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Darren (1599 KP) rated 2:HRS (2018) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Verdict: Fun Family Film
Story: 2: Hrs starts as we meet teenage slacker Tim (Jarvis) who spends his time painting London with graffiti with his best friends Vic (Smith) and Alf (Fofana). While on the school trip to a museum, the three sneak off and interrupt a science conference being hosted by conman Groad (Allen) who has created a machine that can tell when the living object inside will die.
Tim goes in the machine only to learn that he only has 2 hours left to live, left shocked, Tim sets out a small bucket list of achievable targets and while the friends target these goals, they are being chased down by the people behind the experiment who want to research and make sure Tim dies on time.
Thoughts on 2: Hrs
Characters – Tim is a school slacker with a talent for graffiti, he has been acting out because of the death of his father, which has changed him, his friends see this and his rebellious ways puts his life in danger when he learns he only has 2 hours to leave from spending time in a machine which can perform a prediction of when someone will die. He must go through a life lesson as this film unfolds. Vic and Alf are the two supportive friends, that join him on the adventure, we don’t learn too much about them without giving away spoilers. Groad is the businessman/conman that is running the operation, he hides in his apartment with fake backdrops as he conducts meetings. He is always looking to create a good face story for any PR situation. We also have the younger sister Shona to Tim that wants to look up to him only to be left disappointed most of the time and the two bumbling idiots trying to catch the teenagers.
Performances – Harry Jarvis in the leading role does a very good job, we see how his character must change over the course of the film ad he shows us this in his performance. Ella-Rae Smith and Alhaji Fofana are both good in their supporting roles while Keith Allen gives us a good performance as the shady character we see behind the curtain about.
Story – The story follows three friends that decide to ditch a school trip and end up on there on adventure after being caught in the middle of an adventure when one of them learns they only have two hours to live. This does sound like a simple fun adventure family film, which it is, though it does have deeper meaning for Tim who must learn to life lessons in this time while dealing with his own personal tragedy after not doing so when it happened.
Family – This film keeps the films moments all around the family problems Tim is facing, it keeps everything PG even with jokes adults will understand.
Settings – The film is set around London, which is good because it shows how difficult losing a parent can be in the busy city and how easy it is to rebel.
Scene of the Movie – Poetry competition.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – That pet, what was that?
Final Thoughts – This is a family film that can be enjoyed by everyone, it has good laughs, a smart character development story and a nice adventure.
Overall: Family film for all to enjoy.
https://moviesreview101.com/2018/07/05/2-hrs-2018/
Story: 2: Hrs starts as we meet teenage slacker Tim (Jarvis) who spends his time painting London with graffiti with his best friends Vic (Smith) and Alf (Fofana). While on the school trip to a museum, the three sneak off and interrupt a science conference being hosted by conman Groad (Allen) who has created a machine that can tell when the living object inside will die.
Tim goes in the machine only to learn that he only has 2 hours left to live, left shocked, Tim sets out a small bucket list of achievable targets and while the friends target these goals, they are being chased down by the people behind the experiment who want to research and make sure Tim dies on time.
Thoughts on 2: Hrs
Characters – Tim is a school slacker with a talent for graffiti, he has been acting out because of the death of his father, which has changed him, his friends see this and his rebellious ways puts his life in danger when he learns he only has 2 hours to leave from spending time in a machine which can perform a prediction of when someone will die. He must go through a life lesson as this film unfolds. Vic and Alf are the two supportive friends, that join him on the adventure, we don’t learn too much about them without giving away spoilers. Groad is the businessman/conman that is running the operation, he hides in his apartment with fake backdrops as he conducts meetings. He is always looking to create a good face story for any PR situation. We also have the younger sister Shona to Tim that wants to look up to him only to be left disappointed most of the time and the two bumbling idiots trying to catch the teenagers.
Performances – Harry Jarvis in the leading role does a very good job, we see how his character must change over the course of the film ad he shows us this in his performance. Ella-Rae Smith and Alhaji Fofana are both good in their supporting roles while Keith Allen gives us a good performance as the shady character we see behind the curtain about.
Story – The story follows three friends that decide to ditch a school trip and end up on there on adventure after being caught in the middle of an adventure when one of them learns they only have two hours to live. This does sound like a simple fun adventure family film, which it is, though it does have deeper meaning for Tim who must learn to life lessons in this time while dealing with his own personal tragedy after not doing so when it happened.
