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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
That was the weirdest book I've ever read. But it was still an enjoyable and quick read because it's middle grade. If you like weird books or wasps, I would recommend this.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Terminal illness
dark
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I read this at the recommendation of my teen after seeing the biggest wasp EVER. I’m allergic to bees so this was a bit freaky. And yet there were messages of good, evil, and making peace with fears that make this interesting. Plus, you’ll finish it in 2 hours.
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Nest sets a high bar for itself: this a book for middle-grade readers about a kid with OCD who becomes convinced that a telepathic wasp queen is communicating with him through dreams, promising to "fix" his deathly ill baby brother. There are so, so many places where a novel with this premise could go horribly wrong, but author Kenneth Oppel is some sort of literary gymnastics champion and totally sticks his landing. The tone of book is perfect throughout; Oppel, to continue the gymnastics metaphor, maintains perfect balance between the emotional reality of what his protagonist, Steve, is experiencing and the fantastic -- and fantastically horrifying -- forces he's up against. This is a creepy, unsettling story, but like The Graveyard Book and Coraline before it, I feel like the way it confronts certain nightmare imagery will actually help kids understand fears they've already experienced -- and provide catharsis when Steve ultimately defeats his (metaphorical and not-so-metaphorical) demons. The Nest is an amazing novel -- vivid, fast-paced, and really about stuff in a way few adult novels are, or are so effectively. Parents should give this to their kids, and kids to their parents.
Wasn't my cup of tea. It was very slow paced, and I'm not all that into bees.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was a very strange little book. Had a very gripping story for the most part, but was still very odd.