The cover of the German edition kind of fascinated me. This book was worth every second of my time. Holy moly, what a great start. One of the very few books I call an overnight read. Filled with action, a great story, emotions, and the great setting of New York. I mean, the idea, to use the Central Park Zoo in New York as a setting for another world right among the normal one, is pretty fascinating. I could literally see the academy in front of me.
Simon Thorn And The Wolf´s Den
by Aimée Carter
Simon Thorn Series #1
Publisher Bloomsbury USA Childrens on February 2, 2016
Genre Fantasy
Pages 307
Format Hardcover
Source Library
Twelve-year-old Simon Thorn´s life has never been easy or normal, but things, like being bullied at school and living in a cramped Manhattan apartment with his Uncle Darryl are nothing compared to his biggest secret. He can talk to animals. But when his mom is suddenly kidnapped by a herd of rats, Simon finds out that he, his mom, and his uncle are all Animalgams-people born with the ability to change into an animal at will. In search of his mom, Simon discovers the Animalgam Academy based at the Central Park Zoo. There he learns about the fractured five kingdoms – Mammals, Birds, Insects, Reptiles, and Underwater – that make up this secret world … and realizes he may be the only one who can save it.
Story
Simon can hear and understand animals. Not the noises other boys hear when a dog is barking, he literally can talk with them like he talks to his uncle or mother. If she is around, that is. It all started a year ago and now he is afraid of being crazy. And when his mother suddenly appears for a visit and hundreds of rats line the street, he knows that something is completely wrong.
Style
Aimée Carter uses a wonderfully to read, fast-paced writing style and easy to understand words. The story is diverse, filled with surprises and unexpected twists and turns. And the main figure, Simon, is one heck of a great character. Imagine walking through Central Park and pigeons are on the way. You see an eagle flying high up in the air and some dogs with their humans. The author has created such a fantastic world with her Animalgam world, that every page is pure discovery. And the end – oh boy! Full of tension, action, and the brutality of a man who wants the power of a single item more than anything in the world. Holy smokes!
Characters
It is amazing how profound and well created the figures are. Even the evil ones. Simon is a thin, down to earth boy who misses his mother a lot and silently endures the harassment of his stronger classmates. Only offer no attack surface. He is always willing to help the helpless and does everything within his power to do good. Even if that means that he has to ignore the order to stay at the academy. He wants to help his mother, and therefore he has to go outside. And with his new friends, he is sure that he will find her and be able to get her back home.
Conclusion
I am thrilled! What a great book and the main figure. This novel teaches you a lot, even me, a grown-up. And the setting of New York and Central Park is perfect. The fight between good and evil is diversified and great entertainment. I highly recommend this for children of all ages.
Happy reading
Aimée Carter
Aimée Carter is the author of Simon Thorn along with two YA series The Blackcoat Rebellion and The Goddess Test, of which The Goddess Inheritance was a 2013 Cybils nominee. She started writing fan fiction at eleven, began her first original story four years later, and hasn´t stopped writing since. Besides writing and reading, she enjoys seeing movies, playing with her puppies, and wrestling with the puzzles in the paper each morning. She lives in Novi, Michigan.
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