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A review by mataraven
The Rig by Joe Ducie
4.0
Who likes gutsy YA action, adventure, and mystery? ME! If you like it too, you should definitely check out The Rig by Joe Ducie. Our protagonist, Will Drake, is a 15-year-old break out king who has broken out of three high-security prisons.
The first portion of the book is spent as we go through the day to day routines about the Rig. The guards are watching Will and Will is watching them, testing them, looking for his way out. Will makes friends on the Rig - a smart move that saves his hide more than one time. Irene and Tristan become more pivotal to the story as they dig deeper into Will than he originally anticipated. The trio become true friends - although you'd never know it by the way Will reacts during crisis points. He doesn't seem too concerned with them as he spends time saving the "bad guy" rather than saving his friends.
My two points of contention with this otherwise spectacular book:
1. Will is constantly trying to save the antagonist. WHY? The "bad guy" has already threatened, shot, and straight up said he is going to kill Will's friends. Yet, Will rescues this character time and again. I "get it" but, at one point in particular, it would have been absolutely forgivable for Will to walk away and let nature take its course.
2. The "bad guy" and the "BIGGER Bad Guys" were predictable. We have seen this in many YA novels and it disappoints me every time a new book comes out with this combination.
Three things I really loved:
1. A supernatural twist! I was delighted. Much like Michael Vey, Gone, and Fallen, the reality mixed with just a twinge of supernatural was fantastic.
2. The premise of the story - a teenage jail break expert. How cool is that?
3. Will's reason for breaking the law and thus getting arrested in the first place. I won't spoil it but talk about creating a bleeding heart for a protagonist.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and I think many of my readers will too. The author's writing style really draws you in.
Recommendations:
Students who enjoyed aforementioned series (Michael Vey, Fallen, Gone) as well as action such as Insignia, Unwind, and Maximum Ride.
The first portion of the book is spent as we go through the day to day routines about the Rig. The guards are watching Will and Will is watching them, testing them, looking for his way out. Will makes friends on the Rig - a smart move that saves his hide more than one time. Irene and Tristan become more pivotal to the story as they dig deeper into Will than he originally anticipated. The trio become true friends - although you'd never know it by the way Will reacts during crisis points. He doesn't seem too concerned with them as he spends time saving the "bad guy" rather than saving his friends.
My two points of contention with this otherwise spectacular book:
1. Will is constantly trying to save the antagonist. WHY? The "bad guy" has already threatened, shot, and straight up said he is going to kill Will's friends. Yet, Will rescues this character time and again. I "get it" but, at one point in particular, it would have been absolutely forgivable for Will to walk away and let nature take its course.
2. The "bad guy" and the "BIGGER Bad Guys" were predictable. We have seen this in many YA novels and it disappoints me every time a new book comes out with this combination.
Three things I really loved:
1. A supernatural twist! I was delighted. Much like Michael Vey, Gone, and Fallen, the reality mixed with just a twinge of supernatural was fantastic.
2. The premise of the story - a teenage jail break expert. How cool is that?
3. Will's reason for breaking the law and thus getting arrested in the first place. I won't spoil it but talk about creating a bleeding heart for a protagonist.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and I think many of my readers will too. The author's writing style really draws you in.
Recommendations:
Students who enjoyed aforementioned series (Michael Vey, Fallen, Gone) as well as action such as Insignia, Unwind, and Maximum Ride.