'Cracks' by Caroline Green - Brune Park Community School

What’s it all about
Cal Conway lives with his mum Tina, step-dad Des, and step-brother Ryan in a run-down house in
a run-down town. When he isn’t ignored at home, he’s bullied. Bit by bit, his world starts (literally)
to crack open: he hears voices that no one else can, the world starts to stutter, time stands still.
Cal is thrown into complete confusion as he realises neither his family nor his memories are his
own, and he is totally alone, with no knowledge of his real identity. Who can he trust Who is
real Is anyone telling him the truth Who is he And how has he survived for the last 12 years
Discussion points:
The novel is set 12 years hence and describes a regime of businessmen and army generals
(p83) determined to quash resistance and control the population. How likely do you think this
scenario is within the next decade
The regime uses CCTV, buzz drones, holograms, propaganda, imbedded chips, and
terrorism to suppress the population. (“It’s all about control”, p80, p112.) How many of these
tactics are in current use today How many are on the horizon
What do you think of Daniel Cavendish, the boss of the CRCS scheme (Cerebral Revealer
Chip Study), and the work he’s been doing on Cal and other prisoners How would you feel if
someone could read your mind and control your behaviour
What do you feel about what happened to Alex His life before, his imprisonment, his
death Do you feel sorry for him
Cavendish’s black and white cat appears at important moments several times in the book,
and appears to help Cal. What is the role of this cat
Cal makes friends with Jax and Kyla, outcasts of the regime. What do you think of the way
they have to steal to survive Does Zander remind you of another fictional character (clue:
Dickens!)
How well does Caroline Green portray Cal’s helplessness, confusion and anger
Is Torch’s armed resistance the only way
Other titles to think about:
Earthfall by Mark Walden
Ask and Answer by Patrick Ness
Divergence by Veronica Roth
Momentum by Saci Lloyd
1984 by George Orwell
Online:
This is Caroline Green’s own website http://www.carolinegreen.net/
Cyborg-insects potentially used for surveillance or spying:
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17895-freeflying-cyborg-insects-steered-from-adistance.html
Britain in a surveillance society
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6108496.stm