Can't believe I missed this one, it was published in 2005! The story is set a teeny bit into the future, in a country that has had some hard times, especially financially (a little too real, in view of how our economy has been through the wringer in the last year). Public school is no longer possible, with kids watching Edu-TV instead until a certain age. The educational content is delivered in survivor reality shows, each one mirroring a particular historical event. Kids are required to watch a certain amount of Edu-TV per week and must enter into a lottery to see if they can go to high school and college.
Five 14-yr old kids are chosen to attempt Antarctica Survivor, which re-creates the historic voyage to the South Pole attempted by Robert Scott (epic fail). Of course, the whole game is rigged to increase viewer ratings, with the kids enduring calamities galore. Through the tiny cameras implanted in their corneas, the whole country can watch the drama unfold. I was totally drawn into this story by the characters, each special in their own way, and by the evil plotting Secretary of Entertainment (I love a good conspiracy). Honestly, the whole reality show drama is completely believable, based on what passes for entertainment today. I found myself alternately rooting for characters and worrying about them.
Good read, I recommend it! The website about the book is also well-done, here is the link:
http://www.survivingantarctica.com/
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