Variant by Robinson Wells
So for you MMGM visitors, this is a YA book, yeah I know I'm supposed to be doing MG, but give me a break. I'm just letting you know to...prepare yourselves (I tried to keep my review PG, but this book is YA for a reason)
Age Group: Middle Grade
Genre: Action/Thriller
Publishing Date: October 4th 2011 by Harper Teen
Summary: Benson Fisher thought that a scholarship to Maxfield Academy would be the ticket out of his dead-end life.
He was wrong.
Now he’s trapped in a school that’s surrounded by a razor-wire fence. A school where video cameras monitor his every move. Where there are no adults. Where the kids have split into groups in order to survive.
Where breaking the rules equals death.
But when Benson stumbles upon the school’s real secret, he realizes that playing by the rules could spell a fate worse than death, and that escape—his only real hope for survival—may be impossible
What I liked: I especially liked the part of how Benson is just in his own world. He just does what he does (weird way of explaining things) and it all adds to the intense plot. Speaking of the plot, it is well crafted. It races your heartbeat before giving you a chance to calm down, before racing it again. It's kind of like a roller coaster, but in a book. It also has the normal aspects of a good book, such as well-developed characters, and a well crafted surprise at the end.
What I didn't like: This one isn't as hard as some of the other ones I do. First of all, the grotesque detail when they get hurt. I, mean, it is a YA book, but I have to speak from a MG transtioner's point of view. Robinson Wells (Author) kind of went a little bit too in detail (I've never said that before) and I couldn't help but pause to get the horror images out of my head. I guess this is because I grow up in an environment where I can only watch PG and G movies and TV shows, so this is new to me. I also don't like the school. Yep, I just said I hate the reason there is conflict at all, but it just doesn't make sense to me, and the things they do to the kids is just a bit crazy.
Rating on 'the scale'- 8 out of 10
Why?- Pretty solid book not going to lie, but uhm, pretty weird at times.
Age Group: Middle Grade
Genre: Action/Thriller
Publishing Date: October 4th 2011 by Harper Teen
Summary: Benson Fisher thought that a scholarship to Maxfield Academy would be the ticket out of his dead-end life.
He was wrong.
Now he’s trapped in a school that’s surrounded by a razor-wire fence. A school where video cameras monitor his every move. Where there are no adults. Where the kids have split into groups in order to survive.
Where breaking the rules equals death.
But when Benson stumbles upon the school’s real secret, he realizes that playing by the rules could spell a fate worse than death, and that escape—his only real hope for survival—may be impossible
What I liked: I especially liked the part of how Benson is just in his own world. He just does what he does (weird way of explaining things) and it all adds to the intense plot. Speaking of the plot, it is well crafted. It races your heartbeat before giving you a chance to calm down, before racing it again. It's kind of like a roller coaster, but in a book. It also has the normal aspects of a good book, such as well-developed characters, and a well crafted surprise at the end.
What I didn't like: This one isn't as hard as some of the other ones I do. First of all, the grotesque detail when they get hurt. I, mean, it is a YA book, but I have to speak from a MG transtioner's point of view. Robinson Wells (Author) kind of went a little bit too in detail (I've never said that before) and I couldn't help but pause to get the horror images out of my head. I guess this is because I grow up in an environment where I can only watch PG and G movies and TV shows, so this is new to me. I also don't like the school. Yep, I just said I hate the reason there is conflict at all, but it just doesn't make sense to me, and the things they do to the kids is just a bit crazy.
Rating on 'the scale'- 8 out of 10
Why?- Pretty solid book not going to lie, but uhm, pretty weird at times.
Great cover and title. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like an interesting concept, but I can tell by what you said about the gruesome details that this might be too scary for me. I'm glad you're branching out in your reading though.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh I love the premise. Sad to hear about the details tho :/ I hate when authors do that. Thanks for the review!
ReplyDelete