Thirteen-year-old bubble boy Will Tuttle lives a boring, friendless life trapped in a sterile Brooklyn apartment, suffering from mysterious allergies no doctor can explain. Fed up with his pointless existence he breaks free of the sterile bubble to explore New York City, not expecting to return alive. Along the way, Will discovers that his countless allergies have a single, bizarre source.
Suddenly Will is a target. When he's chased through Central Park by a cloaked assailant, a misfit team of bodyguards shows up to keep Will Tuttle alive. . . . And teach him how to blend into a society that isn’t supposed to exist.
My Take:
This was another pleasant surprise. I picked it up not knowing what it would be about, but Gough does a great job building his world and meshing it in with the world we already know. He mixes Grimm's faerie tales with a twist of science fiction for a delightful ride. I believed every word of the story!
There were so many little details that I enjoyed. I actually found myself looking at those blobs of chewing gum on the side of buildings differently and wondering "what if?" This book was full of surprises.
I give Cloak by James Gough a solid 4.5.
Rating scale for book reviews
1: I couldn’t even finish it / just plain bad
2: I hope I didn’t pay for this / disappointing
3: I didn’t hate it, but it was still missing something / forgettable but inoffensive
3.5: On the line between good and ok / like, not love
4: Solid mind candy / worth reading
4.5: So very close to perfection! / must read
5: I could not put it down and I’m still thinking about it! / a true treasure
Interesting premise.
ReplyDeleteThanks for participating in our blogfest!
Thanks for hosting!
DeleteWay to go for a bubble boy character breaking free. The premise only goes up in the enjoyment factor from there. Great choice :-0
ReplyDeleteLOL, Thanks!
DeleteHi Charity .. seems like you picked a good book with an interesting storyline - how often do we need to escape our own bonds ... great choice ... cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteIt was exactly what I needed when I found it. I love how that happens.
DeleteI like the font used on the cover. I wonder what the name of it is.
ReplyDeleteHe's with my publisher so I can try and find out for you.
DeleteI love your rating scale. I also like finding some good YA for boys.
ReplyDeleteI think this would be a great read for boys!
DeleteI love MG and YA fiction, so I've been please with the amount of books with young characters. Great pick. Thanks for participating in the DINYB Blog Fest!
ReplyDeleteGrimm's fairy tales and science fiction - that sounds good!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your rating scale. Any book about a bubble boy tickles my interest. Loved the cover.
ReplyDeleteFeel free to use it. I think I borrowed it from someone else and then tweaked it just a little.
DeleteYes! This book sounds awesome!
ReplyDeleteVery close to perfect. Kewl.
ReplyDeleteThe bubble boy idea sounds original. I'll have to check it out.
ReplyDeleteI like the cover, but I think I expected the subject to be way, way dark. Does that bit of white hint of insect origin?
ReplyDeleteGood call! There is a bit of insect origin in here. The subject could have become very dark, but Gough did a good job of being serious without going too far for YA.
DeleteThis sounds fascinating. After reading your synopsis I wanted to read more.
ReplyDeleteI love taking a gamble and just grabbing a book...it's like treasure hunting!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a wonderful book. Another one for the to-read list! :-)
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