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albon 's review for:
Stormbreaker
by Anthony Horowitz
2020 review:
This summer I started rereading the Alex Rider series, mostly because there is a new TV series based on the books. But I decided to not add the books on goodreads, because I honestly thought it was a little embarrassing to be reading spy novels aimed at 11 year olds when I'm a 23 year old woman. It's no secret on here that I love rereading books that I read as a kid, I love that nostalgia, but usually I end up rereading books that are already considered "classic" (and I don't think anyone would include Alex Rider in that group).
But that's stupid. Who didn't want to be a teenage spy when they were young? It's a great premise. So today I'm embracing my rediscovered Alex Rider love.*
So, thoughts on this book. First of all Alex is a terrible spy in this one. It's his first job, he's making some rookie mistakes, that's fine. It's all very endearing.
This book does have the whole "kid comes from foreign country -> goes to posh school in England -> is bullied because kids are racist -> becomes a literal terrorist" thing going on which is definitely uncomfortable. It was published in 2000, so I guess sensitivity was not on the top of his mind.
I also have to admit, Stormbreaker has a special place in my heart just because I named my favorite stuffed animal as a kid after one of the villains in this one. He's not even a particularly great villain, but the name must have just stuck with me when I read it the first time.
All in all an okay time, can't wait to see the tv show when I finish my reread. There is a movie too, I have the DVD but when I watched the trailer on youtube absolutely nothing looked familiar to me, so it's possible that I just never watched it.
* yes I think I'm in a dramatic mood day.
This summer I started rereading the Alex Rider series, mostly because there is a new TV series based on the books. But I decided to not add the books on goodreads, because I honestly thought it was a little embarrassing to be reading spy novels aimed at 11 year olds when I'm a 23 year old woman. It's no secret on here that I love rereading books that I read as a kid, I love that nostalgia, but usually I end up rereading books that are already considered "classic" (and I don't think anyone would include Alex Rider in that group).
But that's stupid. Who didn't want to be a teenage spy when they were young? It's a great premise. So today I'm embracing my rediscovered Alex Rider love.*
So, thoughts on this book. First of all Alex is a terrible spy in this one. It's his first job, he's making some rookie mistakes, that's fine. It's all very endearing.
This book does have the whole "kid comes from foreign country -> goes to posh school in England -> is bullied because kids are racist -> becomes a literal terrorist" thing going on which is definitely uncomfortable. It was published in 2000, so I guess sensitivity was not on the top of his mind.
I also have to admit, Stormbreaker has a special place in my heart just because I named my favorite stuffed animal as a kid after one of the villains in this one. He's not even a particularly great villain, but the name must have just stuck with me when I read it the first time.
All in all an okay time, can't wait to see the tv show when I finish my reread. There is a movie too, I have the DVD but when I watched the trailer on youtube absolutely nothing looked familiar to me, so it's possible that I just never watched it.
* yes I think I'm in a dramatic mood day.