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The Only Ones
"Call it coincidence, call it fate. This is the place you come. There's nowhere else. There's no one else. This is the entire world."These words welcome Martin Maple to the village of Xibalba. Like the other children who've journeyed there, he faces an awful truth. He was forgotten.When families and friends all disappeared one afternoon, these were the only ones left behind. There's Darla, who drives a monster truck, Felix, who uses string and wood to rebuild the Internet, Lane, who crafts elaborate contraptions, and nearly forty others, each equally brilliant and peculiar.Inspired by the prophesies of a mysterious boy who talks to animals, Martin believes he can reunite them with their loved ones. But believing and knowing are two different things, as he soon discovers with the push of a button, flip of a switch, turn of a dial . . .From the Hardcover edition.
338 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 13, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 183 reviews
August 5, 2012
I don't know why it didn't get more buzz. I devoured it this week, and was kind of shellshocked by how odd and amazing it was. For those kids who've read the Hunger Games, but aren't really ready for full-on YA romancey stuff, this might be the ideal follow-up. It isn't as violent, but it walks that same edge of violence/ puberty/ isolation/ dystopia. And there's so much to puzzle over. It's like a cross between Collins and L'Engle, maybe, with some Lord of the Flies thrown in, but more hope.
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August 25, 2015I really liked the opening setting: a boy lives in almost complete isolation with his father, who works obsessively on a mysterious and complex machine. What does it do? Why are they hiding?
Unfortunately my interest waned as the boy explored the mainland, and once he encountered the lame kids in their lame settlement it dropped off completely. The MC is bland (understandable, but not interesting) and everyone else was on some spectrum of unpleasant and 2-D.
Stopping at page 75. I am a bit curious about what will happen, but I have so little reading time right now I can't waste it on a book that isn't grabbing me. Maybe if some of my friends review positively I'll pick it up again.
Unfortunately my interest waned as the boy explored the mainland, and once he encountered the lame kids in their lame settlement it dropped off completely. The MC is bland (understandable, but not interesting) and everyone else was on some spectrum of unpleasant and 2-D.
Stopping at page 75. I am a bit curious about what will happen, but I have so little reading time right now I can't waste it on a book that isn't grabbing me. Maybe if some of my friends review positively I'll pick it up again.
October 24, 2012
I liked most of this book until I realized what a mind-bender the resolution was turning out to be, at which point I began to be annoyed. Like with certain time-travel stories, the resolution hinges on a cause-and-effect loop. That's dangerous, and in this case it didn't feel like the author had figured out the implications consistently. Among other things, the initial community of survivors has too limited a skill set to actually survive, as described, and by the end it is getting better, but not in a way that sounds like it will work.
The basic premise is that almost everyone in the world disappears one day, leaving behind a very small number of kids, all roughly middle-school-aged, 11-14. At no point is that narrow age range explained, and it matters a lot, later. Martin, the central character, had been raised on an isolated island by a crackpot father. Others had their own back stories, equally odd. Each of these kids is good at something, but not necessarily something that will help them survive. Also, a couple of them are...um...insane?
Okay, so let's set aside the practical parts. Does it work as fantasy? Sort of. I was engrossed enough to read straight through, but found the results to be good, rather than great. The final explanation given of why certain kids ended up surviving the disappearance just didn't work, and some of the elements have to be accepted as "because the author said so," which is not a good thing.
The Machine, which is a key plot element, began to annoy me, as did the main character's attitudes about it. As the story progresses, there's also an element of guilt, because someone CAUSED the disappearance. The author glosses over this, but that pretty much wrecked the world, maybe permanently. By the end, you realize that the causal loop is even loopier than most
I liked the characters much more than the story. They were distinctive and quirky and fun to read about. They just wouldn't have survived, as a group. It felt like I was reading a middle school remake of Gilligan's Island, but with a more serious goal.
So, I liked it the writing and the characters, but not the overall result, if that makes sense. The main character, Martin, was hard to care about, because he had been raised so much in isolation that he didn't even react in ways that the reader could view as human, in many cases. It felt like he was mimicking human behavior, rather than living it. The side characters were great, though, and I found myself identifying with them far more than with Martin.
