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A review by daryase
The Curiosities by W.H. Eatons
adventurous
informative
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Marlow and Zach have just moved to the town for their mom’s new job at the space robotics laboratory. They are still getting to know everyone and everything around them — the cats of the neighborhood (including the least curious cat in the world, Leo), the science teacher who lives in a pirate ship in the forest, the mysterious abandoned hotel on top of the mountain — when something happens that drives away all the birds and insects from the area. The children, on one hand, and the cats on the other, led by Leo (who has to succumb to dangerous curiosity after all — because, you know, curiosity killed the cat), investigate the matter to save their town, and possibly the world, from what might be an alien invasion.
I liked this a lot. The story is written in a very cinematic way—I would love to see an animated movie adaptation. Because there are two independent investigations of the same mystery underway, the reader always knows a bit more than the characters do, which obviates the need to spell out in detail the meaning of every discovery. At some point, for example, a sinister encounter by one team already reveals to the reader the true nature of a character, while the other team is still cooperating with them... oh, I can imagine the excitement that would generate in an animated film.
Now, to the themes:
Zach is autistic, and this is portrayed very well in terms of his strengths and challenges (sensory overload and anxiety). The text also includes some self-regulation tips that a reader could apply to help themselves or someone in their care. Marlow is a very helpful older sister, but she also has a narrative arc in which she realizes that she’s kept some habits from the time before Zach’s diagnosis, like “ignoring his weirdness until it passes”, and begins to revisit them. I would say some of the cats are also neurodivergent-coded: the one who never speaks but is connected to her sister, or the one who never leaves his roof because it causes him anxiety. I’m also wondering whether Leo’s lack of curiosity and strict routines might be interpreted as ND-coded as well. And all of them are not just some quirky side characters but the ones who save the world. A very ND-friendly book, indeed.
The environmental communication: the dystopian evil vision from which the town needs to be saved is a world devoid of bugs and birds. The story is grounded in an understanding that all elements of the environment are crucial parts of life, and it is their disruption that prompts the characters to investigate, not an actual alien invasion. The book also conveys a sense of wonder about being curious about natural processes.
I listened to an audiobook version narrated by Annalee Scott. Her voice acting talents complement the mysterious and whimsical story well.
(If you're wondering about the genre before offering the book to actual children in your care: there are no real aliens here. There are some fantastic premises, but among them, the talking cats (who speak only among themselves, not in a way comprehensible to humans) and the idea that antihistamine meds can work instantly are by far the most fantastical. Instead, the story may spark genuine curiosity about real-world natural processes, which are just as wondrous as anything magical.)
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with this audiobook for review through NetGalley. The opinion above is my own.
I liked this a lot. The story is written in a very cinematic way—I would love to see an animated movie adaptation. Because there are two independent investigations of the same mystery underway, the reader always knows a bit more than the characters do, which obviates the need to spell out in detail the meaning of every discovery. At some point, for example, a sinister encounter by one team already reveals to the reader the true nature of a character, while the other team is still cooperating with them... oh, I can imagine the excitement that would generate in an animated film.
Now, to the themes:
Zach is autistic, and this is portrayed very well in terms of his strengths and challenges (sensory overload and anxiety). The text also includes some self-regulation tips that a reader could apply to help themselves or someone in their care. Marlow is a very helpful older sister, but she also has a narrative arc in which she realizes that she’s kept some habits from the time before Zach’s diagnosis, like “ignoring his weirdness until it passes”, and begins to revisit them. I would say some of the cats are also neurodivergent-coded: the one who never speaks but is connected to her sister, or the one who never leaves his roof because it causes him anxiety. I’m also wondering whether Leo’s lack of curiosity and strict routines might be interpreted as ND-coded as well. And all of them are not just some quirky side characters but the ones who save the world. A very ND-friendly book, indeed.
The environmental communication: the dystopian evil vision from which the town needs to be saved is a world devoid of bugs and birds. The story is grounded in an understanding that all elements of the environment are crucial parts of life, and it is their disruption that prompts the characters to investigate, not an actual alien invasion. The book also conveys a sense of wonder about being curious about natural processes.
I listened to an audiobook version narrated by Annalee Scott. Her voice acting talents complement the mysterious and whimsical story well.
(If you're wondering about the genre before offering the book to actual children in your care: there are no real aliens here. There are some fantastic premises, but among them, the talking cats (who speak only among themselves, not in a way comprehensible to humans) and the idea that antihistamine meds can work instantly are by far the most fantastical. Instead, the story may spark genuine curiosity about real-world natural processes, which are just as wondrous as anything magical.)
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with this audiobook for review through NetGalley. The opinion above is my own.