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A review by tyto_alba
Little Shop of Hamsters (Goosebumps Horrorland #14), Volume 14 by R.L. Stine
3.0
This book is unfortunately mediocre at best. It rings real hard with familiar GB tropes, but you can tell R.L. Stine was having fun making the hamsters EVIL, because it's so ridiculous you can't help but smile when reading it. The ending is even crazier, and due to the epilogue, you actually get to see the AFTERMATH of a Goosebumps twist! ...it is rather anticlimactic, for all the enjoyment you may get from the sheer novelty of it.
That said, it's…dumb. Painfully dumb. The book is enjoyable only for how crazy it is, not because it's good (as much as I hate to say that). Angry hamsters are silly and entertaining, but the reasoning behind their behavior/the circumstances behind it makes so little sense, that the sheer silliness of the "reveal" cannot hide how truly stupid it is. Not to mention, the climax is basically identical to the ending of Monster Blood II, so the unoriginality is really hammered home. Of course, it IS fun to read about someone being legitimately terrified for his life because of feral hamsters, but the ending just goes past the point of acceptable stupidity.
I don't want to end on a bad note, so I'll mention other things I liked about the book. I genuinely loved the bits with his little brother. I thought the development of the brothers' relationship was cute. He goes from thinking his brother is annoying to actually liking him, and the book has several scenes with the main character babysitting his little brother that show the slow changes in his attitude. Also, there's a scene when the main character calls the candy company to tell them what he thinks is happening, and their conversation is hysterical.
All in all, if you want to read the book based off of the title, like I did, know that you are getting exactly what you expect you're going to get.
That said, it's…dumb. Painfully dumb. The book is enjoyable only for how crazy it is, not because it's good (as much as I hate to say that). Angry hamsters are silly and entertaining, but the reasoning behind their behavior/the circumstances behind it makes so little sense, that the sheer silliness of the "reveal" cannot hide how truly stupid it is. Not to mention, the climax is basically identical to the ending of Monster Blood II, so the unoriginality is really hammered home. Of course, it IS fun to read about someone being legitimately terrified for his life because of feral hamsters, but the ending just goes past the point of acceptable stupidity.
I don't want to end on a bad note, so I'll mention other things I liked about the book. I genuinely loved the bits with his little brother. I thought the development of the brothers' relationship was cute. He goes from thinking his brother is annoying to actually liking him, and the book has several scenes with the main character babysitting his little brother that show the slow changes in his attitude. Also, there's a scene when the main character calls the candy company to tell them what he thinks is happening, and their conversation is hysterical.
All in all, if you want to read the book based off of the title, like I did, know that you are getting exactly what you expect you're going to get.