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Smashing is the only lift you need to get these gains!
TLDR; Distopian school and a lesson in consistency.
Plot: Massive Disappointment -
Order. Community. Security. Civilization. Logic. Striving for self-discipline. Often represented by men.
Chaos. Anarchy. Freedom. Nature. Emotion. Striving for self-worth. Often represented by women.
Stories depicting the two polar opposite concepts has never been something lacking in media. The very first story in history, The Epic of Gilgamesh, told a story depicting the god of order and god of chaos as beings slaughtered by their children and civilization and earth being made out of their corpses. Even back then there has been an understanding that life, and especially developing children, requires moderation and balance between two extremes for us to exist and fulfill needs. The most modern take on this being Godzilla, global warming based apocalypses, and utopia horrors. These first two depict nature rising up due to an imbalance and the third shows the horror of the imbalance when there is no balancing force.
On the opposite end you have westerns, countless super hero depictions, and Star Trek showing the necessity of order for civilization and peace.
Similar to another story I reviewed, "You Must Remember This" by FranklinBarnes. This story is well in keeping of this philosophical debate and tradition of examining the necessity for balance between them and the dangers of extremity with a school setting. Only where "YMRT" showed the development of a community towards this extreme state, "Everett" shows it in its completed state and could act as a sequel.
The story follows Everett. All he knows is The Community, but something as small as rumors and gossip and myths and legends plant the seed for him to seek more, which ultimately puts him in trouble with an extremely ordered society that denies the existance of anything more than itself and gives no purpose, no goal, no future for him to put his energy toward. He is punished by being placed into a school to be re-educated and brainwashed on principles of The Community, however, just as he begins his descent into being a sheep, the myths he held onto reveal themselves and he embraces that concept of a goal and future denied to him where he can, for the first time, have something to put his energy to.
The plot overall is very fast paced, yet gives time to moments of significance to keep the foundation of the story solid and you don't lose your footing. Many stories that try to be as fast paced as this one often throw you into the wind, but the author here managed to root you down and cuts away the nonsense.
The story is amazingly predictable. It never has surprises. If you have read even 1 story or show or movie within the genre, then you can see everything coming from a mile away. Yet, while predictable, it isn't boring. It knows how to work within the genre, keeps the story short, simple, solid, and goes through the recipe like its a checklist while being smooth enough to keep it from feeling like an outline. This story offers a very good introduction for anyone new to the concept, but, to its detriment, probably will not offer anything interesting for anyone who is well read in the concept.