The basic premise is that almost everyone in the world disappears one day, leaving behind a very small number of kids, all roughly middle-school-aged, 11-14. At no point is that narrow age range explained, and it matters a lot, later. Martin, the central character, had been raised on an isolated island by a crackpot father. Others had their own back stories, equally odd. Each of these kids is good at something, but not necessarily something that will help them survive. Also, a couple of them are...um...insane?
Okay, so let's set aside the practical parts. Does it work as fantasy? Sort of. I was engrossed enough to read straight through, but found the results to be good, rather than great. The final explanation given of why certain kids ended up surviving the disappearance just didn't work, and some of the elements have to be accepted as "because the author said so," which is not a good thing.
The Machine, which is a key plot element, began to annoy me, as did the main character's attitudes about it. As the story progresses, there's also an element of guilt, because someone CAUSED the disappearance. The author glosses over this, but that pretty much wrecked the world, maybe permanently. By the end, you realize that the causal loop is even loopier than most
I liked the characters much more than the story. They were distinctive and quirky and fun to read about. They just wouldn't have survived, as a group. It felt like I was reading a middle school remake of Gilligan's Island, but with a more serious goal.
So, I liked it the writing and the characters, but not the overall result, if that makes sense. The main character, Martin, was hard to care about, because he had been raised so much in isolation that he didn't even react in ways that the reader could view as human, in many cases. It felt like he was mimicking human behavior, rather than living it. The side characters were great, though, and I found myself identifying with them far more than with Martin.
May 15, 2016
4.1/5
Yorumu için: http://kronikokur.blogspot.com.tr/201...
Yorumu için: http://kronikokur.blogspot.com.tr/201...
January 13, 2012
Well, that came together quite nicely.
I’ve come to the conclusion that there are two types of readers: those who like a straightforward story firmly based in the rules of standard plotting and those who enjoy feeling off-balance as they puzzle through strange pieces of information parceled out in bits. I don’t just mean the challenge of solving a mystery or the surprise of a twist ending, but of having no real idea just what the book is about or where it’s going, of having to figure out the very rules of reality in an unknown, possibly fantastical setting, of not knowing whether you can trust anything an unreliable narrator says, of swimming in ambiguity and uncertainty and the unknown. If I’m succeeding with this review, you should have an idea which camp you fall into by now based on whether you’re intrigued to know what I’m doing or frustrated at having to read a book review that has yet to mention the book.
And you’ve probably guessed that this book is most likely going to frustrate the one group and delight the other.
We don’t know why, but Martin’s dad has raised Martin in isolation, the two of them living alone on an island, having no contact whatsoever with the few outsiders they occasionally see in the distance. We don’t know why, but, just before Martin’s eleventh birthday, everyone in the world disappears--although we don’t really see the extent of the disappearance until two years later, when Martin finally decides to venture forth from his island to explore the mainland. We don’t know why, but Martin finally wanders into a village of forty other youths his age who have spent the past couple of years trying to rebuild some kind of civilization and community. They are a strange group with strange dynamics, dynamics so delicate that the arrival of someone new for the first time in over a year can throw everything off kilter quite easily. Martin doesn’t know much about the world or interacting with others, and neither do we since this isn’t a world any of us knows.
But it was fun following Martin as things unfolded and finally getting to make sense of what was going on. This, as the cover blurb by James Dashner says, is a unique and captivating journey.
I’ve come to the conclusion that there are two types of readers: those who like a straightforward story firmly based in the rules of standard plotting and those who enjoy feeling off-balance as they puzzle through strange pieces of information parceled out in bits. I don’t just mean the challenge of solving a mystery or the surprise of a twist ending, but of having no real idea just what the book is about or where it’s going, of having to figure out the very rules of reality in an unknown, possibly fantastical setting, of not knowing whether you can trust anything an unreliable narrator says, of swimming in ambiguity and uncertainty and the unknown. If I’m succeeding with this review, you should have an idea which camp you fall into by now based on whether you’re intrigued to know what I’m doing or frustrated at having to read a book review that has yet to mention the book.
