I'd like to tackle this review by looking at it in 2 ways.
Firstly, and this is where Muchamore has continued to prove how good a writer he can be, the realism of the story and the themes it explores.
This book wasn't quite what I was expecting, but with two mostly separate storylines he has written a very modern book exploring a number of issues face the world today, from Political activism and unhappiness with broken promises to financial corruption to issues around mental health and sexuality, Arctic zoo explores lots of these areas without it feeling forced upon the reader, and avoiding generalisations for the most part.
I found each area he touched on to be a well considered and well written view woven into the story, none of it seemed forced, and even if it may not be what I as the reader would agree with in places, It doesn't critique or offend, just adds to the depth of the book he has written.
I must also commend him for the raw honesty in his opener and the clear passion, thought and sensitivity he has conveyed in this book whilst making it interesting.
Unfortunately, and unusually for this style of book, I thought the plot and style of story he has written are actually what has let this down a bit.
Following 2 main characters who's stories gradually intersect, Georgia, a british teen and drone racing champ, reeling from the death of her sibling and struggling to find meaning in her existence,
And Julius, the gay son of a corrupt African official, ostrasised and struggling to reveal his family for the crooks they are.
Georgia's story was done well, I loved the little details about drone racing, and for eagle-eyed readers there were a few Easter eggs scattered around from his other books. She was initially a very complex character and the chapters after her sister's death were very well done, but I then found that the character's in her story tailed off into some standard tropes that repeated and seemed to get a bit circular at times, this was rescued however by the action, and other details in the story, as it climbed to the point where she pulls of a daring anti-government protest that lands her in a Psych ward. There were a lot of characters mentioned who didn't really contribute to the story in a meaningful way.
Julius's story on the other hand reads a lot like the opener's to a cherub novel, with bribery, corruption, intimidation and violence tempered with explorations of self and acceptability in society. It was very well done and very gripping but I think it could almost have been a book in itself, instead of the 2 characters combining together. His story to me read a lot more like Muchamore's previous efforts, with added complexity and again some nice thought provoking ideas, but seemed a bit disjointed at times towards the end and how his story gets interwoven with Georgia's was a little disappointing.
All in all it was a good read, but I definitely thought that his previous books were better.
Firstly, and this is where Muchamore has continued to prove how good a writer he can be, the realism of the story and the themes it explores.
This book wasn't quite what I was expecting, but with two mostly separate storylines he has written a very modern book exploring a number of issues face the world today, from Political activism and unhappiness with broken promises to financial corruption to issues around mental health and sexuality, Arctic zoo explores lots of these areas without it feeling forced upon the reader, and avoiding generalisations for the most part.
I found each area he touched on to be a well considered and well written view woven into the story, none of it seemed forced, and even if it may not be what I as the reader would agree with in places, It doesn't critique or offend, just adds to the depth of the book he has written.
I must also commend him for the raw honesty in his opener and the clear passion, thought and sensitivity he has conveyed in this book whilst making it interesting.
Unfortunately, and unusually for this style of book, I thought the plot and style of story he has written are actually what has let this down a bit.
Following 2 main characters who's stories gradually intersect, Georgia, a british teen and drone racing champ, reeling from the death of her sibling and struggling to find meaning in her existence,
And Julius, the gay son of a corrupt African official, ostrasised and struggling to reveal his family for the crooks they are.
Georgia's story was done well, I loved the little details about drone racing, and for eagle-eyed readers there were a few Easter eggs scattered around from his other books. She was initially a very complex character and the chapters after her sister's death were very well done, but I then found that the character's in her story tailed off into some standard tropes that repeated and seemed to get a bit circular at times, this was rescued however by the action, and other details in the story, as it climbed to the point where she pulls of a daring anti-government protest that lands her in a Psych ward. There were a lot of characters mentioned who didn't really contribute to the story in a meaningful way.
Julius's story on the other hand reads a lot like the opener's to a cherub novel, with bribery, corruption, intimidation and violence tempered with explorations of self and acceptability in society. It was very well done and very gripping but I think it could almost have been a book in itself, instead of the 2 characters combining together. His story to me read a lot more like Muchamore's previous efforts, with added complexity and again some nice thought provoking ideas, but seemed a bit disjointed at times towards the end and how his story gets interwoven with Georgia's was a little disappointing.
All in all it was a good read, but I definitely thought that his previous books were better.