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Evil Genius
Common Sense says
- Catherine Jinks
- Adventure
- 2007
Parents say
Kids say
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this is a entertaining book about a child prodigy in training to be a master criminal, the first book in a series of three. Like Artemis Fowl, it has a child criminal genius, codes, and all that -- and while it has some fun details, it's actually a far darker, more complex, multilayered thriller. Cadel is encouraged and manipulated to commit crimes and engage in other bad behavior, and there's a lot of violence, though much of it isn't described in detail. In the end, Cadel eventually develops empathy and becomes suspicious of both his father's and his psychologist's real motives.
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User Reviews
- Parents say
- Kids say
A good read for me, NOT OK for under 16
Okay Book.
What's the story?
At the age of 7, brilliant foster child Cadel Piggot is taken to psychologist Thaddeus Roth, at the suggestion of the police who arrested Cadel for computer hacking. But Dr. Roth seems to encourage Cadel in his antisocial behavior, talking him into figuring out traffic and train systems so that he can disrupt them. Then Dr. Roth reveals that he is really employed by Cadel's father, incarcerated criminal genius Dr. Phineas Darkkon, and arranges conversations between father and son. Finally they create an entire school, The Axis Institute, which secretly teaches advanced criminal skills: forgery, poisoning, embezzlement, disguise, infiltration, and lots more. But nothing is as it seems. As Cadel becomes friendly with a young math genius, students and teachers begin to die, and Cadel becomes suspicious of both his father's and his psychologist's real motives.
Is it any good?
At first glance, this may seem like another Artemis Fowl -- child criminal genius, codes, and all that -- but it's actually a far darker, more complex, multilayered story. It lacks the B-movie dialogue, flat characters, fantasy element, wicked humor, and breakneck pacing that were Fowl's trademarks. Instead, it has a series of twists and turns, each of which leads deeper into the web of lies that has been Cadel's entire life.
In some ways this engrossing and exciting novel is a critique of the ways gifted children are parented and taught -- because they are brilliant, adults tend to expect them to be adult in every way long before they are ready. As in King Matt the First by Janusz Korczak, the hero is a child who takes on an adult role without the necessary understanding of the world, with disastrous consequences he can't understand. This is one of those books that readers will race through and enjoy, then go back to really think about it. Even when it's finished, it's hard to put aside.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about the word "evil" in the book's title. Is the protagonist actually evil? Can you think of other books that focus on criminal characters? What's fun about reading their stories? Do you always expect them to change their ways? Can you think of any who don't?
This book is the first installment in a series of three books. Did you know that when you picked the book up? Is it more fun to read a book knowing that the story continues in future installments? Why do you think writers might be interested in penning a series? Why might a publisher be interested in printing one?
Book details
- Author: Catherine Jinks
- Genre: Adventure
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Harcourt Brace
- Publication date: April 26, 2007
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 12
- Number of pages: 486
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.