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skrajewski's review against another edition
5.0
Andrew Smith does it again! Loved this book! Ariel Burgess is a boy who has slipped past death time and time again. His time at Camp Merrie-Seymour for Boys was probably my favorite parts because Ariel, Colbie, and Max together were a hilarious combination. Besides Ariel's story, we meet a melting man, a crow named Alex, and learn about a late 1800s arctic expedition. An amazing book that I wish I could use to teach my students what juxtaposition is.
lulukubo's review against another edition
4.0
I think this one bears a re-reading; so much to digest, and I liked it more as I got further into it.
leeann20's review against another edition
2.0
I really look forward to Andrew Smith's books, I loved Winger, but I was not a fan of Grasshopper Jungle. This one fell somewhere in between. I liked the story of the boys in the camp, and of Ariel's past, but I thought Leonard was not necessary. Although the whole thing felt like a mash up of Stephen King stories, Melting Man=Trashcan Man from The Stand and Cobie, Max and Ariel=the boys from "The Body" aka Stand by Me
ottopivnr's review against another edition
4.0
A truly strange, yet hilariously engaging yarn. Ariel is a boy who has already, in 15 yrs, lived many lives. An orphan from a mysterious country halfway around the world, he finds himself at summer camp in west virginia, trying to bond with his adopted brother max. For a kid who doesn't speak, he has a lot to say.
Alex is a suicidal crow.
The Dumpling Man is...well, he just is.
Leonard Fountain is melting.
Excuse me now while I finish my Goodreads review.
Alex is a suicidal crow.
The Dumpling Man is...well, he just is.
Leonard Fountain is melting.
Excuse me now while I finish my Goodreads review.
francescaalexis's review against another edition
3.0
Just plain not as good as Grasshopper Jungle, but then very few things are.
Andrew Smith's talent is still there. There are fascinating ideas mixed in with the self-indulgent weirdness. I loved Ariel's voice, I loved his relationship with the people who tried to 'help' him through his trauma. Some of the side characters I had a lot of trouble emphasizing with. I feel that the author was trying very hard to appeal to a male, reluctant-reader audience and it just came out sounding gross and repetitive.
A book like this really depends on all the threads coming together at the climax, and for me, they didn't. Some characters were underdeveloped, some facts are introduced too late, or too suddenly and it just...clunked.
Andrew Smith's talent is still there. There are fascinating ideas mixed in with the self-indulgent weirdness. I loved Ariel's voice, I loved his relationship with the people who tried to 'help' him through his trauma. Some of the side characters I had a lot of trouble emphasizing with. I feel that the author was trying very hard to appeal to a male, reluctant-reader audience and it just came out sounding gross and repetitive.
A book like this really depends on all the threads coming together at the climax, and for me, they didn't. Some characters were underdeveloped, some facts are introduced too late, or too suddenly and it just...clunked.
shanbear16's review against another edition
3.0
Weird. Just...really weird. I enjoyed the summer camp story line the most, and I appreciated the tying together of all of the different story lines. However, I think I'm just not a fan of this type of story. Or maybe it's the author's writing style? Regardless, it's a challenging book that will appeal to some people, but will probably put off others (like myself).
tesch18's review against another edition
4.0
This book felt very similar to [b:Grasshopper Jungle|18079719|Grasshopper Jungle|Andrew Smith|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1373059909s/18079719.jpg|19209831] in many ways, though it did not feature horny hungry praying mantises. The narrative structure was very similar to Grasshopper Jungle, and I enjoyed it a lot, even if I didn't LOVE it.
drsus's review against another edition
4.0
Weird, but good. This guys is called the YA Vonnegut and I understand the comparison in style.
nmcspadd's review against another edition
4.0
What a unique and interesting book. I've never read anything quite like it. Thoroughly enjoyed it, looking forward to reading Andrew Smith's other books.
mancolepig's review against another edition
4.0
You either like Andrew Smith or you don't. There is no in-between.
Thankfully I'm on the good side of that coin, and Smith has once again written a hilarious sci-fi romp featuring boys and extinction, melting men and marshmallow men and dumplin' men, men who love other men and women who want to eradicate men, cats and little people and crows, war-torn middle eastern countries and backwater campgrounds in West Virginia, Joseph Stalin and 3-60, and many many MANY masturbation jokes. I love it all.
It's not quite as strong as Grasshopper Jungle plot wise, and does not reach that book's dizzying comical highs, but it was nice to have that familiar Smith style from a different perspective (The main character, Ariel is an orphan and a refugee). Four story threads all happen at the same time, and Andrew Smith does what Andrew Smith does best, tying all these threads into a beautifully horrifying comedy bow. People who like this kind of book know who they are, and should enjoy The Alex Crow.
Thankfully I'm on the good side of that coin, and Smith has once again written a hilarious sci-fi romp featuring boys and extinction, melting men and marshmallow men and dumplin' men, men who love other men and women who want to eradicate men, cats and little people and crows, war-torn middle eastern countries and backwater campgrounds in West Virginia, Joseph Stalin and 3-60, and many many MANY masturbation jokes. I love it all.
It's not quite as strong as Grasshopper Jungle plot wise, and does not reach that book's dizzying comical highs, but it was nice to have that familiar Smith style from a different perspective (The main character, Ariel is an orphan and a refugee). Four story threads all happen at the same time, and Andrew Smith does what Andrew Smith does best, tying all these threads into a beautifully horrifying comedy bow. People who like this kind of book know who they are, and should enjoy The Alex Crow.