And you’ve probably guessed that this book is most likely going to frustrate the one group and delight the other.
We don’t know why, but Martin’s dad has raised Martin in isolation, the two of them living alone on an island, having no contact whatsoever with the few outsiders they occasionally see in the distance. We don’t know why, but, just before Martin’s eleventh birthday, everyone in the world disappears--although we don’t really see the extent of the disappearance until two years later, when Martin finally decides to venture forth from his island to explore the mainland. We don’t know why, but Martin finally wanders into a village of forty other youths his age who have spent the past couple of years trying to rebuild some kind of civilization and community. They are a strange group with strange dynamics, dynamics so delicate that the arrival of someone new for the first time in over a year can throw everything off kilter quite easily. Martin doesn’t know much about the world or interacting with others, and neither do we since this isn’t a world any of us knows.
But it was fun following Martin as things unfolded and finally getting to make sense of what was going on. This, as the cover blurb by James Dashner says, is a unique and captivating journey.
October 15, 2013
Who are the alternate narrators?
This very dark Sci-Fi novel for middle-grades offers several intriguing concepts. The protagonist is engaging, the plot is interesting, and the writing-style is okay. The final understanding of the machine's true purpose and (best part!) the machine's actual effect on the entire plot sequence was quite well-crafted. Perfect amount of foreshadowing, excellent pacing.
Here's where the author started to lose me: Who in their right mind would like ? Not Martin! I'm just not buying it. He's too mature, too much of a thinker, too analytical, too empathetic! He's not going to suddenly evolve from that consistent character into, "Huh... She's a cruel and controlling bitch. She's bullying the other kids. I think I like her!" I'm sorry, just not happening!
Allow me to digress a little. While recovering from pneumonia, I've been reading only children's books for the past three weeks. The day before starting The Only Ones, I had just finished Rob Buyea's Because of Mr. Terupt. Mr Buyea's novel (which is both aimed at and about fifth graders) features a unique, thoughtful and effective passage about dealing with bullies. About how we should stand up for each other, help support each other against bullies. Now, going straight from that into Mr. Starmer's, "She's bullying the other kids! Think I'll be her new best friend!!! Yay!!!" (Yes, of course, I'm exaggerating. But that is, in essence, what we have here.) Again, I'm just not buying it. Started to lose respect for the novel right there.
Here's where the author really alienated me: Don't set me up through the entire novel with the occasional mysterious "others" narrator (the adults, observers, aliens, whatever) and then never give any hint to an explanation!
Readers, I invite your thoughts... I think it's possible I've simply missed something. Help! Who are these alternate narrators?
This very dark Sci-Fi novel for middle-grades offers several intriguing concepts. The protagonist is engaging, the plot is interesting, and the writing-style is okay. The final understanding of the machine's true purpose and (best part!) the machine's actual effect on the entire plot sequence was quite well-crafted. Perfect amount of foreshadowing, excellent pacing.
Here's where the author started to lose me: Who in their right mind would like ? Not Martin! I'm just not buying it. He's too mature, too much of a thinker, too analytical, too empathetic! He's not going to suddenly evolve from that consistent character into, "Huh... She's a cruel and controlling bitch. She's bullying the other kids. I think I like her!" I'm sorry, just not happening!
Allow me to digress a little. While recovering from pneumonia, I've been reading only children's books for the past three weeks. The day before starting The Only Ones, I had just finished Rob Buyea's Because of Mr. Terupt. Mr Buyea's novel (which is both aimed at and about fifth graders) features a unique, thoughtful and effective passage about dealing with bullies. About how we should stand up for each other, help support each other against bullies. Now, going straight from that into Mr. Starmer's, "She's bullying the other kids! Think I'll be her new best friend!!! Yay!!!" (Yes, of course, I'm exaggerating. But that is, in essence, what we have here.) Again, I'm just not buying it. Started to lose respect for the novel right there.
