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A review by sburchart
The Nest by Kenneth Oppel
5.0
What an appropriate read for me so close to Halloween! While this book is advertised as geared towards age 10 & up, I would be more likely to recommend for young adults and upward who are looking for a quick horror read (I finished most of the book in one afternoon). I'd probably wait to learn more about a specific junior high-aged kid before recommending it to them - some will definitely enjoy it, others will find it too intense. I had a fear of wasps as it was...now I am not sure if I'll ever trust the ones I see flying around again!
I loved the slow, eerie setup that gradually got more intense until the complete emotional rollercoaster of the book's last third or so (anyone else reminded of "Aliens" a little?). I was grateful to see a child protagonist with traits of anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder as someone who has dealt with it in my own life. The story's resolution comes a little quickly, but it left me satisfied with all major questions. My further desire to know more about subjects like the precise origin of the wasps, what exactly became of the "nest baby," and what the implications are of the "nest babies" who were successfully "born" being involved with the rest of human society can be effectively filled in by one's own imagination (or perhaps explored in a continuation down the road - who knows?).
Overall, very effective horror with a protagonist that I was happy to cheer for and see have a triumphant end. Check it out!
I loved the slow, eerie setup that gradually got more intense until the complete emotional rollercoaster of the book's last third or so (anyone else reminded of "Aliens" a little?). I was grateful to see a child protagonist with traits of anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder as someone who has dealt with it in my own life. The story's resolution comes a little quickly, but it left me satisfied with all major questions. My further desire to know more about subjects like the precise origin of the wasps, what exactly became of the "nest baby," and what the implications are of the "nest babies" who were successfully "born" being involved with the rest of human society can be effectively filled in by one's own imagination (or perhaps explored in a continuation down the road - who knows?).
Overall, very effective horror with a protagonist that I was happy to cheer for and see have a triumphant end. Check it out!