Where I got it: ARC from publisher for review
Rating: 3 stars
Cover Rating: 3.5 stars (I like the title font and the eerie feel, but it just doesn't draw me in.)
Genre:Young Adult
Publication Date: November 1, 2011
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Page Count: 318 p.
Buy it: Book Depository / Amazon
Will Besting is afraid. He sees a therapist, but his fears are still set in deep. His doctor sends him to Fort Eden with six other kids that all have phobias. Here, they will be cured. Will strays from the pack when he sees Dark Eden looming ahead and decides to go it on his own for a while. When each kid gets "cured" down deep in chambers the others haven't seen, they come back with strange ailments. What is really going on at Fort Eden? Is everyone really getting cured? What is the price they must pay?
So this book was pretty fast-paced and interesting. I think boy readers and reluctant readers will really enjoy it. For me it was just okay. I found a lot of it predictable, which isn't necessarily bad, but not exciting. I did read right through this book though, because there were a lot of interesting things to read about and discover. I was not expecting the ending surprise at all. Very interesting idea. One thing that really bugged me was the Observations section at the end. It goes through and Will Besting pretty much tells you all of the hidden references throughout the book. I wish this wasn't part of the story. I realize that a lot of kids may not get these references, but it seems unfair to readers trying to puzzle it out to shove it in their faces. I wish it was labeled something else, and didn't have more bits of the story attached to it. I don't know why it really bugged me so much, but there it is. Will was an enjoyable narrator and his whole adventure at Fort Eden was high action. Hiding from people is always a lot of work and a lot of suspense. The other kids were only really memorable by their fears, which is really all you need to remember about them. Mrs. Goring was a fantastic character, full of cranky-old-lady life. I do not have any of the devices that you can download the books App for, so I cannot really say anything about that. I would be interested in hearing from people who have read the book with the App. If this book's summary piqued your interest, I would definitely check it out. It was a fast and fun read with interesting turns of events.
First Line:
"Why are you hiding in this room all alone?"
Favorite Line:
"I'd started calling them monkey phones on the off chance that is might amuse me, which it didn't."
Will Besting is afraid. He sees a therapist, but his fears are still set in deep. His doctor sends him to Fort Eden with six other kids that all have phobias. Here, they will be cured. Will strays from the pack when he sees Dark Eden looming ahead and decides to go it on his own for a while. When each kid gets "cured" down deep in chambers the others haven't seen, they come back with strange ailments. What is really going on at Fort Eden? Is everyone really getting cured? What is the price they must pay?
So this book was pretty fast-paced and interesting. I think boy readers and reluctant readers will really enjoy it. For me it was just okay. I found a lot of it predictable, which isn't necessarily bad, but not exciting. I did read right through this book though, because there were a lot of interesting things to read about and discover. I was not expecting the ending surprise at all. Very interesting idea. One thing that really bugged me was the Observations section at the end. It goes through and Will Besting pretty much tells you all of the hidden references throughout the book. I wish this wasn't part of the story. I realize that a lot of kids may not get these references, but it seems unfair to readers trying to puzzle it out to shove it in their faces. I wish it was labeled something else, and didn't have more bits of the story attached to it. I don't know why it really bugged me so much, but there it is. Will was an enjoyable narrator and his whole adventure at Fort Eden was high action. Hiding from people is always a lot of work and a lot of suspense. The other kids were only really memorable by their fears, which is really all you need to remember about them. Mrs. Goring was a fantastic character, full of cranky-old-lady life. I do not have any of the devices that you can download the books App for, so I cannot really say anything about that. I would be interested in hearing from people who have read the book with the App. If this book's summary piqued your interest, I would definitely check it out. It was a fast and fun read with interesting turns of events.
First Line:
"Why are you hiding in this room all alone?"
Favorite Line:
"I'd started calling them monkey phones on the off chance that is might amuse me, which it didn't."
Thanks for the review! I'm looking forward to this one and hoping I'll enjoy it. Might download the app ;)
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