Here's where the author really alienated me: Don't set me up through the entire novel with the occasional mysterious "others" narrator (the adults, observers, aliens, whatever) and then never give any hint to an explanation!
Readers, I invite your thoughts... I think it's possible I've simply missed something. Help! Who are these alternate narrators?
January 6, 2012
Ok. I slept on this book and I still don't understand it. I can't wrap my head around how that machine worked. I am going to give it to one of the most intellectual students over the weekend and make him read it. He will love it- LOVE it, I know. Then, he can explain it to me on Monday and I will stop scratching my head.
Other than my complete lack of understanding of the theory of relativity...
This is a great coming of age story- it is not often we get a boy main character who we watch grow up and mature. It is a book that will make kids question their character- "What would I do in that situation?" It's a great book for kids who love survival, time travel or science fiction. The characters were very developed and could be used in a study of character. It would also be a great text for making predictions. I would pair it with The Girl Who Owned The City.
Other than my complete lack of understanding of the theory of relativity...
This is a great coming of age story- it is not often we get a boy main character who we watch grow up and mature. It is a book that will make kids question their character- "What would I do in that situation?" It's a great book for kids who love survival, time travel or science fiction. The characters were very developed and could be used in a study of character. It would also be a great text for making predictions. I would pair it with The Girl Who Owned The City.
August 1, 2017
This was...so odd. Just such a weird book. I am trying to think of books I've read that I could compare it to but there aren't any. I still liked it though.
Likes:
It was entertaining and the writing was pretty.
Martin was likeable. Simple and polite and innocent.
The story was super weird and unlike any I've heard before.
Surprising plot points.
Dislikes:
Tons of unanswered questions at the end.
The characters were one-dimensional so you didn't really get to know any of them.
I still don't understand the weird little conversation at the beginning?
Some of it just doesn't add up due to very little world building.
I think I want answers but maybe the book was just written to be eerie and weird not to make sense. It was like watching a 90's suspense movie.
Likes:
It was entertaining and the writing was pretty.
Martin was likeable. Simple and polite and innocent.
The story was super weird and unlike any I've heard before.
Surprising plot points.
Dislikes:
Tons of unanswered questions at the end.
The characters were one-dimensional so you didn't really get to know any of them.
I still don't understand the weird little conversation at the beginning?
Some of it just doesn't add up due to very little world building.
I think I want answers but maybe the book was just written to be eerie and weird not to make sense. It was like watching a 90's suspense movie.
November 3, 2017
ne olacak, insanlar dönecekmi? nasıl dönecek? makina işe yarayacakmı? Martin annesine ve babasına kavuşacak mı? derken kitap bitti. güzel bitti.
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April 25, 2018Book Review
The title of my book is The Cellar the author of my book is Natasha Preston.The lexile level is 570L.This book is about a girl named Summer and she gets kidnapped by a man that is trying to start a family by kidnapping girls and locking them in a cellar in his home he renames the girls by the names of flowers.
The theme of my book is Don’t give up because these girls are trapped in a cellar but they still think of ways to get out they have tried different ways but they didn’t ever really secede so they thought of new ways to try and get out.
I definitely recommend this book because it is a book that will keep you flipping the pages like you will not want to stop reading it’s just so good.It also was so good because it was like a movie playing through my mind.I also liked it because it was not to easy or too hard to read it was just right and I loved that.I really liked the ending of the book to because the girls got found down in the cellar it was awesome!
The title of my book is The Cellar the author of my book is Natasha Preston.The lexile level is 570L.This book is about a girl named Summer and she gets kidnapped by a man that is trying to start a family by kidnapping girls and locking them in a cellar in his home he renames the girls by the names of flowers.
The theme of my book is Don’t give up because these girls are trapped in a cellar but they still think of ways to get out they have tried different ways but they didn’t ever really secede so they thought of new ways to try and get out.
I definitely recommend this book because it is a book that will keep you flipping the pages like you will not want to stop reading it’s just so good.It also was so good because it was like a movie playing through my mind.I also liked it because it was not to easy or too hard to read it was just right and I loved that.I really liked the ending of the book to because the girls got found down in the cellar it was awesome!
