The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
malmark's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
mallorykjorgensen's review against another edition
4.0
Not Balliet's best, but definitely different and intriguing.
nextbestcoast's review against another edition
I didn't love it nearly as much as Chasing Vermeer.
alifromkc1907's review against another edition
1.0
Read more reviews at http://alisbooklife.wix.com/freeyourread
A boy is left on the doorstep of his (would-be) grandparents by the mother of the baby after the father took off. The father, Buckeye, is an alcoholic who chose to steal a truck, which contained a box -and its contents. He left the box with his parents and his newly discovered son, Zoomy. Zoomy begins his own investigation into a notebook in the box and discovers a history-changing secret.
​
Goodreads readers ranked this book a 3.54 and I'd recommend it if you're into:
a diary like narrative
heavily based in historical facts on Charles Darwin
very basic writing
language that is invented
some factual story line
This book replaces "Twisted" by Laurie Halse Anderson as the worst book of 2015. There are, of course, no positives in this book and a 0-star would be better awarded to this book. What I thought was a YA book really ended up being a book where the main character, Zoomy, seems to have some retardation as he's not sure what many things are, and tends to talk in an invented language that doesn't make sense even to someone on the inside of this book. Once you get past the language barrier, you're reading lists, a random "newspaper article" written by a character ever 20 pages or so, and a tremendous number of sentences involving "Charles Darwin." (I almost didn't finish this book every time I picked it up... it was a real struggle.)
Pros: none.
Cons: the science isn't balanced with "regular" jargon or story-lines, so if science isn't your thing (it isn't mine), this might be a bit difficult to get through; it's never explained what the kids disability means, just that he has one, which forces you into a google explanation of this kids' blindness; the story itself didn't start until 100 pages in, and then you don't really get to the climax unti about 250/300 pages in - it felt slower than slow; I could no longer read the greyed-out Gazette pages because playing a guessing game about Darwin just became an annoyance when I was trying to read a story-line. It seemed out of place considering the voice of the book is Zoomy, not Lorrol.
A boy is left on the doorstep of his (would-be) grandparents by the mother of the baby after the father took off. The father, Buckeye, is an alcoholic who chose to steal a truck, which contained a box -and its contents. He left the box with his parents and his newly discovered son, Zoomy. Zoomy begins his own investigation into a notebook in the box and discovers a history-changing secret.
​
Goodreads readers ranked this book a 3.54 and I'd recommend it if you're into:
a diary like narrative
heavily based in historical facts on Charles Darwin
very basic writing
language that is invented
some factual story line
This book replaces "Twisted" by Laurie Halse Anderson as the worst book of 2015. There are, of course, no positives in this book and a 0-star would be better awarded to this book. What I thought was a YA book really ended up being a book where the main character, Zoomy, seems to have some retardation as he's not sure what many things are, and tends to talk in an invented language that doesn't make sense even to someone on the inside of this book. Once you get past the language barrier, you're reading lists, a random "newspaper article" written by a character ever 20 pages or so, and a tremendous number of sentences involving "Charles Darwin." (I almost didn't finish this book every time I picked it up... it was a real struggle.)
Pros: none.
Cons: the science isn't balanced with "regular" jargon or story-lines, so if science isn't your thing (it isn't mine), this might be a bit difficult to get through; it's never explained what the kids disability means, just that he has one, which forces you into a google explanation of this kids' blindness; the story itself didn't start until 100 pages in, and then you don't really get to the climax unti about 250/300 pages in - it felt slower than slow; I could no longer read the greyed-out Gazette pages because playing a guessing game about Darwin just became an annoyance when I was trying to read a story-line. It seemed out of place considering the voice of the book is Zoomy, not Lorrol.
kristinasshelves's review against another edition
3.0
I've enjoyed the Chasing Vermeer series by this author so am progressing through all of her middle grade novels. While the latter series focuses on art in the mysteries, this one focused on science (in particular Darwin). I did not connect to this one as much and did not find the same excitement in this mystery. However, I still think middle grade readers would enjoy this one, particularly if they have an interest in science.
lazygal's review against another edition
3.0
Zoomy is an OCD/ASD child with Pathological Myopia and he's being raised by his grandparents in a small, backward town in Michigan. Sounds promising, right? But Zoomy's life isn't that bad - he and his grandparents have constructed a life that works. Then one day (thanks to the mysterious Mr. Zip, his package and Zoomy's alcoholic-thief of a father) that life radically changes. The mystery of the notebook, who Gas is/was, and what will happen to his family are gentle mysteries: not a lot to scare readers, but there are some puzzles for them to solve. As with her other books, there are codes and tons of factual information stuffed into this book; I suspect younger readers enjoy that more than adult readers.
ARC provided by publisher.
ARC provided by publisher.
luckyliza13's review against another edition
4.0
Great for kids to read; has a good mystery based on real life events that kids could would find interesting & could look into on their own and promotes empathy for kids who are a little "different".
marcia_94's review against another edition
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Gostei do Zoomy e de toda a narrativa relacionada com Charles Darwin mas achei a história um pouco lenta e repetitiva.
quietjenn's review against another edition
3.0
hm, one of those books where i enjoyed reading it but immediately forgot that i read it the next day. i liked the characters - both our main protagonist and the supporting ones - but it's definitely more thoughtful character piece then straight up mystery, especially compared to the other balliett's.