Family – This film keeps the films moments all around the family problems Tim is facing, it keeps everything PG even with jokes adults will understand.
Settings – The film is set around London, which is good because it shows how difficult losing a parent can be in the busy city and how easy it is to rebel.
Scene of the Movie – Poetry competition.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – That pet, what was that?
Final Thoughts – This is a family film that can be enjoyed by everyone, it has good laughs, a smart character development story and a nice adventure.
Overall: Family film for all to enjoy.
https://moviesreview101.com/2018/07/05/2-hrs-2018/
tapestry100 (306 KP) rated The Girl with the Ghost Machine in Books
Aug 2, 2017
Originally reviewed on http://www.frommybookshelf.com
Emmaline Beaumont's mother has passed away. Unfortunately, Emmaline's father has become fixated with building a machine that will bring Emmaline's mother's ghost back, and in doing so, he himself has forgotten about the living in his obsession with the dead, so in many ways Emmaline has lost both of her parents. The only people she can confide in are twins Gully and Oliver, her best friends in school. Yet for of their understanding and patience, Gully and Oliver are unable to fully understand Emmaline's loss as they have never lost someone so close to them as Emmaline's mother was to her. Her father's machine, however, may actually work, and it is then that Emmaline must decide whether the cost of operating the machine is worth the price paid, and will the twins help her in her decision, regardless of what that decision is?
Lauren DeStefano has created a beautiful and poignant story that I feel would be an important book for anyone to read who has recently (or not so recently) lost someone very close to them. DeStefano has a keen ability to cut to the quick of the emotions of loss and what that can feel like, especially for someone too young to have have lost a loved one. Her characters are not cliché and their feelings are quite real, and the story she has created feels honest and important. That's the best way I can describe it. A fan of her YA series The Chemical Garden Trilogy and The Interment Chronicles, I have not yet read her other two middle grade books, The Curious Tale of the In-Between and The Peculiar Night of the Blue Heart, and I think I'll be needing to rectify that soon.
Emmaline Beaumont's mother has passed away. Unfortunately, Emmaline's father has become fixated with building a machine that will bring Emmaline's mother's ghost back, and in doing so, he himself has forgotten about the living in his obsession with the dead, so in many ways Emmaline has lost both of her parents. The only people she can confide in are twins Gully and Oliver, her best friends in school. Yet for of their understanding and patience, Gully and Oliver are unable to fully understand Emmaline's loss as they have never lost someone so close to them as Emmaline's mother was to her. Her father's machine, however, may actually work, and it is then that Emmaline must decide whether the cost of operating the machine is worth the price paid, and will the twins help her in her decision, regardless of what that decision is?
Lauren DeStefano has created a beautiful and poignant story that I feel would be an important book for anyone to read who has recently (or not so recently) lost someone very close to them. DeStefano has a keen ability to cut to the quick of the emotions of loss and what that can feel like, especially for someone too young to have have lost a loved one. Her characters are not cliché and their feelings are quite real, and the story she has created feels honest and important. That's the best way I can describe it. A fan of her YA series The Chemical Garden Trilogy and The Interment Chronicles, I have not yet read her other two middle grade books, The Curious Tale of the In-Between and The Peculiar Night of the Blue Heart, and I think I'll be needing to rectify that soon.
RəX Regent (349 KP) rated Sing (2016) in Movies
Feb 19, 2019
I admit, I went into this with low expectations. It looked like a karaoke kids movie from an animation studio that I do not rate that highly. But what do I know?
Illumination studios have managed to rack up a “Stinker” on this blog with The Lorax (3D) (2012), which was filled with songs which did not seem to go with the movie and maybe that was in my mind when I first saw the trailer for this, but I must admit, that I was wrong.
The story focuses around a Koala Bear (Matthew McConauhey) who owns his dream theatre in New York, but it is about to fail big. He ends up setting up singing contest in order to try and save it and a verity of animals from this this Zootopia styled world inhabited solely by animals, are entered into the competition.
The writing was good, strong and simple. The characters had enough depth, the song choices were good and the antics surrounding Matthew McConauhey’s efforts to keep his theatre open against the odds were genuinely funny.