September 6, 2011
I got an advanced reading copy of this book from the publisher. I loved the synopsis of the book and was excited to read it. It was an excellent middle grade post-apocalyptic read full of mystery.
Martin Maple lives with his dad on a small island. Him and his dad work on building a machine when it is not summer; when it is summer they deal with the various tourists that show up. That is until one day Martin's dad sails away and is never seen again...and the tourists stop coming. After living a couple of years all by himself on the island Martin decides to go inland where he finds an abandoned earth and the town of Xibalba. Xibalba is run by a bunch of pre-teen kids. All the kids are exceptionally good at something and none of them really miss the rest of humanity. It will be up to Martin to point them towards a higher cause and to help them discover what really happened on Earth and what if it could be fixed?
This was a wonderful book. At first you don't even know it is about the world ending as we know it. Martin is so secluded he doesn't know the difference between humanity being there and not being there. It's an interesting concept and well done in this book.
The town of Xibalba is also an interesting concept. The idea of only children (pre-teens) being left to run things isn't a new one. But the idea that each child left behind is a genius in one particular area is interesting. Add to this the fact that each of the children is interested in their special area so exclusively that a lack of a world and other humans doesn't affect them all that much and the story is even more interesting.
I loved some of the mystery of the history of Xibalba and how Martin had to hunt deeply to piece together all the little clues that he was finding. This story is more of a mystery than anything else. There is some magic and some science fiction, but that takes a back seat to the mystery itself.
The book was very engaging and well written. The mystery behind what happened to Earth really propels the story forward.
Even though I enjoyed that story a lot, there were a few things that I had some issues with as well. First of all Martin lived on the island for over a year all by himself? How did he get food and fresh water? It was something that was glossed over for Martin, but then when you get to Xibalba this issue is dealt with in detail. I would have liked at least a passing comment on how Martin survived all that time. Secondly the characters are never all that engaging; they are okay and some of them are interesting but I never really felt all that involved with them or drawn to them.
The final issue is the ending of the book. When everything is explained about what happened to Earth and how it will be fixed, well, it was kind of confusing and convoluted. I kind of understood what happened, but I had some trouble really picturing it and wished that it had been explained with more clarity.
The book ended well and seems very contained. I would be interested in reading more about Martin, but given the ending I doubt there will be more stories featuring him.
Overall a very good middle grade read. There is a little magic and a little science fiction here, but at its heart this story is a mystery and a very good one. The idea of a town run by children geniuses is intriguing and interesting. The book was generally well-written and engaging. I had some trouble with the inconsistencies around survival issues and none of the characters really captured my heart, but overall it's a great read. This would be a wonderful read to introduce kids to the idea of post-apocalyptic fiction in a way that is subtle and not too scary. Fans of well written mysteries with a little magic and sci-fi should look here. Fans of post-apocalyptic fiction with a more subtle touch to it and a lot of mystery should also give this book a read.
Martin Maple lives with his dad on a small island. Him and his dad work on building a machine when it is not summer; when it is summer they deal with the various tourists that show up. That is until one day Martin's dad sails away and is never seen again...and the tourists stop coming. After living a couple of years all by himself on the island Martin decides to go inland where he finds an abandoned earth and the town of Xibalba. Xibalba is run by a bunch of pre-teen kids. All the kids are exceptionally good at something and none of them really miss the rest of humanity. It will be up to Martin to point them towards a higher cause and to help them discover what really happened on Earth and what if it could be fixed?
This was a wonderful book. At first you don't even know it is about the world ending as we know it. Martin is so secluded he doesn't know the difference between humanity being there and not being there. It's an interesting concept and well done in this book.
The town of Xibalba is also an interesting concept. The idea of only children (pre-teens) being left to run things isn't a new one. But the idea that each child left behind is a genius in one particular area is interesting. Add to this the fact that each of the children is interested in their special area so exclusively that a lack of a world and other humans doesn't affect them all that much and the story is even more interesting.
