I haven't done a teen book here for a while. This is for two reasons. One, I haven't been reading very many YA books lately. And Two, the ones I have read I haven't been a big fan of it...so didn't review it here. This one was worth a review though because it was one that didn't make me give up halfway through and put it down for some reason. (what better reason to review it than it didn't bore me or make me want to puke with the stuff in it!)
After the collapse, there was a new version of the flu released by the Chinese that killed almost everyone in North America. Stephan's family is living in this new society. Stephen himself only wishes he could have a home, but instead his family makes their living scavenging. When Stephen meets a Chinese girl named Jenny, his whole world changes.
The premise is really interesting in this book.
I enjoyed the book, mostly. There is an absence of the "big three" (sex, nudity and mostly violence) but it still didn't do it for me.
I guess I am getting tired of all the doom and gloom, last-days are going to suck books.
This book is actually different in the fact that Stephen tries so hard to be upbeat and positive in his outlook. He lives with hope that the world will be better. He thinks it won't, but he lives in hope that it will be. There is even a little of the positive in the ending. It doesn't end with a big bad ending, it is a nice one that is almost even happy.
I think that if your kids are into The Hunger Games, or similar distopian novels, this one will be a nice change. It is still in a similar genera, but a little happier. I think it would be most enjoyed by the 12 to 15 year old crowd. This is a very strong male protagonist, so I think even boys would enjoy it.
Cheers
2 comments:
I'll have to tell my mom that these ones are pretty decent. I also think it's hard to find teen books without the big three. I didn't really like the 39 Clues all that much because it seemed like there was always some kind of violent peril. Plus the fact that it was one completely unbelievable situation after another and the kids were defying authority the entire time and many of the characters were complete goons! The only saving grace was some of the interesting arts/history sorts of things you can pick up from those books.
Thanks for the review... I think my 13 year old son might like it... I'm not really into the gloom and doom books either. I'm a bit of a hypochondriac and they just give me nightmares!! :)
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