mjwilliamson 's review for:

Orphan Monster Spy by Matt Killeen

5.0

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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This is probably the best book I’ve read this year. It is incredibly dark and though I should have expected this from a book set in Nazi Germany, I didn’t. There are horrors mentioned in this book that I don’t want to imagine, but the writing is so good that it is impossible not to. The character of Sarah was interesting and conflicting. I thought her inner turmoil between being what she needed to be vs who she was was very interesting. Action was well written, the characters were interesting and I was wholly invested in Sarah’s story. I look forward to reading the second book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Antisemitism, Grief, Death of parent, Murder

Moderate: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence

Minor: Mental illness, Forced institutionalization