It was also nice to see that several character tropes were not pandered too, such as the house wife pig (Reese Witherspoon) goes to elaborate lengths to take part, by automating her house to get her litter of piglets to school and her middle management husband to work, all of whom take her for granted so much that they fail to even notice that she is not there.
But instead of attacking her housewife status and saying that she was being hampered by this “boring” life and should be a singer and follow her dreams as many films would suggest, this simply asks for a balance. That impressed me… a lot.
Well worth a watch and defiantly one for the whole family.
Illumination studios have managed to rack up a “Stinker” on this blog with The Lorax (3D) (2012), which was filled with songs which did not seem to go with the movie and maybe that was in my mind when I first saw the trailer for this, but I must admit, that I was wrong.
The story focuses around a Koala Bear (Matthew McConauhey) who owns his dream theatre in New York, but it is about to fail big. He ends up setting up singing contest in order to try and save it and a verity of animals from this this Zootopia styled world inhabited solely by animals, are entered into the competition.
The writing was good, strong and simple. The characters had enough depth, the song choices were good and the antics surrounding Matthew McConauhey’s efforts to keep his theatre open against the odds were genuinely funny.
It was also nice to see that several character tropes were not pandered too, such as the house wife pig (Reese Witherspoon) goes to elaborate lengths to take part, by automating her house to get her litter of piglets to school and her middle management husband to work, all of whom take her for granted so much that they fail to even notice that she is not there.
But instead of attacking her housewife status and saying that she was being hampered by this “boring” life and should be a singer and follow her dreams as many films would suggest, this simply asks for a balance. That impressed me… a lot.
Well worth a watch and defiantly one for the whole family.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2103 KP) rated Spy School British Invasion in Books
May 18, 2019
Can Ben Track SPYDER Without Causing an International Incident?
Ben Ripley and his team of fellow spies think they have been handed the key to finally taking down the evil organization SPYDER. As it so happens, the key is a literal key. Ben’s friends piece together that it most likely belongs to a storage space under the British Museum. Since no one knows who in the CIA is really a SPYDER double agent, only Ben and his friends from Spy School can be trusted to go and retrieve whatever the item might be. And so Ben, Mike, Zoe, Erica, and Erica’s parents make their way to London. What will they find when they land?
This book picks up moments after the previous book in the series ended, so it does discuss some of what happened in that book. As a result, if you want to go into that book completely surprised, you’ll want to read the books in order. But that’s no problem since the entire series is so fun. Once again, we get a wild ride filled with twists, turns, and extremely narrow escapes. Yet in the quieter moments, we get to see some depth and growth in the characters, which I loved. The action can be a bit over the top, but that plays into the comedy of the book and series perfectly. I might not have laughed quite as much as I did while reading the previous book, but I was chuckling before I finished the first page, and I did grin and laugh the entire way through. Middle Graders will love this book, and anyone looking for a fun read will be glad they picked it up as well.
This book picks up moments after the previous book in the series ended, so it does discuss some of what happened in that book. As a result, if you want to go into that book completely surprised, you’ll want to read the books in order. But that’s no problem since the entire series is so fun. Once again, we get a wild ride filled with twists, turns, and extremely narrow escapes. Yet in the quieter moments, we get to see some depth and growth in the characters, which I loved. The action can be a bit over the top, but that plays into the comedy of the book and series perfectly. I might not have laughed quite as much as I did while reading the previous book, but I was chuckling before I finished the first page, and I did grin and laugh the entire way through. Middle Graders will love this book, and anyone looking for a fun read will be glad they picked it up as well.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated X (Kinsey Millhone, #24) in Books
Feb 13, 2018
The plot of "X" opens up with the story of a woman attempting to steal a painting. Then Grafton switches to present day, catching us up with Kinsey. "X" details several threats - mainly Kinsey trying to track down a recently released felon for a client and Kinsey working with Pete Wolinksy's widow to assist her with finding some files related to an IRS investigation. There's also a subplot involving Henry and Kinsey's new neighbors.
I have to state up front that I love Grafton and I love Kinsey Millhone. I hope they never make this series into a film, because I have my own picture of Kinsey in my mind, and I don't want anyone to ruin it. I started reading this series in middle school (!) and look forward to each and every release. Alas, while I enjoyed "X," it seemed a bit lackluster compared to many of Millhone's previous Kinsey efforts.
