The Treatment by Suzanne Young

The Treatment 
The Program: Book Two
Written by Suzanne Young
Published April 29th 2014
352 Pages
How do you stop an epidemic?

Sloane and James are on the run after barely surviving the suicide epidemic and The Program. But they’re not out of danger. Huge pieces of their memories are still missing, and although Sloane and James have found their way back to each other, The Program isn’t ready to let them go.

Escaping with a group of troubled rebels, Sloane and James will have to figure out who they can trust, and how to take down The Program. But for as far as they’ve come, there’s still a lot Sloane and James can’t remember. The key to unlocking their past lies with the Treatment, a pill that can bring back forgotten memories, but at a high cost. And there’s only one dose.

Ultimately when the stakes are at their highest, can Sloane and James survive the many lies and secrets surrounding them, or will The Program claim them in the end?

Sloane and James know they'll never be free, especially now their faces are plastered all over the news reports. Two teens on the run, they're reporting, both are clinically ill and need to be treated. But Sloane has never felt more in control of her life, even if it is on the run. It isn't long before the teen runaways are picked up by Dallas, a sassy, smart mouthed rebel who is hell bent on taking down The Program. But can she, along with sidekick Cas be trusted? The pill given to Sloane to bring back her memories is burning a hole in her pocket, the risks of the potent Treatment far outweigh the benefits and remembering her life before The Program may just kill her.

As the group of teens move from each Rebel safehouse in order to evade the Handlers, the muscle employed by The Program to bring in infected teens, they discover there may be more to The Treatment than first thought. The only known pill to exist is in the hands of Slone and The Program aren't the only organisation who are chasing the media fugitives. A reporter who sees beyond The Program may be their only salvation at bringing the operation to an end, but as Slone finds herself in the hands of The Program once more, will rescue come too late?

My Thoughts


I was surprised that The Treatment was the final installment in The Program series, making the duology fast paced and action packed. The Treatment begins with the young lovers Sloane and James on the run from The Program, a place where depressed teens are sent and medicated to steal their dark and negative memories. It begun as a few random teen suicides, but quickly spread to epidemic proportions. The storyline raises issues long held with teens, of how parents and adults can easily fail to relate to their children and lack understanding. The parents of the series don't see that teens experience a wide range of emotions, including depression and sadness, and send them off to The Program. The government brainwashing adults to believe that taking the dark memories of teens is the only way to stop a growing suicide epidemic. In The Treatment, the reader is introduced to both founders of The Program, adults who both begun with the best of intentions, but quickly spiraled out of control when the facilities were taken over.

Previous characters will resurface and we're introduced to new characters, such as Dallas and Asa. Dallas is a victim of The Program, but hides the horror of her experience behind a tough and sometimes terribly blunt facade. Asa is a carer within the facility, who steps up when the rebel teens need him most. A stroke of genius for Suzanne Young to wrap the series up within the two novels, eliminating the unnecessary middle book syndrome that so many of our favourite series suffer. I really enjoyed it and absolutely adored the Epilogue, one of the best I've read. If you love an awesome young adult science fiction, oppressive regimes and fighting a system that seems as though you have no hope of derailing, this series is it.

Even Chuck Norris approves.

13 comments

  1. Oh, good to know. I wasn't sure about continuing w this series, but after reading your review, I will now!

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    1. Oh, it's definitely worth grabbing a copy Karen, the curiosity of not knowing hoe it ended would be too much for me. It wraps up beautifully.

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  2. OMG IT'S ALREADY OUT?! That was really fast! I'm really glad you liked it! I need to read this soon. :D

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    1. Have you read The Program Laura? The Treatment has more if a suspenseful element that we didn't see in book one. Really enjoyed it, can't wait to see what you think of it.

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  3. Ah, didn't realise this was a duology, I'm beginning to like them more and more just like you said. No middle book syndrome. I've heard some good things about this book, and it sounds like a very interesting take on mental illnesses and people attempting to suppress them. Loved the first book's cover, but what is up with the second one's cover?!

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    1. So many more authors should take note. The middle book on most series are just fillers that usually end up as dramatically angsty and relationship based. Especially in fantasy and dystopian, we really don't need it. It makes the series drag and turns readers off. I haven't come across many other duologies, except this one and the Masque of the Red Death series.

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  4. I just love this new trend of duologies, it wipes out middle book syndrome altogether! I'll have to pick up this duology it sounds really interesting and if Chuck Norris approves, then I'll have to get it too.

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    1. It's really good Jeann, love the underlying storyline of it being teens against the adults who believe they know best. The . Lack of understanding by patents and the battle against depression with a science fiction twist. It's unique and well worth the read.

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  5. YAY!! Absolutely loved The Program! Love your review :) What didn't you like about this second book? Without spoiling me ;)

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    1. The only point I would have like to seen included would be a longer ending that was a little more drawn out. It wrapped up nicely, but it was a little too neat. Can't wait to see what you think of it Gina.

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  6. Glad you liked this one! I have heard so many good things!

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    1. You'll have to add this one to your list Brittany, it's an awesome science fiction thriller.

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  7. Yay! Absolutely loved The Program. I'm so happy that there are only two books in this "series" that way I don't have to anxiously wait for what happens next for so long. I'm wondering if a certain someone came back from the first book if you know who I mean. I'm curious to see how everything pans out. Will have to pick this up soon. Great review (:

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