Running Out of Time (novel)

infobox Book |
name = Running Out of Time
title_orig =
translator =


author = Margaret Peterson Haddix
cover_artist =
country = United States
language = English
series =
genre = Young adult novel
publisher = Simon & Schuster
release_date = 1995
media_type = Print (Hardback)
pages = 184 pp
isbn = ISBN 0-689-80084-3
preceded_by =
followed_by =

"Running Out of Time" is a novel by Margaret Peterson Haddix.

Plot summary

The book focuses on protagonist Jessie Keyser, a 13-year-old girl from the village of Clifton, Indiana in the 1840s. During a village-wide bout of diphtheria, Jessie's mother explains that the actual year is 1996, and that Clifton Village is actually a tourist attractionndash a replica of a historical village. She sends Jessie on a secret and dangerous mission to find a cure for the disease by getting the cure from a man named Mr. Neeley.

Outside of Clifton, Jessie is amazed and often confused at the technological advancements of the modern world. After meeting up with Neeley at a KFC in Waverly, she returns with him to his apartment, where Neeley attempts to drug her so he can kill her because they say that she now knows too much about the outside world. Jessie escapes through a serendipitous misunderstanding.

On her own again, Jessie makes contact with newspapers and radio stations to hold a news conference on the steps of the Capitol. Jessie attempts to explain the situation, but faints due to diphtheria. The news conference causes Clifton Village to close because they find out that Miles Clifton was trying to create a gene pool.

Jessie awakens in a hospital, where she learns that a man named Frank Lyle was impersonating Mr. Neeley, and is talking about the diphtheria outbreak in Clifton Village. It is revealed that village's founder, Miles Clifton, was attempting to create a disease-resistant gene pool within the inhabitants by purposely introducing diseases to distinguish the genetically strong from the weak.

Later, Jessie discovers that several other members of Clifton Village have been brought to the hospital, including Jessie's mother, who explains that her father still believes in the simplicity of the 1800's lifestyle.

Controversy

Simon & Schuster, publishers of the book claimed that the 2004 Shyamalan film The Village had stolen ideas from the book. [ [http://film.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,12589,1280048,00.html Stolen idea in "The Village?"] ] The film had a plot which features a village whose inhabitants believed they were living in the 1800's, whereas the year is actually 2004. The plot of Shyamalan's movie had several other similarities to the book. Both have young heroines on a search for medical supplies. And both have adult leaders determined to keep the children in their village from discovering the truth.

External links

* [http://layla.miltsov.org/reviews/#running "Running Out of Time" 2007 review] by Layla AbdelRahim

* [http://www.haddixbooks.com Margaret Peterson Haddix official author Web site]