If you've read any Grafton book (or truly any mystery), you can envision that Kinsey's disparate cases will somehow overlap at some point. Her cases are fairly interesting, though Kinsey hems and haws a bit about her past with Pete. The side plot with Kinsey and her new neighbors (while somewhat appalling) just drags on, which makes me sad, because it involves Henry, and I do enjoy Henry.
Overall, it's a quick read and also good to catch up with Kinsey. However, I found myself wishing we could progress a bit more with Kinsey's personal life (besides Henry). Though perhaps the book represents how stagnant Kinsey feels in life? Hard to tell. But I do hope the next book brings her a little more excitement and happiness in both work and her personal life.
I have to state up front that I love Grafton and I love Kinsey Millhone. I hope they never make this series into a film, because I have my own picture of Kinsey in my mind, and I don't want anyone to ruin it. I started reading this series in middle school (!) and look forward to each and every release. Alas, while I enjoyed "X," it seemed a bit lackluster compared to many of Millhone's previous Kinsey efforts.
If you've read any Grafton book (or truly any mystery), you can envision that Kinsey's disparate cases will somehow overlap at some point. Her cases are fairly interesting, though Kinsey hems and haws a bit about her past with Pete. The side plot with Kinsey and her new neighbors (while somewhat appalling) just drags on, which makes me sad, because it involves Henry, and I do enjoy Henry.
Overall, it's a quick read and also good to catch up with Kinsey. However, I found myself wishing we could progress a bit more with Kinsey's personal life (besides Henry). Though perhaps the book represents how stagnant Kinsey feels in life? Hard to tell. But I do hope the next book brings her a little more excitement and happiness in both work and her personal life.
Isabel Smith (34 KP) rated Here We Lie in Books
Jun 24, 2018
Two Worlds Collide
Megan Mazeros and Lauren Mabrey are polar opposites. While Megan comes from a middle-class family in Kansas, Lauren hails from a wealthy Connecticut-based family. While Megan’s father slowly succumbed to mesothelioma which he referred to as the poor man’s cancer, Lauren’s father is a well-liked U.S. Senator with all the rights and privileges pertaining thereto. While Megan has to use her father’s life insurance money to pay for tuition and housing at Keale College (a prestigious, private, and all-girls school), Lauren is given a continual allowance that gets her through her college years with utmost ease. When they meet during their freshman year at Keale College, they unexpectedly become the best of friends. Sharing clothes, secrets, roommates, ambitions, and more, the pair goes through many ups and downs in their friendship during the following years. But one fateful night while they’re vacationing with Lauren's family on an island off the coast of Maine, something terrible happens to Megan and their friendship is irreparably damaged afterwards.
Told in an alternating first-person perspective between Megan and Lauren, Here We Lie is a powerful and relevant story about friendship, betrayal, political scandal, and abuse. I enjoyed everything about it, from the back-and-forth jumps between past and present to the incredible growth of both the main characters. The narrative is fast-paced and compelling, and the ending is beautiful and inspiring. With the rise of the #MeToo movement in the present-day world, Paula Treick DeBoard’s incredibly timely latest novel is sure to spark plenty of conversation about sexual abuse victims and perpetrators, motivation for reform and accountability, and at the very least food for thought.
Told in an alternating first-person perspective between Megan and Lauren, Here We Lie is a powerful and relevant story about friendship, betrayal, political scandal, and abuse. I enjoyed everything about it, from the back-and-forth jumps between past and present to the incredible growth of both the main characters. The narrative is fast-paced and compelling, and the ending is beautiful and inspiring. With the rise of the #MeToo movement in the present-day world, Paula Treick DeBoard’s incredibly timely latest novel is sure to spark plenty of conversation about sexual abuse victims and perpetrators, motivation for reform and accountability, and at the very least food for thought.
Merissa (11805 KP) rated The Princess of Baker Street in Books
Jan 21, 2019
The Princess of Baker Street by Mia Kerick
The Princess of Baker Street is an emotional story about a young girl who was born a boy. She doesn't fit in, gets bullied, and yet she tries to remain true to herself, even when faced with opposition. The whole story is told from the viewpoint of Eric. He was once her best friend - when she could wear dresses and not be judged for it; when she could be a princess without condemnation. However, life has changed for both of them now they are in middle school, and Eric can't be with her now as he would like to be.
