Set in the wealthy fictional town of Haverport, New York, The Doubt Factory is the story of one teen’s determination to fight society’s most overlooked evil—the public relations industry that covers up and spins corporate atrocities, even if the worst firm happens to be headed by her own father.
Alix Banks attends the prestigious and exclusive Seitz Academy, where affluent parents pay to have their children taught by the best and to be insulated from the evils of the outside world. However, the school’s charade of security comes crashing to the ground when Moses Cruz, the leader of a radical crew of teen activists, assaults the principal and vandalizes a school building. During the fray, Moses grabs Alix and suggests that her father is much more than he appears. When Alix starts monitoring her father’s behavior, she is confronted by the darkest sides of Big Brother, the radicals who fight the unseen Man, conspiracy theories and the illusions of safety and privacy in a country that claims to uphold and protect the inalienable right of free speech.
In this incredible thriller, unexpected plot twists occur as often as every page turn, and morality and rightness oscillate within a gray area. National Book Award finalist Paolo Bacigalupi’s smart and honest approach to critiquing the PR industry is rare and refreshing.
This article was originally published in the October 2014 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.
