A review by biblio_kel
Cryptid Zoo by Gerry Griffiths

mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

Cryptid Zoo promised to merge two of my favourite things - cryptids and horror - so I was really excited to read it.

Unfortunately, between the subpar narration and the rather tame story, I found it really hard to enjoy it.

Pros:
• I was expecting the usual suspects like Bigfoot and the Kraken but was pleasantly surprised by the variety of cryptids that were actually included in the story.
• No attempt at explaining the pseudo-science (a good choice in this case).

Cons:
• Very lazy representation of teenagers.
• Awkward dialogue.
• Too much of the dialogue ends in "(insert name) said".
• Not much really happens until about chapter 22.
• Characters behave in unrealistic ways multiple times throughout the story. 
• The narrator's attempts at doing multiple unique voices was poorly executed and frequently jarring.
• Ending was abrupt and unsatisfying. 

All in all, this book wasn't for me.