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mstracho's review against another edition
3.0
3.5
I think this is a well-written YA with depth. Ben’s school journey felt juvenile at times, but that is what he is, after all. His life with his peers connected well with Zan’s journey and they’re fight to stay together. I related to Ben’s struggles with his dad and liked the gray area he inhabited. He loved his son bit didn’t show it well, so he was both a villain and just a man. The relationships were complex and compelling and the themes of nature versus nurture were interesting.
I was waiting for Ben to learn his “alpha male” routine wasn’t the way to go, but that didn’t seem to be a lesson. I found the book a bit too long as well, but overall it was a breeze to read and heart-warming to see the half brothers’ bonds grow.
I think this is a well-written YA with depth. Ben’s school journey felt juvenile at times, but that is what he is, after all. His life with his peers connected well with Zan’s journey and they’re fight to stay together. I related to Ben’s struggles with his dad and liked the gray area he inhabited. He loved his son bit didn’t show it well, so he was both a villain and just a man. The relationships were complex and compelling and the themes of nature versus nurture were interesting.
I was waiting for Ben to learn his “alpha male” routine wasn’t the way to go, but that didn’t seem to be a lesson. I found the book a bit too long as well, but overall it was a breeze to read and heart-warming to see the half brothers’ bonds grow.
ksparks's review against another edition
4.0
This is a really well-written, thought provoking and moving story. It brings up a lot of questions about the ethical treatment of animals, the relationship between humans/animals and about speech/communication. It's a believable story with flawed but likeable characters, and a well-resolved plot.
abigailsbooks32's review against another edition
3.0
This book reminded me of planet of the apes but less complicated since it was middle grade. It wasn't bad but it felt like something that had already been done due to the movie vibe I got from it
amdame1's review against another edition
4.0
Ben is 13 and an only child, but now his parents will be bringing home a new baby - a baby chimpanzee! This chimp will be one of the family as his parents try to teach it sign language as part of a scientific study.
Great story about sibling rivalry and animal rights. Fabulous characters. Very thought-provoking.
Great story about sibling rivalry and animal rights. Fabulous characters. Very thought-provoking.
martha_schwalbe's review against another edition
4.0
Because of my studies in linguistics and animal language I found this book very interesting. It is set in the 1970s so Ben and I are about the same age. I learned about Washoe and Nim Chimpsky in the early 80s. What did it feel like living with a chimp? I really empathized with Ben.
The story was slow in places and it was easy to put down and do other things unlike some books I read. This is definitely a book for a competent reader. The draw of living with a chimp appeal to lots of kids and adults I think.
The story was slow in places and it was easy to put down and do other things unlike some books I read. This is definitely a book for a competent reader. The draw of living with a chimp appeal to lots of kids and adults I think.
mudder17's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars
I found this book very interesting from both an animal lover perspective and from a scientific point of view. The narrator is 13-year-old Ben Tomlin, or at least that's how old he is at the beginning of the story, as this story takes place over at least a couple of years. It begins with the "adoption" of 8-day-old Zan, a chimp who was taken from his mother. Zan's parents are scientists and his father wants to know if chimps, our closest relatives, have the ability to learn language in the form of ASL, while his mother wants to know the effects of cross-species fostering. Throughout the book, you find yourself developing empathy for Zan and Ben, as well as for his mom and Peter, while his father leaves you feeling cold. While I don't think his father is deliberately cruel, he is almost single-mindedly an objective scientist and consciously leaves be, little room for emotions or relationships, including his wife and son. I am enough of a scientist that I understand why Ben's father's research was flawed and felt that trying to do both studies on Zan (cross-species fostering and language development) were probably counterproductive. They should have done studies of one or the other, but not both.
I found the story of Ben and his growing love for Zan (and vice versa) to be wonderful and I loved that he had an ally in Peter. This story had its villains, allies, crackpots, and bystanders. When Ben started Project Jennifer, however, I kind of cringed seeing where it was headed. There is a realistic resolution to the whole thing, but I still couldn't help cringing as I read some of the things he was thinking and feeling. As he consciously tried out behaviors that would be considered "alpha male" in the animal world, I started wondering who was rubbing off on whom. While he seemed a bit young in the beginning to become that obsessed with a girl (I don't use that term in a creepy way), I'm wondering if it was more of a product of being the son of scientists that he came to these ideas early.
This was definitely not a "happily ever after" story, but it's more of a "best of all possible solutions" type of story. It's also a coming of age story for our narrator, and perhaps the story of his father becoming a bit more aware of his own shortcomings as a father and husband. I really enjoyed it and was emotionally affected by it, but it was not a tearjerker for me. I'm definitely open to reading more books by this author.
I found this book very interesting from both an animal lover perspective and from a scientific point of view. The narrator is 13-year-old Ben Tomlin, or at least that's how old he is at the beginning of the story, as this story takes place over at least a couple of years. It begins with the "adoption" of 8-day-old Zan, a chimp who was taken from his mother. Zan's parents are scientists and his father wants to know if chimps, our closest relatives, have the ability to learn language in the form of ASL, while his mother wants to know the effects of cross-species fostering. Throughout the book, you find yourself developing empathy for Zan and Ben, as well as for his mom and Peter, while his father leaves you feeling cold. While I don't think his father is deliberately cruel, he is almost single-mindedly an objective scientist and consciously leaves be, little room for emotions or relationships, including his wife and son. I am enough of a scientist that I understand why Ben's father's research was flawed and felt that trying to do both studies on Zan (cross-species fostering and language development) were probably counterproductive. They should have done studies of one or the other, but not both.
I found the story of Ben and his growing love for Zan (and vice versa) to be wonderful and I loved that he had an ally in Peter. This story had its villains, allies, crackpots, and bystanders. When Ben started Project Jennifer, however, I kind of cringed seeing where it was headed. There is a realistic resolution to the whole thing, but I still couldn't help cringing as I read some of the things he was thinking and feeling. As he consciously tried out behaviors that would be considered "alpha male" in the animal world, I started wondering who was rubbing off on whom. While he seemed a bit young in the beginning to become that obsessed with a girl (I don't use that term in a creepy way), I'm wondering if it was more of a product of being the son of scientists that he came to these ideas early.
This was definitely not a "happily ever after" story, but it's more of a "best of all possible solutions" type of story. It's also a coming of age story for our narrator, and perhaps the story of his father becoming a bit more aware of his own shortcomings as a father and husband. I really enjoyed it and was emotionally affected by it, but it was not a tearjerker for me. I'm definitely open to reading more books by this author.
luaucow's review against another edition
3.0
I listened to this one and while the premise was interesting, it was way too slow. This may have been the fault of the narrator, I'm not sure, but it felt like it was going to go on forever. It took me awhile to realize that it was set in the past (70s?). I wondered at first why the author chose not to set it in the present, but then it might not be believable that we would let someone do this tpe of experiment today. Plus I think Animal Rights became more visible at this time, so it kind of makes sense.
momomachado's review against another edition
4.0
This book is hands-down the best Kenneth Oppel has written and is everything you would want from a YA novel. I got it for my teenaged brother, and we both loved it. I think that the ending was a little rushed, but perhaps Oppel plans on doing a follow-up?
lalangela's review against another edition
5.0
My 10 year old recommended this book to me! It was a great read!