I personally see a lot of myself in Sophie, both in ambitions, interests, and lifestyle. That is why it was even more significant when the contrast of lifestyle with the other protagonist is shown and the only unity of their experience being at the clinic.
I found the plot entertaining and felt compelled to finish it in one sitting, the structure of alternating the main character as the focus for each chapter combined with constant cliff hangers meant I was hooked. The themes and topics were really stimulating as they are aspects of life that are often overlooked or ignored and I admire Robert Muchamore for his bravery not only in tackling difficult issues but also for his honest preface to the book stating that much of the inspiration for 'Arctic Zoo' comes from his experiences in a psychiatric hospital. However I felt the emotional reactions of the characters to significantly traumatic experiences in their life were a little under-played and therefore not particularly believable.
I found the plot entertaining and felt compelled to finish it in one sitting, the structure of alternating the main character as the focus for each chapter combined with constant cliff hangers meant I was hooked. The themes and topics were really stimulating as they are aspects of life that are often overlooked or ignored and I admire Robert Muchamore for his bravery not only in tackling difficult issues but also for his honest preface to the book stating that much of the inspiration for 'Arctic Zoo' comes from his experiences in a psychiatric hospital. However I felt the emotional reactions of the characters to significantly traumatic experiences in their life were a little under-played and therefore not particularly believable.