Life in a Fishbowl

In this brilliantly written tragicomedy from acclaimed Morris finalist Len Vlahos comes a story about a girl whose dying father does the unthinkable–puts his life up for auction online.

When fifteen-year-old Jackie discovers that her father has been diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor, her whole world starts to crumble. She can’t imagine how she’ll live without him.

Then, in a desperate act to secure his family’s future, Jackie’s father does the unthinkable–he puts his life up for auction on eBay. Jackie can do nothing but watch and wait as an odd assortment of bidders, some with nefarious intentions, drive the price up higher. The fate of her entire family hangs in the balance.

But no one can predict how the auction will finally end, or any of the very public fallout that ensues. Life as Jackie knows it is about to change forever . . .

Fifteen-year-old Jackie Stone is a prisoner in her own house. Everything she says and does 24/7 is being taped and broadcast to every television in America. Why? Because her dad is dying of a brain tumor and he has auctioned his life on eBay to the highest bidder: a ruthless TV reality show executive at ATN.

Gone is her mom’s attention and cooking and parent-teacher conferences. Gone is her sister’s trust ever since she’s been dazzled by the cameras and new-found infamy. Gone is her privacy. Gone is the whole family’s dignity as ATN twists their words and makes a public mockery of their lives on Life and Death. But most of all, Jackie fears that one day very soon her father will just be . . . gone. Armed only with her ingenuity and the power of the internet, Jackie is determined to end the show and reclaim all of their lives, even in death.

Life in a Fishbowl has been translated into 10 different languages and published in 18 different markets.

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BOOK DETAILS

  • ISBN: 9781681196169
  • Pages: 328 pages
  • Age: 14 to 18
  • Recommended Reading Level: 9th grade & up
  • Publisher: Bloomsbury
  • Publication Date: January 3, 2017
  • YA/Young Adult/Teen
  • Reality TV
  • Death
  • Family
  • Mental Health
  • Humor

REVIEWS

"Like its predecessor, this novel will leave readers aching for an encore."
"From page one, [the book’s] numerous laugh-out-loud moments and beautifully drawn characters make for a powerful journey that will leave a lasting imprint on readers."
"This is bold, biting fare often so dark you sometimes want to look away. But you can’t."
"An achingly funny satire that will appeal more to grown-up consumers of YA and sophisticated teens. Vlahos artfully blends the whimsical and the poignant."
"It will tear you apart, and yet it’s an absolute joy."
"A weird, sardonic delight with the shape of an allegory and the heart of a joyful song.”
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Brenna Yovanoff, The New York Times bestselling author of The Replacement
"One of Teen Vogue’s best reads for January 2017."
"LIFE IN A FISHBOWL is a great read for people searching for a new spin on the issue of terminal illnesses and the power they have on families."
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TeenReads.com
"It’s dark, it’s raw. It will grab you and refuse to let you look away until the last line of the last page. Vlahos leaves us with hope, though, after the long, dark night. As much as I liked Scar Boys, I think I liked this book better."
"Vlahos does another stellar job of crafting a band story that is so much more than that…"
"…fans of The Scar Boys will not be disappointed with this sequel."
"I had previously told myself that I wouldn’t judge a book by its cover because of the amount of disappointments that decisions like that had brought me. However, Life in a Fishbowl lived up to its gorgeous cover and has become one of my favorite Young Adult novels that I have read for a very long time…"
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Little Book Blog
"…this novel is a rollercoaster ride through human nature. Mixing pathos and humor, it is both enjoyable and inspirational to read."
"Vlahos’s gift for writing blackly comic heartrenders was made clear in his debut The Scar Boys, and his latest promises to do it again."
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B&N Teen Blog
"Life in a Fishbowl is one roller coaster that will leave you a blubbering bundle of emotions."
"One of PopCrush’s most anticipated teen reads."
"An unsettling rumination on the spectacle of tragedy."
"I have no doubt that readers will be talking about this novel a lot, and it is one that I would recommend to reading groups in particular for the wealth of material worth discussing."
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Nudge Book
"But most of all what I love about his novel is the way it looks at television versus the internet."
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KellyLouBishop
"I think it’s a great, different read that you should definitely pick up."
"Oh man, that was an emotional rollercoaster."
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Omar the Bookworm
"This book is odd. A good kind of odd, but odd nonetheless."
"This is an ambitious book. It pushes boundaries with its characters and plot."
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Quite the Novel Idea
"We’re just going to rave about Life in a Fishbowl by Len Vlahos because for a book to leave a mindset, a mindset that many of the characters share in very different ways, means it’s impacting."
"I absolutely loved this incredibly powerful story! Like a reality TV show, Life in a Fishbowl is addictive and entertaining, but this book will also make you stop and ponder the issues that it deals with."