This story is simply amazing. You will feel for Joey as he faces the bullies and tries to hang onto his friendship with Eric, no matter the cost. You will also feel for Eric as he copes with things no young child should have to. Something has to break, and it does. Both of these characters reach rock bottom, and yet they both pick themselves up and carry on, head held high.
This is a gritty story, dealing with hard issues for anyone to deal with, let alone 13-year-olds. It isn't a dark book though, the silver lining shines through. There were no editing or grammatical errors in this book, and the pacing was smooth. The story flowed exceedingly well, and lessons are there to be learnt by everyone. I loved this story, and would love to read more - both about these characters, and also anything else by Mia Kerick. Absolutely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
This story is simply amazing. You will feel for Joey as he faces the bullies and tries to hang onto his friendship with Eric, no matter the cost. You will also feel for Eric as he copes with things no young child should have to. Something has to break, and it does. Both of these characters reach rock bottom, and yet they both pick themselves up and carry on, head held high.
This is a gritty story, dealing with hard issues for anyone to deal with, let alone 13-year-olds. It isn't a dark book though, the silver lining shines through. There were no editing or grammatical errors in this book, and the pacing was smooth. The story flowed exceedingly well, and lessons are there to be learnt by everyone. I loved this story, and would love to read more - both about these characters, and also anything else by Mia Kerick. Absolutely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
<b>First Time Rating:</b> 5 out of 5 (Give me a break, I was a kid.)
<b>Second Time Rating:</b> Ya girl is debating between a 2 or a 3, but I'm feeling nice, so 3 it is.
Adapted from the novel by Rick Riordan, The Lightning Thief: The Graphic Novel by Robert Venditti follows Percy Jackson as he journeys with Annabeth Chase and Grover Underwood across the US to retrieve Zeus lightning bolt before the summer solstice.
As an avid fan of the novels in middle school when the movie was in production, I was curious about the graphic novel version. When I first read The Lightning Thief: The Graphic Novel shortly after it came out, I just enjoyed myself. Reading it now with a more critical eye, I still enjoyed the adaptation, considering how poor the movies were. The graphic novel remains faithful to Riordans book and while most of the main storyline is still included, it does cut out some scenes and the story would have been better if it were longer.
In addition to the briefness of the graphic novel, I also noticed during my second read that the characters appear to be much older than they really are. There were moments in the story where if I didnt read the original novels or knew the plot really well, I would have forgotten that Percy and many of the other characters are around 12 years old.
Overall, The Lightning Thief: The Graphic Novel is perfect for those who are avid fans of Riordans original series and want a recap, but not the greatest intro for those who want to read the graphic version before the novels.
<a href="https://60secondsmag.com/the-lightning-thief-review/">This review is originally posted on 60 Seconds Online Magazine</a>
<b>Second Time Rating:</b> Ya girl is debating between a 2 or a 3, but I'm feeling nice, so 3 it is.
Adapted from the novel by Rick Riordan, The Lightning Thief: The Graphic Novel by Robert Venditti follows Percy Jackson as he journeys with Annabeth Chase and Grover Underwood across the US to retrieve Zeus lightning bolt before the summer solstice.
As an avid fan of the novels in middle school when the movie was in production, I was curious about the graphic novel version. When I first read The Lightning Thief: The Graphic Novel shortly after it came out, I just enjoyed myself. Reading it now with a more critical eye, I still enjoyed the adaptation, considering how poor the movies were. The graphic novel remains faithful to Riordans book and while most of the main storyline is still included, it does cut out some scenes and the story would have been better if it were longer.
In addition to the briefness of the graphic novel, I also noticed during my second read that the characters appear to be much older than they really are. There were moments in the story where if I didnt read the original novels or knew the plot really well, I would have forgotten that Percy and many of the other characters are around 12 years old.
Overall, The Lightning Thief: The Graphic Novel is perfect for those who are avid fans of Riordans original series and want a recap, but not the greatest intro for those who want to read the graphic version before the novels.
