The Downsiders, by Neal Shusterman, is about a whole civilization that lives below New York City. All of their clothes and accessories are made from the garabage that makes it's way below the empiric NYC. You'll meet Talon, Gutta, and Railborn who are looking for "fallen Topsiders" to deliver to their superiors of the Downside. These "fallen Topsiders" are the poor and depressed of the city who feel like they have no other options but to die alone and without a fulfillment of life. The Downsiders believe that anyone above ground is corrupt and incompetent. But when Talon's younger sister becomes ill and he knows that Topsiders have advanced medicine, he must venture above ground to save his little sister's life. There he meets Lindsay, a victim of her parent's divorce who is also looking for a friend. Together they venture between worlds - both discovering something new. But when Lindsay's dad's construction business hits a snag that reveals part of the Downside, their blooming relationship (and all of the Downside) is in peril.
"Shusterman also uses their [Lindsay and Talon's] relationship to illustrate how much a particular culture both shapes our identity and affects how we view people from backgrounds other than our own. This call to look beneath the surface is cleverly and subtly woven through an original story with broad appeal." -- Jennifer Hubert from Amazon.com
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