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3.76 AVERAGE
3.76 AVERAGE
I couldn’t help but love this book! It had spies and boarding schools and explosions (oh my!). The partnership between The Captain and Sarah in the book is so unique and awesome too. This will be a book I recommend to friends over and over.
What starts off with a really gripping scene with the story thrown immediately into action when Sarah, a Jew living in 1939 Germany, meets a spy, things sort of fizzled out afterwards. The story seemed to halt for a bit until Sarah gets enrolled into school to act as a spy to try and stop the building of a nuclear bomb.
It was quoted to be 'deeply disturbing and chillingly good' but I didn't feel very thrilled when reading this but I did like the fearless character Sarah becomes as a spy, even if she deals with things a little too well. It was a bit disturbing to read about 1939 Germany and how life was for children back then, but the last few chapters of the book definitely cranked up the action.
Good if you like historical fiction around the war, but not very thrilling until the last few chapters and the book ends a bit randomly with no real clear ending.
It was quoted to be 'deeply disturbing and chillingly good' but I didn't feel very thrilled when reading this but I did like the fearless character Sarah becomes as a spy, even if she deals with things a little too well. It was a bit disturbing to read about 1939 Germany and how life was for children back then, but the last few chapters of the book definitely cranked up the action.
Good if you like historical fiction around the war, but not very thrilling until the last few chapters and the book ends a bit randomly with no real clear ending.
Where do I even start with Matt Killeen’s Orphan Monster Spy? This was the first historical book I have read in a while and it did not disappoint! It was an intense,
Orphan Monster Spy is the story of Sarah, a 15-year-old Jewish girl whose mother has just been shot as they try to escape Germany during the Second World War. As Sarah picks herself up and attempts to escape on her own she meets a British spy in trouble and risks her own life to save his, but her life is put in even more danger as a result.
I devoured this book. The tension in this story starts on page one and only increases with each chapter. The relationship between Sarah and the Captain was a risky one to write but Killeen did this elegantly and I look forward to seeing their father-daughter dynamic grow even further in the sequel.
The climax of this book was a work of art, think St Trinians meets James Bond. Although it didn’t end on a cliff-hanger per se, I continued to be shocked all the way to the last page.
Going into this book I did not expect it to be quite as violent or as graphic and disturbing as it was. Yes, the quote on the cover from Elizabeth Wein says disturbing but, I mean, it’s a YA book after all. Be prepared for graphic details of violence and references to sexual abuse of underage girls. This story was a tough one to read in places so approach with caution, especially if you are a younger reader.
I absolutely have to give this book 5*, I tried but I simply could not find fault in this incredible debut novel.
Orphan Monster Spy is the story of Sarah, a 15-year-old Jewish girl whose mother has just been shot as they try to escape Germany during the Second World War. As Sarah picks herself up and attempts to escape on her own she meets a British spy in trouble and risks her own life to save his, but her life is put in even more danger as a result.
I devoured this book. The tension in this story starts on page one and only increases with each chapter. The relationship between Sarah and the Captain was a risky one to write but Killeen did this elegantly and I look forward to seeing their father-daughter dynamic grow even further in the sequel.
The climax of this book was a work of art, think St Trinians meets James Bond. Although it didn’t end on a cliff-hanger per se, I continued to be shocked all the way to the last page.
Going into this book I did not expect it to be quite as violent or as graphic and disturbing as it was. Yes, the quote on the cover from Elizabeth Wein says disturbing but, I mean, it’s a YA book after all. Be prepared for graphic details of violence and references to sexual abuse of underage girls. This story was a tough one to read in places so approach with caution, especially if you are a younger reader.
I absolutely have to give this book 5*, I tried but I simply could not find fault in this incredible debut novel.
REALLY enjoyed this. Dark and dangerous and feminist and made me fear for my life in the most visceral way.
***Goodreads Winner***
It’s mean girls meets inglorious basterds. Does Sarah complete her mission? You have to read it to find out!
Find full review here: https://marthasbookbabble.wordpress.com/2018/03/20/orphan-monster-spy-review/
It’s mean girls meets inglorious basterds. Does Sarah complete her mission? You have to read it to find out!
Find full review here: https://marthasbookbabble.wordpress.com/2018/03/20/orphan-monster-spy-review/
I really liked this book! Sarah overcomes and adapts to tough situations and finds herself disguised as a German girl in a Nazi girls school! A jewish spy in a Nazi school and she still stands up for herself. This girl is fearless.