I loved some of the mystery of the history of Xibalba and how Martin had to hunt deeply to piece together all the little clues that he was finding. This story is more of a mystery than anything else. There is some magic and some science fiction, but that takes a back seat to the mystery itself.
The book was very engaging and well written. The mystery behind what happened to Earth really propels the story forward.
Even though I enjoyed that story a lot, there were a few things that I had some issues with as well. First of all Martin lived on the island for over a year all by himself? How did he get food and fresh water? It was something that was glossed over for Martin, but then when you get to Xibalba this issue is dealt with in detail. I would have liked at least a passing comment on how Martin survived all that time. Secondly the characters are never all that engaging; they are okay and some of them are interesting but I never really felt all that involved with them or drawn to them.
The final issue is the ending of the book. When everything is explained about what happened to Earth and how it will be fixed, well, it was kind of confusing and convoluted. I kind of understood what happened, but I had some trouble really picturing it and wished that it had been explained with more clarity.
The book ended well and seems very contained. I would be interested in reading more about Martin, but given the ending I doubt there will be more stories featuring him.
Overall a very good middle grade read. There is a little magic and a little science fiction here, but at its heart this story is a mystery and a very good one. The idea of a town run by children geniuses is intriguing and interesting. The book was generally well-written and engaging. I had some trouble with the inconsistencies around survival issues and none of the characters really captured my heart, but overall it's a great read. This would be a wonderful read to introduce kids to the idea of post-apocalyptic fiction in a way that is subtle and not too scary. Fans of well written mysteries with a little magic and sci-fi should look here. Fans of post-apocalyptic fiction with a more subtle touch to it and a lot of mystery should also give this book a read.
January 31, 2021
This probably would have been my favorite book in middle school.
Grown-ups disappear and children have to survive on their own. They do an astonishingly good job at it and create their own society. There's a big mystery with lots of mysterious clues and revelations. There's high-stakes and dramatic action. It's fast-paced and readable.
I'm not sure the ending really makes sense, but that's fine. It's satisfying and cool, so that's what counts.
Perfect for fans of Margaret Peterson Haddix.
Grown-ups disappear and children have to survive on their own. They do an astonishingly good job at it and create their own society. There's a big mystery with lots of mysterious clues and revelations. There's high-stakes and dramatic action. It's fast-paced and readable.
I'm not sure the ending really makes sense, but that's fine. It's satisfying and cool, so that's what counts.
Perfect for fans of Margaret Peterson Haddix.
January 16, 2012
The characters in The Only Ones by Aaron Starmer have to face things that would scare the crap out of anyone. What would you do if everyone around you suddenly disappeared? I don’t mean just the people you know. I mean everyone. Martin Maple has always lived a mostly solitary life – so it takes him awhile to fully understand the significance of being completely alone. When he begins his travels to the only place left in the world with living people, he has no idea what is coming.
Before I go any further, I just have to say one thing. Internet made with wood and string. You guys! How incredibly awesome is that? A kid in The Only Ones makes a form of the internet with wood tablets connected by string. I almost swooned with the creativity of it all. Very cool.
The Only Ones takes on the form of post-apocalyptic fable. Sometimes I felt a lack of connection to the characters. I never lost interest in the plot – but the characters added more quirkiness and creativity to the story than actual people to root for. Normally I would find this a deal breaker – but Aaron Starmer has created something really special here, y’all. Despite the fact that I never fell for Martin or any of the people in his life, I completely fell for The Only Ones.
Despite the faults, I found it to be a celebration of reading. Definitely a book to pick up for every book lover! Check out the description of Martin Marple discovering reading for the first time:
It became an addiction. At first he took one book a night…but after a couple of weeks, he was demanding three or four. All day he would sit on the rock outcropping and read about pirates and doctors and magicians and lots of people who kissed and lots of people who killed and lots of people whose lives changed in an instant. As far as Martin was concerned, all the books were classics, because they were all full of such surprises. They distracted him from life.
Seriously. The cleverness, originality and imagination of Aaron Starmer staggers me. The Only Ones might be odd. It might be hard to completely process it all. But it is an incredible story.