<a href="https://60secondsmag.com/the-lightning-thief-review/">This review is originally posted on 60 Seconds Online Magazine</a>
Veronica Pena (690 KP) rated The Perks of Being a Wallflower in Books
Jan 6, 2020 (Updated Feb 10, 2020)
I am hopelessly in love with this novel. I remember reading it for the first time when I was in middle school at some point - I'm thinking 8th grade. I remember crying my eyes out at the end and then having to go downstairs for dinner and being unable to think about anything else other than Charlie and his story and everything that he'd been through and how I related and understood and just wanted to give him a hug. I have that same feeling now.
When I read this book initially, I was in a really bad place - probably one of the worst places I have ever been in my life and I remember how much I wanted to feel like Charlie did at the end of the novel. Now, almost 9 years later, I am working to get to that place, to heal and take care of myself and put pieces back together that I forgot about or pushed away or that just didn't really fit right in the first place. Coincidentally, my therapist told me that this is the perfect book for me to read right now with everything I have going on in my life and I couldn't agree more.
I love all of these characters, I love the plot, I love that Charlie's innocence just radiates off the page but it's not a boyish innocence that is underwhelming and sometimes frustrating like it is in other novels, but it's pure and he's just doing his best and he fiercely loves and protects those he cares about. It's like his innocence is his love and he loves so well.
I think this book will be one that I tell my kids about, urge them to read, and hope they tell their kids and they tell theirs. I love this book that much.
When I read this book initially, I was in a really bad place - probably one of the worst places I have ever been in my life and I remember how much I wanted to feel like Charlie did at the end of the novel. Now, almost 9 years later, I am working to get to that place, to heal and take care of myself and put pieces back together that I forgot about or pushed away or that just didn't really fit right in the first place. Coincidentally, my therapist told me that this is the perfect book for me to read right now with everything I have going on in my life and I couldn't agree more.
I love all of these characters, I love the plot, I love that Charlie's innocence just radiates off the page but it's not a boyish innocence that is underwhelming and sometimes frustrating like it is in other novels, but it's pure and he's just doing his best and he fiercely loves and protects those he cares about. It's like his innocence is his love and he loves so well.
I think this book will be one that I tell my kids about, urge them to read, and hope they tell their kids and they tell theirs. I love this book that much.
Veronica Pena (690 KP) rated Skinny in Books
Feb 13, 2020
I think the first time I read this book was in early middle school. I think I bought it from the Scholastic Book Fair in our library, though I am unsure. All I know is that for the last almost 10 years, this book has followed me from house to house, from Colorado to North Carolina and finally, at almost 21 years old, I've opened it again and read it.
It's definitely a book written for younger readers, that's for sure. Probably about 6th graders, which is fitting for the time that I think I read it the first time. Ever's story is a coming of age one - a story about learning to be confident in yourself, that everyone is going through different things, that what you think everyone thinks of you isn't always the truth. Ever's story is about learning to accept yourself and love yourself for who you are, not what you look like, and allowing people to be close to you. It's about a million things - some I'm sure more relatable when at Ever's age and in her similar situation, but also some that are just themes of life and love.
I think, as far as the story goes, it's a good one. I know there's always a risk when writing about body image in any facet, but I think this is one that does it well. I think the characters are interesting and for the most part, robust. Some of the themes and dialogue are a bit on the nose but I think that's to be expected for a book meant for younger readers. Overall, I think this is a good book. One I'm sure I'll come back to eventually, but probably not for another 10 years.
It's definitely a book written for younger readers, that's for sure. Probably about 6th graders, which is fitting for the time that I think I read it the first time. Ever's story is a coming of age one - a story about learning to be confident in yourself, that everyone is going through different things, that what you think everyone thinks of you isn't always the truth. Ever's story is about learning to accept yourself and love yourself for who you are, not what you look like, and allowing people to be close to you. It's about a million things - some I'm sure more relatable when at Ever's age and in her similar situation, but also some that are just themes of life and love.
I think, as far as the story goes, it's a good one. I know there's always a risk when writing about body image in any facet, but I think this is one that does it well. I think the characters are interesting and for the most part, robust. Some of the themes and dialogue are a bit on the nose but I think that's to be expected for a book meant for younger readers. Overall, I think this is a good book. One I'm sure I'll come back to eventually, but probably not for another 10 years.