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hinkle's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-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
3.5
allicatca's review
2.0
Not especially well-written or interesting. Ended up skimming and not finishing.
shaunie991's review
4.0
Actually wished it was just a bit longer. I think a sequel/follow up of the main characters’ next 80 years would be great. I’d read it!
annettebooksofhopeanddreams's review
4.0
Wat een heerlijk jeugdboek! Het boek stond al een tijdje op mijn verlanglijstje en een paar weken geleden kwam ik het tegen in de kringloopwinkel. Gisteravond had ik weinig zin om iets ingewikkelds of Engels te lezen en toen viel mijn oog op dit boek. Het was de perfecte keuze! Luchtig, maar met ook wel wat serieuze ondertonen. Grappig, maar met ook wel wat serieuze levenslessen. Spannend, maar met ook wel momenten van bezinning. Stereotype karakters, maar wel personages die een ontwikkeling doormaken gedurende het boek. Het soort boek waar stout zijn niet betekent dat je slecht bent en waar ook slechte mensen een tweede kans krijgen zodra ze inzien dat ze slecht geweest zijn. En bij vlagen is het boek ook wel echt gruwelijk! Want het monster blijft wel gewoon echt een monster. Een leuk boek om voor te lezen. Maar ook leuk om als volwassene stiekem zelf te lezen.
pewterwolf's review
5.0
RTC, but this was a fun little gem of a read. A strange yet delicious hybrid of Roald Dahl, Dorian Grey and Despicable Me.
Review Taken from The Pewter Wolf Reads as part of NetGalley November 2020.
***eProof given by UK publisher, Egmont, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review/reaction***
Ebenezer Tweezer is not a nice man. He is a youthful yet spoilt 511 year old, and he has a beast living his attic. Ebenezer feeds the beast and the beast gives - well, vomits - out beautiful gifts for him.
And yet, the beast is greedy. And he’s growing bored of eating rare animals, dusty statues and and singing parrots. The beast wants to try a new meal. One not tried before… for the beast wants a child…
Ok, how do I describe this? Imagine a hybrid of Despicable Me and/or Dorian Grey written by Lemony Snicket or Roald Dahl.
And it’s a delicious read. I devoured it over the course of two days. It’s dark, funny and a little twisted. And there’s something great fun reading about unpleasant people (both Ebenezer and Bethany are not nice people) who, at the same time, are flawed and, as the story progress, we see moments of kindness and both characters question their mortality and what it means to be good.
I can’t really say much about this as I just had a blast reading this. I have’t had this reaction to a middle-grade since I read [b:The Haunting of Aveline Jones|48978265|The Haunting of Aveline Jones|Phil Hickes|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1594890366l/48978265._SY75_.jpg|74387925]. I had such delicious fun and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series (though you can read this as a standalone…)
Review Taken from The Pewter Wolf Reads as part of NetGalley November 2020.
***eProof given by UK publisher, Egmont, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review/reaction***
Ebenezer Tweezer is not a nice man. He is a youthful yet spoilt 511 year old, and he has a beast living his attic. Ebenezer feeds the beast and the beast gives - well, vomits - out beautiful gifts for him.
And yet, the beast is greedy. And he’s growing bored of eating rare animals, dusty statues and and singing parrots. The beast wants to try a new meal. One not tried before… for the beast wants a child…
Ok, how do I describe this? Imagine a hybrid of Despicable Me and/or Dorian Grey written by Lemony Snicket or Roald Dahl.
And it’s a delicious read. I devoured it over the course of two days. It’s dark, funny and a little twisted. And there’s something great fun reading about unpleasant people (both Ebenezer and Bethany are not nice people) who, at the same time, are flawed and, as the story progress, we see moments of kindness and both characters question their mortality and what it means to be good.
I can’t really say much about this as I just had a blast reading this. I have’t had this reaction to a middle-grade since I read [b:The Haunting of Aveline Jones|48978265|The Haunting of Aveline Jones|Phil Hickes|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1594890366l/48978265._SY75_.jpg|74387925]. I had such delicious fun and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series (though you can read this as a standalone…)
piedwarbler's review
4.0
This is the first in a new series of books by Jack Meggitt-Phillips, beautifully illustrated by Isabelle Follath.
It tells the story of Ebenezer Tweezer, a 511 year old dude who has a very unusual and dangerous creature living in his house - the Beast. Ebenezer came by the Beast when it got stuck to his shoe. He fed it, and unwittingly helped it grow into a murderous monster. To satiate its appetite, it demands a child, so Ebenezer has the thought of finding an unpleasant child, which is where Bethany comes in. Bethany and Ebenezer team up as an unlikely duo - at first they hate each other - in order to find a way to escape from the Beast’s demands.
The book has themes around kindness and selfishness and the consequences of dishonesty and nastiness to others.
Part of the book is set in an orphanage and there is also a theme of loss of parents, which some readers may find upsetting, though the book is funny and treats this theme in a light hearted way.
I enjoyed the book and the humour in it, and I would like to see what happens in the second book, which is out in 2021.
It tells the story of Ebenezer Tweezer, a 511 year old dude who has a very unusual and dangerous creature living in his house - the Beast. Ebenezer came by the Beast when it got stuck to his shoe. He fed it, and unwittingly helped it grow into a murderous monster. To satiate its appetite, it demands a child, so Ebenezer has the thought of finding an unpleasant child, which is where Bethany comes in. Bethany and Ebenezer team up as an unlikely duo - at first they hate each other - in order to find a way to escape from the Beast’s demands.
The book has themes around kindness and selfishness and the consequences of dishonesty and nastiness to others.
Part of the book is set in an orphanage and there is also a theme of loss of parents, which some readers may find upsetting, though the book is funny and treats this theme in a light hearted way.
I enjoyed the book and the humour in it, and I would like to see what happens in the second book, which is out in 2021.
alongreader's review
5.0
Wow. I did not think I'd start this book feeling sorry for a parrot. And yet, here we are.
This book is brilliant. It's funny, it's clever, the moments of softness are balanced out with someone saying something nasty...really, it's just great all around. And there's going to be more! The solutions the pair come up are wonderful and clever and just...I don't have enough good words for this one. If this series isn't big, I'll be very surprised.
My arc copy didn't have all the illustrations, but it has enough that I can tell they're going to be great. I've been trying to think who they remind me of, but I think they're unique. They're just themselves. They really add to the story and there's so many little details in them to notice on second, third and seventh look.
This is a fantastic book and I can't wait to shove it in people's face and shout "Read this!"
This book is brilliant. It's funny, it's clever, the moments of softness are balanced out with someone saying something nasty...really, it's just great all around. And there's going to be more! The solutions the pair come up are wonderful and clever and just...I don't have enough good words for this one. If this series isn't big, I'll be very surprised.
My arc copy didn't have all the illustrations, but it has enough that I can tell they're going to be great. I've been trying to think who they remind me of, but I think they're unique. They're just themselves. They really add to the story and there's so many little details in them to notice on second, third and seventh look.
This is a fantastic book and I can't wait to shove it in people's face and shout "Read this!"
paperbacks_and_ponytails's review
4.0
Highly enjoyable middle grade book. Such a unique concept of a girl who is meant to be a beasts dinner, I loved it.
kelleemoye's review against another edition
3.0
This is one of Trent’s books for Battle of the Books and we listened to it together. It is full of dark humor and a young girl that changes a small part of the world; it is great for fans of Lemony Snicket or Roald Dahl.