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A review by katykelly
Underdog by Markus Zusak
3.0
3.5 stars.
I've recently read A Fraction of the Whole, and I was reminded of that through this short novel, Zusak's debut, both Australian with some similar themes and plot strands. I sourced this after discovering the Underdog series marked his debut in the literary world and was interested in how he started out. His introduction leaves us in no doubt - he knew his first work wasn't going to be his best.
It's not. But it does show where a writer began to hone his craft. A story of two teenage brothers, their family and their misdeeds, Cameron and Ruben Wolfe don't always make the best choices. They've been talking about staging a robbery for ages, and finally they are about to go through with it... But it doesn't work out that way.
Cameron narrates the story, and having just finished I Am the Messenger, I can see how that much more structured and layerered story connects with the Wolfe brothers and came from the writing of this - the first scenes of both books were similar in tone and content, the characters of rudderless young men not so different either.
This is a more immature work that for me, felt like it didn't have as much craft, as much of a voice or a point. There were too many dreams for my liking, and it doens't stand out from the crowd of similiar YA books there are out there. It's interest lies mainly in fans and those interested in the evolution of a writer taking a peek at where the author of The Book Thief began.
Short (only 3 CDs so a sub-200 page read), well-read by the narrator, I don't know if I'll want to read further adventures of the Wolfe brothers, but fascinating to see a writer's early work.
I've recently read A Fraction of the Whole, and I was reminded of that through this short novel, Zusak's debut, both Australian with some similar themes and plot strands. I sourced this after discovering the Underdog series marked his debut in the literary world and was interested in how he started out. His introduction leaves us in no doubt - he knew his first work wasn't going to be his best.
It's not. But it does show where a writer began to hone his craft. A story of two teenage brothers, their family and their misdeeds, Cameron and Ruben Wolfe don't always make the best choices. They've been talking about staging a robbery for ages, and finally they are about to go through with it... But it doesn't work out that way.
Cameron narrates the story, and having just finished I Am the Messenger, I can see how that much more structured and layerered story connects with the Wolfe brothers and came from the writing of this - the first scenes of both books were similar in tone and content, the characters of rudderless young men not so different either.
This is a more immature work that for me, felt like it didn't have as much craft, as much of a voice or a point. There were too many dreams for my liking, and it doens't stand out from the crowd of similiar YA books there are out there. It's interest lies mainly in fans and those interested in the evolution of a writer taking a peek at where the author of The Book Thief began.
Short (only 3 CDs so a sub-200 page read), well-read by the narrator, I don't know if I'll want to read further adventures of the Wolfe brothers, but fascinating to see a writer's early work.