romance with Femi will not be the love lorn torture of two girls separated by circumstances. They will both hold strong opinions and have strong personalities that will challenge their relationship. They may or may not end up together in the end, and the audience will be aware of the precariousness of their relationship. The love between them will be hard won and important, even if it may not be enough to keep them together. Their relationship is important in the novel because it is tied to the larger plot and is a big part of their development as characters, but it is still only a part of the novel. No character in the 1% will be fodder, but rather unique. This allows the readers multiple opportunities to connect and relate, because Asaria is not designed to be anything but herself and not everyone relates to any single individual. The novel builds slightly on Susan Collins and her kin but also draws on the works of sociologist and intellectuals (like Marx) in order to present a more fleshed out and realistic world. The characters will reference Locke, Fanon, Durkheim, among others because I think that a real revolutionary would and because it provides an opportunity to teach people something that might not come across otherwise. A little knowledge slipped between the pages of a thrilling adventure. Todays adolescents want something different, and real, and challenging and I intend to give it to them.  

Character Sketches 

Asaria-  Since Earth has fallen into poverty, looks have become unimportant, but on Theia aesthetic is everything. Part of the reason Asaria is chosen to go to Theia is because of her appearance, which although unfair and shallow, is realistic to the way of the world. She has never thought of her own looks and upon realizing the privilege of them, she feels guilty and rejects the idea of beauty and appearance, refusing to wear make-up and dressing very simply in a  personal rebellion that she is often mocked for. 

Dani - Dani becomes Asaria's closest friend and ally. The continual weakening of the ozone layer for centuries left the Caucasian race in a precarious position, as they were unable to withstand the ferocity of the sun. Skin cancer became rampant and many died. This effectively reversed the race norms of the world, placing power in darker skinned hands. Dani is one of the last of her race and on Theia she is almost an exhibit, something that Femi's family uses as dinner conversation. She is also apart of the movement.

Femi- the daughter of the Primarch. Femi is a social celebrity on her planet and  is works hard to maintain her appearance. She comes off very shallow but has hidden depths and a strong will that builds throughout the novel.

The Primarch (Cassian Keita)- A very serious and complex man. Although possessing a penchant for brooding and secrecy, towards all around him he is a very kind man who loves his people and his family. It is important for him to keep up appearances but he is a simple man in truth and is maybe the only fan of Asaria's style as he emulates it himself.