Babel (The Peace Child Trilogy #2) by Gill James

Babel is the second part of the Peace Child trilogy. Kaleem has found his father and soon finds the love of his life, Rozia Laurence, but he is still not comfortable with his role as Peace Child. He also has to face some of the less palatable truths about his home planet: it is blighted by the existence of the Z Zone, a place where poorer people live outside of society, and by switch-off, compulsory euthanasia for a healthy but aging population, including his mentor, Razjosh.
The Babel Tower still haunts him, but it begins to make sense as he uncovers more of the truth about his past and how it is connected with the problems in the Z Zone.
Kaleem knows he can and must make a difference, but at what personal cost?

Good Reads Summary

This novel is for readers who enjoy complete fantasy worlds and like to utilize their imaginations.  Everything appears to be going smoothly for Kaleem, except that he doesn't particularly know what to do with his role as the "peace child".  The reader will be able to make inferences to the real world-euthanasia as a growing force in the medical fields, the "outcasts" living on the edges of society, etc...the author cleverly integrates these concepts into the novel.  The novel itself is easy to understand, the plot and characters are memorable, and the idea is a fairly unique one.  Kaleem faces many of the problems mentioned in the synopsis with bravery; he is deathly afraid (apologize for the pun) of his mentor being euthanized, but he isn't sure how to broach the subject or how to stop the event from taking place.  The reader will enjoy sifting through Kaleem's past with him as he processes unknown memories and forgotten events.  The secondary characters work to give the novel comedic relief, an antagonist, and Kaleem's advocates.  The reader will find him/herself finishing this novel too quickly.  The novel is terrific for young adults/adults who enjoy fantasy mixed with bits and pieces of reality.