Son of Interflux

Simon Irving, a talented young artist, enrolls in an arts-focused high school in Greenbush, New York to pursue his passion for painting instead of following his father's corporate career path at Interflux Corporation. When Simon discovers that Interflux plans to destroy the school's cherished greenspace for expansion, he launches a bold resistance campaign. By purchasing a strategic strip of land and creating an opposition movement called Antiflux, he rallies his fellow students to protect their school grounds. Simon must balance his secret campaign against his father's company while maintaining his academic performance and navigating new friendships. His position as the son of Interflux's Senior Vice President adds complexity to his already challenging situation. The novel explores themes of environmental activism, family expectations, and the tension between art and commerce. It presents questions about finding one's own path while managing family relationships and standing up for one's beliefs.

Readers describe this as a fun, light story that captures high school dynamics and creative rebellion. Many note it stands out from Korman's other works due to its focus on art students rather than athletes or pranksters. Liked: - Humor and witty dialogue - Realistic portrayal of teen relationships - Balance between serious corporate themes and comedic moments - Memorable side characters, especially Oliver's friends Disliked: - Plot developments feel predictable - Some found the business aspects confusing - Romance subplot feels underdeveloped - Ending wraps up too neatly Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (1,200+ ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (32 ratings) "A clever mix of art and business that keeps you entertained" - Goodreads reviewer "Not as engaging as Korman's other books, but still enjoyable" - Amazon review "The corporate satire went over my head as a kid but I appreciate it more now" - LibraryThing user

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🎨 Gordon Korman wrote this book when he was just 17 years old, making him one of the youngest published authors to tackle teenage environmental activism. 📚 The book was first published in 1986, during a period when environmental concerns were beginning to gain mainstream attention in young adult literature. 🎭 Nassau County High School for Visual, Literary and Performing Arts is loosely based on real specialized arts high schools like LaGuardia High School in New York, which inspired the movie "Fame." 🌿 The novel predicted the rise of student-led environmental movements, predating many real-world examples like the School Strike for Climate by several decades. 🖼️ The protagonist's struggle between art and business reflects Korman's own experience balancing his writing career with expectations to pursue a more traditional career path during his teen years.