Title: The Kneebone Boy
Author: Ellen Potter
Release Date: September 2010
Published By: Feiwel & Friends
Pages: 288
Goodreads Rating: 3.84 stars
Review: When their father accidentally sends them to London to stay with an aunt who's actually on holiday, the Hardscrabble children have two choices: return home... or go on an adventure. Of course, they choose the latter. What follows is a wickedly dark and unusual adventure beginning with the seedy streets of the city and ending with a legendary creature who is reportedly half monster, half boy: the Kneebone Boy.
If you love the Series of Unfortunate Events, THE KNEEBONE BOY is definitely for you. It's the same time of charming middle grade novel that I absolutely loved in my younger years, and still enjoy now. From the mature humor to the wild and unique characters, this is a book made of pure awesome that will no doubt top my list of recommended middle grade lit.
Given that the synopsis mentioned that this is an adventure book with a mysterious Kneebone Boy, I expected a much faster pace than what actually happened. However, I don't think this is necessarily a bad thing, especially since the voice was just so readable. The narrator is supposed to be a secret (so you're not told which of the Hardscrabble children it is), but I thought it fairly obvious who it is, and he/she (in keeping with my no-spoilers policy) was delightfully funny.
Just like any charming middle grade novel, the characters were brilliantly dimensional. Each one clearly had a lot of thought put into him/her with a fully fleshed out personality and interesting traits. Their actions were at times unexpected (in a good way!) and this was true for the story overall; the ending was shocking and completely unanticipated, which made it all the more amazing.
All in all, THE KNEEBONE BOY is an excellent example of middle grade literature with well-rounded characters and a fascinating premise. The narration was humorous, the pacing was even, and the depth of the story was wonderful. This is truly a book I would have absolutely loved when I was younger, so I recommend it to any fans of MG lit or any one in the MG range.
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