Nothing

*Nothing *by Jane Teller is a dark, twisted, young-adult novel for a matured audience. Most reviews have claimed this Danish novel as the “Lord of the Flies for the 21st Century”. This is an apt description, yet *Nothing *handles more mature topics and dives into the basics of existential philosophy.  *Nothing *is a short read at 244 pages, but leaves quite an impact.

*Nothing *opens in a Danish middle school classroom just returned from summer vacation. At the start of class a classmate, Pierre-Anthon, opens up by blurting out that nothing matters. The other students of the class then go on to try and prove Pierre-Anthon wrong; the students go to an abandoned farmhouse and try and create a heap of meaning. In this heap the seventh grade classmates put away all things which mean something to them.  And one by one, each little addition to the pile, the students lose their toys, innocence, and learn what it’s like to be an adult.

*Nothing *by Jane Teller is a fun read and maybe a little more a lot to handle for the prudish of mind. In my opinion though, this book is something that in 50 years could possibly be taught in middle school and high schools around the world.