14 year old Jem has a horrifying ability. She can see peoples date of death. It’s like a stamp on the front of people’s skulls. Spider, Jems best and only friend gets suspended for school for fighting and Jem gets suspended for pulling a knife on a group of kids that had her cornered and were going to beat her up because she went to a party. Jem and Spider chose to take one of the days they are out of school to explore London. As Jem convinces Spider they need to leave an explosion destroys London center and they both become witnesses and the number one suspects for the bombing. When they get back home and sit down to watch TV they see their pictures show up on the news. They both are terrified and choose to run away.
The theme of Numbers is choice like how Spider and Jem choose to run away instead of staying and being investigated. After they got the supplies needed for the trip and are about to leave Spiders grandma asks Jem “Do you know of any thing that will happen to Terry” (88). Jem reply’s “No” with a little hesitation, because she did know he was going to die in a couple weeks. As the two characters make choices beyond the reader’s imagination the choices change from page to page. Rachel Ward gives good description on the setting and of the characters.
Although Numbers is a some what slow book anyone that can handle that, a little violence and action will enjoy it. The majority of the setting and action takes place in London or on the out skirts of it. Kinda like the Artemis Fowl series. This book is a fun read that is interesting throughout the chapters.