I highly recommend that you take this journey with Martin (and his mysterious machine)!
Before I go any further, I just have to say one thing. Internet made with wood and string. You guys! How incredibly awesome is that? A kid in The Only Ones makes a form of the internet with wood tablets connected by string. I almost swooned with the creativity of it all. Very cool.
The Only Ones takes on the form of post-apocalyptic fable. Sometimes I felt a lack of connection to the characters. I never lost interest in the plot – but the characters added more quirkiness and creativity to the story than actual people to root for. Normally I would find this a deal breaker – but Aaron Starmer has created something really special here, y’all. Despite the fact that I never fell for Martin or any of the people in his life, I completely fell for The Only Ones.
Despite the faults, I found it to be a celebration of reading. Definitely a book to pick up for every book lover! Check out the description of Martin Marple discovering reading for the first time:
It became an addiction. At first he took one book a night…but after a couple of weeks, he was demanding three or four. All day he would sit on the rock outcropping and read about pirates and doctors and magicians and lots of people who kissed and lots of people who killed and lots of people whose lives changed in an instant. As far as Martin was concerned, all the books were classics, because they were all full of such surprises. They distracted him from life.
Seriously. The cleverness, originality and imagination of Aaron Starmer staggers me. The Only Ones might be odd. It might be hard to completely process it all. But it is an incredible story.
I highly recommend that you take this journey with Martin (and his mysterious machine)!
September 12, 2012
I came across this book first by browsing through the goodreads giveaways a while back. I didn't win, but it remained on my "to read" list. When I was in the library last, it was displayed on one of the tables and I remembered the cover and snagged it up with the rest of the books. I am so glad that I did. A book that definitely has some "Lord of the Flies" like moments as we follow the story of a few children who are left alone in the world. The book is very intriguing and to me was definitely a page turner. The story is fantastic and the characters are well developed. For one who is interested in Einstein and his theory of relativity, the book was especially enjoyable. Funny enough, the book I read just previous to this book was "Einstein's Dreams." The main character, Martin, was very easy to relate to and I think just about everyone could. Martin is great at building things, loves to read books, is a little socially inept, faces being alone, deals with new friendships, and learns how to adapt while staying true to who he is. The book has a great mystery about it and the writing is excellent. The book includes some very clever ideas (love Felix's "Internet") and the city of Xibalba and its residents will definitely keep you entertained. I highly recommend you read it and that is How Lou Sees It! www.howlouseesit.blogspot.com
September 24, 2015
4.5 stars
I love kid books. They're often whimsical, and cute, and perfect. This was whimsical, confusing, and perfect.
First of all Martin is one of my favorite characters of all time. There's something so refreshing about his innocent honesty and lack of humor. He's smart, but not a know it all. He's imaginative, but not insane. He's just so cute I want to hug him and have only good things happen to him for forever.
The other characters were cool and wacky in their own little kid way. I liked them, and I liked how they all interacted with each other.
The storyline was confusing at first but in a good way where you really don't know what's happening but whatever it is you like it.
The only reason it gets half a star off is because I wasn't completely on board with the explanation for "the Day" and all that, but other than that I thought the science fiction aspect was really cool. Especially because I thought it was another dystopian type thing not a scifi thing, so I was pleasantly surprised.
Don't let the fact that this is a middle grade turn you away, it's actually really interesting and unique and now I just want a little kid I can read this to so it will be their favorite book. (And so I can read it again.)
I love kid books. They're often whimsical, and cute, and perfect. This was whimsical, confusing, and perfect.
First of all Martin is one of my favorite characters of all time. There's something so refreshing about his innocent honesty and lack of humor. He's smart, but not a know it all. He's imaginative, but not insane. He's just so cute I want to hug him and have only good things happen to him for forever.
The other characters were cool and wacky in their own little kid way. I liked them, and I liked how they all interacted with each other.
The storyline was confusing at first but in a good way where you really don't know what's happening but whatever it is you like it.
The only reason it gets half a star off is because I wasn't completely on board with the explanation for "the Day" and all that, but other than that I thought the science fiction aspect was really cool. Especially because I thought it was another dystopian type thing not a scifi thing, so I was pleasantly surprised.