Thank you to First to Read for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to First to Read for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
I havent read a WWII book in a while and now i remember why: It's an very heavy read, and although fiction, all of the terrible truths were/are reality for some. The story was wonderfully crafted and i appreciated how the topics were handled. I listened to it on audiobook, and the narrarator, Saskia Maarleveld, did an excellent job.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
5/5 stars
https://chemicalpenguinreads.blogspot.com/2020/08/orphan-monster-spy-by-matt-killeen.html
Perfect for fans of series like Ruby Redfort and Alex Rider!
When Sarah's mother is killed, she encounters the mysterious Captain, who gives her a choice between escaping the country and working for him. He takes her to a pretentious boarding school, where she has to gather information about a bomb a girl's father is working on, and also survive.
Killeen has done a great job at creating a fast-paced book like this. I love the blend of spy work and historical fiction, something which I really want to read more of.
Overall, I loved this book and will be delighted to pick up the sequel.
Would I recommend to a friend? /// Yes!!!
https://chemicalpenguinreads.blogspot.com/2020/08/orphan-monster-spy-by-matt-killeen.html
Perfect for fans of series like Ruby Redfort and Alex Rider!
When Sarah's mother is killed, she encounters the mysterious Captain, who gives her a choice between escaping the country and working for him. He takes her to a pretentious boarding school, where she has to gather information about a bomb a girl's father is working on, and also survive.
Killeen has done a great job at creating a fast-paced book like this. I love the blend of spy work and historical fiction, something which I really want to read more of.
Overall, I loved this book and will be delighted to pick up the sequel.
Would I recommend to a friend? /// Yes!!!
Orphan Monster Spy had such a cool premise but it ended up being boring and unrealistic. For my taste there was not enough spying for a novel that literally has the word "Spy" in its title. I was looking forward to Sarah scheming her way into the upper ranks at the boarding school and finding a way to befriend the girls she actually hated. But there was hardly any scheming at all and everything just kind of fell into place.
Sarah got into the school because she just so happened be a brilliant piano player and Foch just happened to be obsessed with piano players. She won the river race because she just so happened to be an amazing athlete jumping from tree to tree over a freaking river. And the second she joined the Werewolves Elsa was suddenly her best friend (this part actually made sense by the end, but still in the moment it seemed really weird and unrealistic). Also shouldn't she have learned the BDM songs during her month of preparation before she went to the boarding school? I feel like that would have been a logical thing to do if she was supposed to act like a normal BDM girl at the school.
I was so intrigued by the premise and the first 100 pages were so promising, but then the story just didn't deliver. Sarah turned out to be a rather one sided character, being too perfect and not showing a lot of complexity. The more action-packed chapters just aren't my taste, like I said I like scheming. Over all this was a very disappointing read for me.
I was so intrigued by the premise and the first 100 pages were so promising, but then the story just didn't deliver. Sarah turned out to be a rather one sided character, being too perfect and not showing a lot of complexity. The more action-packed chapters just aren't my taste, like I said I like scheming. Over all this was a very disappointing read for me.
The first half of this book did not keep my attention and I honestly thought I would ditch it. I decided to hang on and give it more than my usual 100 page deadline. I can’t say I was glad I hung in there but I can’t say I wasted my time either.
Sarah becomes Ursula the teenage Jewish spy after she meets a man who befriends her right after her mother died. This girl has been through so much already with the loss of her mother and now has to deal with more bloodshed, German teenage bullies, and pedophilia. Sarah was a smart girl and knew how to take care of herself. Her mother was an alcoholic and before her death Sarah took care of her most of the time. She found ways of talking herself out of trouble when confronted by SS soldiers and was very good at it. This takes place in Nazi Germany.
Ursula, with the help of her new friend, gets accepted into an all girl German prep type school where she is to befriend a girl whose father is making a nuclear bomb. It gets better at this point.
The fact that Sarah/Ursula had no training to be a spy and just walked right into the lions den surprised me. It kind of lost credibility with me because this mission was too dangerous for the average girl. Especially with her being a Jew in a dangerous time.
Overall it was ok. It’s not a favorite but well written.
Sarah becomes Ursula the teenage Jewish spy after she meets a man who befriends her right after her mother died. This girl has been through so much already with the loss of her mother and now has to deal with more bloodshed, German teenage bullies, and pedophilia. Sarah was a smart girl and knew how to take care of herself. Her mother was an alcoholic and before her death Sarah took care of her most of the time. She found ways of talking herself out of trouble when confronted by SS soldiers and was very good at it. This takes place in Nazi Germany.
Ursula, with the help of her new friend, gets accepted into an all girl German prep type school where she is to befriend a girl whose father is making a nuclear bomb. It gets better at this point.
The fact that Sarah/Ursula had no training to be a spy and just walked right into the lions den surprised me. It kind of lost credibility with me because this mission was too dangerous for the average girl. Especially with her being a Jew in a dangerous time.
Overall it was ok. It’s not a favorite but well written.