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ghutter05's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 I picked it up because of the cover and got halfway through before I happened to look at the spine and realized it was shelved under Junior Fiction instead of YA. Suspenseful, a little gory, a very delicate dancing around a potentially touchy subject, very definitely SF horror-ish -- I think it'd be good for kids in maybe grades 5+ who are looking for that kind of thing. Books in this line are a little hard to come by. I'll read the next one too.
readsknitsrepeats's review against another edition
5.0
This book captured my interest from the start! Creepy plants, suspense, action, sci-fi all rolled in one.
I have read the Annihilation trilogy and it does have some of that vibe.
I have read the Annihilation trilogy and it does have some of that vibe.
libraryofawesome's review against another edition
3.0
Eh it was ok. A little too weird for me I think? Might be a recommendation for fans of Percy Jackson.
khoyt's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed this book and found I had a hard time setting it down. Students are going to enjoy the fantasy, survival, futuristic world with a group of heroes like no others. The book ends with a cliffhanger and I am searching my shelves already hoping it is in!
shinesalot's review against another edition
4.0
Looking for a good sci fi book for your students? This is IT. Great dynamic between the three main characters -who are immune to the allergens produced by a recent plant invasion. Be ready to have the sequel on hand because it ends on a cliffhanger.
High paced action, relationships that are not too complicated and teens (and tweens) will connect with. Highly recommend.
High paced action, relationships that are not too complicated and teens (and tweens) will connect with. Highly recommend.
fallingletters's review against another edition
4.0
Review originally published 18 December 2020 Falling Letters.
Prolific Canadian author Kenneth Oppel’s new trilogy, The Overthrow, is a great example of middle grade crossover. I’d call it more specifically upper middle grade or lower young adult, referring to the age for which it is most suitable. The darkness and violence in Bloom (including a character hung by a vine on page) stood out to me. But other elements mark it as upper MG. You get acne and marijuana references. You get 15 year old protagonists. One hangs out with a grade 12 and feels inferior. (“And she already felt like a dull little moth around Tereza’s bright butterfly.”) The publisher recommends Bloom for ages 10 to 14.
Bloom explicitly takes place in Canada, with the primary settings being Salt Spring Island and Vancouver. I used to get annoyed at familiar settings as a kid. I wanted to experience far off, distant, unfamiliar places in my fiction. But now I find it kind of fun to read about a location I know. There’s even a Scotiabank reference.
Prolific Canadian author Kenneth Oppel’s new trilogy, The Overthrow, is a great example of middle grade crossover. I’d call it more specifically upper middle grade or lower young adult, referring to the age for which it is most suitable. The darkness and violence in Bloom (including a character hung by a vine on page) stood out to me. But other elements mark it as upper MG. You get acne and marijuana references. You get 15 year old protagonists. One hangs out with a grade 12 and feels inferior. (“And she already felt like a dull little moth around Tereza’s bright butterfly.”) The publisher recommends Bloom for ages 10 to 14.
Bloom explicitly takes place in Canada, with the primary settings being Salt Spring Island and Vancouver. I used to get annoyed at familiar settings as a kid. I wanted to experience far off, distant, unfamiliar places in my fiction. But now I find it kind of fun to read about a location I know. There’s even a Scotiabank reference.
zbrarian's review against another edition
5.0
Amazing. The author hit the ground running with this story and I couldn’t put it down. At first I thought it was going to be an “invasion of the body snatchers” type book and boy was I wrong. I will NEVER look at water lilies the same way again. Three strong-willed, young teens, ready to help save the world, regardless of the consequences. Can’t wait for the sequel!
unchainedreader's review against another edition
2.0
A bizarre black plant has started growing and Anaya's community has become very apprehensive. Anaya's strange allergies along with Petra's water allergy seem to be dissipating with the appearance of this plant. Anaya's and Petra's connection to these strange plants strengthens as the novel continues. They soon learn that they are immune to the dangers of these plants. They are then recruited to help save the planet from being overtaken by these plants.
I was pretty excited to read this book because I have really enjoyed Oppel's work in the past so this was a disappointment to say the least. The characters were poorly developed and hard for anyone to get attached to, and parts of the plot line were pretty far-fetched. This is a generous two stars.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.
I was pretty excited to read this book because I have really enjoyed Oppel's work in the past so this was a disappointment to say the least. The characters were poorly developed and hard for anyone to get attached to, and parts of the plot line were pretty far-fetched. This is a generous two stars.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.
tyto_alba's review against another edition
4.0
I acquired an ARC of this book from work (one of the managers gets tons of them), so I don't know how it will compare to the "finished" book. However, I did really enjoy this story. The characters were interesting, though I personally feel they could have been developed a little better. Maybe they'll get more development in later books? However, I appreciated the involvement of the parents. These guys are all just teens, after all. The only character that didn't sit well with me was the General in charge of the retaliation/defense. Like, did he really need to be so gun-happy? The enemy is plants. Bullets really are no use here. It just felt a bit odd, like he was forced in for a bonus semi-antagonist.
The plot was what really hooked me--what the heck are these plants and how can they be stopped? I'm a sucker for murderous plants (Audrey II anyone?), and these guys come in multiple, terrifying varieties. I loved finding out about the different types and how each one acquired its prey and the different environments they lived in. Heck, I think I'd be happy reading a book just about their biology/ecology. The trap plants are my favorite because really, what an awful way to die, getting digested alive in a giant leafy stomach!
Outside the plants, the mystery of why the kids were immune was also fun to watch unfold, though I think there will be clearer answers in the next few books, since this is planned to be a trilogy and you can't have ALL the mystery solved at once.
All in all, this was a quick and fun read. It has the feeling of an old school B-movie horror, with killer plants hell-bent on consuming humans. I would definitely recommend it, particularly if you like villainous plants.
The plot was what really hooked me--what the heck are these plants and how can they be stopped? I'm a sucker for murderous plants (Audrey II anyone?), and these guys come in multiple, terrifying varieties. I loved finding out about the different types and how each one acquired its prey and the different environments they lived in. Heck, I think I'd be happy reading a book just about their biology/ecology. The trap plants are my favorite because really, what an awful way to die, getting digested alive in a giant leafy stomach!
Outside the plants, the mystery of why the kids were immune was also fun to watch unfold, though I think there will be clearer answers in the next few books, since this is planned to be a trilogy and you can't have ALL the mystery solved at once.
All in all, this was a quick and fun read. It has the feeling of an old school B-movie horror, with killer plants hell-bent on consuming humans. I would definitely recommend it, particularly if you like villainous plants.