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Book Review of The House of Tomorrow

The House of Tomorrow
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Sebastian Pendergast has lived with his Nana in a geodesic dome since he was four years old. He never leaves the dome, working the gift shop while his Nana gives tours. She has homeschooled him all of his life with the futuristic teachings of R. Buckminster Fuller. She feels that Sebastion will pick up where Fuller left off - hence all of the grooming.

Jared Whitcomb is a sullen, sixteen year old boy who recently had a heart transplant. He feels guilty that someone had to die so he could live. His language is vulgar and he smokes. He meets Sebastian when he and his family go on a tour through the Dome. When Sebastian's nana has a stroke, he goes to stay with the Whitcomb's for awhile.

There, he discovers things he has never known like soda, grilled cheese and punk rock. Sebastian also has a thing for Jared's older sister,Meredith, even though she doesn't really see him. She's too busy with all of her male admirers. Then, Jared and Sebastian decide to start their own punk rock band! They'll be famous and leave their miserable lives behind. The problem? Neither one of them is musically inclined, but they give it their best shot. The two of them, despite their differences, form a unique friendship. But will Sebastian want to return to the dome when Nana is better or will he prefer to start his own life out of the dome?

A compelling coming of age novel that will grasp your attention from the first page. I wouldn't say this is for young adults because of the swearing and smoking, but for a debut novel, Bognanni has written a superb novel. The characters are well-developed and you can feel their angst. I didn't know what a geodesic dome was before I read this novel, either! An original story with great characters and a unique plot that will have you waiting for Bognanni's next novel. A very creative and superb novel!