Wow! So there I was, reading along, thinking this book was pretty good, when it suddenly turned awesome and I was reading a book that is a (very) early contender for my Favorites of 2010 list. While I hadn't exactly been bored by the first third of the novel, I was mainly reading because I knew I was supposed to and not because the book was compelling me to. And then something shifted, and I wouldn't have stopped reading for anything.
This is also a book that benefits from a cold reading, meaning don't read reviews or summaries. I'd been hearing about the book for a few months before I read it, and so one reason I was distracted for the first section of the book is that I kept wondering about what I thought I knew and had half forgotten. All you really need to know is that it's about two brothers, Alan and Nick, and their continuing fight against the magicians and demons that killed their father. You don't need to know anything else. Trust me, just get the book and read it, and then call me so we can talk about it. It's that good.
Edition I Read: Kindle
Where/How I got it: Amazon
Total Books Read in 2010: 2
Other Books Read but not Reviewed: 0
Will I Make This Available to my Students?: Yes*
The reviews that I saw from SLJ and Booklist both said grades 9 and up, but there's nothing specifically objectionable here. The book is intense and challenging, but I see no reason why stronger 7th and 8th graders readers would not enjoy it.
I beam and am so happy you liked it!
Posted by: Sarah Rees Brennan | January 06, 2010 at 10:02 PM