By Andrew Smith
In the small town of Ealing, Iowa, 16-year-old Austin and his best friend, Robby, have accidentally unleashed an unstoppable army. An army of horny, hungry, six-foot-tall praying mantises that only want to do two things.
The plot of this book does not follow in a linear pattern like most--beginning, middle, then end-- no, Austin jumps around in his storytelling, interrupting the main story with descriptions of past events and telling what is happening in other parts of the country or the world. It is difficult to find a chapter in this book that doesn't involve some sort of sexual themes, whether it is Austin thinking about sex, the act itself portrayed either by humans or the monstrous bugs, or Austin questioning his sexual orientation.
With all the gore, violence, swearing, and sexual and mature themes, this book is certainly not for the faint of heart. Older teens and fans of Kurt Vonnegut, Franz Kafka, and Jonathan Safran Foer would enjoy this bizarre apocalyptic coming-of-age novel.
Julie, this sounds like a bizarre read which you clearly identify in your review. It is important that you identify the sexual and mature themes so that people know whether or not this is a book that they might be interested in reading. I like how you use other authors that people might be more familiar with in determining if they want to read this book. Good review!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a very odd, unique book. Did you enjoy it?
ReplyDeleteIt was... interesting. I would not read it again, but I can see how some people might really enjoy it. So, not really, but I was able to branch out in my reading with this book, so that was good.
DeleteThis book is ridiculous and bizarre and you did it justice in this review. Full points!
ReplyDeleteWhat a crazy sounding book! I am so curious! I am a huge Kurt Vonnegut fan - what made you draw a comparison there?
ReplyDeleteWhile I have not read any of Vonnegut's titles, from what I have heard, his writing is similar to the somewhat bizarre story in this book.
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