Don't let the fact that this is a middle grade turn you away, it's actually really interesting and unique and now I just want a little kid I can read this to so it will be their favorite book. (And so I can read it again.)
October 27, 2012
Martin is a young boy who, by no fault of his own, is left completely alone to try to understand the world. He reads everything he can get his hands on, and then ventures out into the real world, only to discover that he is far more alone than he thought.
He juggles meeting new and very different people, solving a problem that hasn't been defined and leading a group of teens that have settled into a "Lord of the Flies" situation that Martin is most definately not prepared for.
I dither between three and four stars for this book. It was a challenge to read, in that the plot doesn't have many expected twists and you are left asking questions even after the book is finished. I struggled with the initial chapters, finding it hard to get and stay engaged. But by the end I could not put it down.
He juggles meeting new and very different people, solving a problem that hasn't been defined and leading a group of teens that have settled into a "Lord of the Flies" situation that Martin is most definately not prepared for.
I dither between three and four stars for this book. It was a challenge to read, in that the plot doesn't have many expected twists and you are left asking questions even after the book is finished. I struggled with the initial chapters, finding it hard to get and stay engaged. But by the end I could not put it down.
May 9, 2016
It was good, up until the ending when it was resolved how the machine worked.
The sad part is, it was hard to put the book down because it was written in a very intriguing, enigmatic matter up until the ending, and then it all turned out to be a waste of time. If you're willing to completely suspend your disbelief, it's fine, but for me... are just my biggest pet peeve in fiction.
The sad part is, it was hard to put the book down because it was written in a very intriguing, enigmatic matter up until the ending, and then it all turned out to be a waste of time. If you're willing to completely suspend your disbelief, it's fine, but for me... are just my biggest pet peeve in fiction.
December 22, 2011
I liked the premise, once I had finished and realized what the premise was, but overall, I did not find this book to be a particularly enjoyable read. The characters felt shallow–I knew some basic characteristics about all of them, but nothing really about what they felt or thought. I disliked almost all of them, and found it confusing when the narrative made it clear that I was meant to be sympathizing with some of them. Points that I felt were interesting (like the tame animals for instance) were not explored enough. I think, really, I wanted to be drawn in more than I was for the first three quarters of the book to justify making it to the end.
July 30, 2012
Interesting premise - one day, everyone disappears except for a group of about 40 kids. Somehow (and at some point, my willing suspension of disbelief disappears) they find each other from around the country and settle into one town. The book jacket describes this scenario as whimsical. No. Kids shooting kids, sadistic kids, strange kids, and science that doesn't make sense does not equal whimsical. I don't recommend, but I did finish it, so two stars it is.
October 24, 2011
Parts of this were really great, while other parts were mind numbingly boring. I found myself not really connecting with the protagonist, and many of the ancillary characters remained underdeveloped, left merely to operate as stereotypes. I did enjoy the Lord of the Flies vibe.
May 7, 2015
A group of children are the only ones left after everyone else in the world suddenly disappears.
The basic idea / plot for this book was reasonable (and may have worked very well as a short story) but the pace was simply too slow and the writing / characters were flat.
The basic idea / plot for this book was reasonable (and may have worked very well as a short story) but the pace was simply too slow and the writing / characters were flat.
June 30, 2024
i was rereading this book again after a while and i realized i based my whole personality on a girl from a childrens book i first read 8 years ago. tag yourself as a aaron starmer character, i guess, because i'm darla!
June 1, 2021
Not what I thought when I purchased this years ago. Fun little world, 3.5 stars but rounded up for being a quick read. Yearling imprint always reminders me of some of the fun reading rabbit holes I went down in my younger years.
“Magic, then,” his father said. “It’s going to help us start over. That’s all you need to know. Life is a path, Martin, and you follow it. Sometimes you follow it blind. Maps are for doubters, and I raised a believer.” P. 8-9
“Then again, Kelvin’s skinny body didn’t seem a big enough place for lies.” P.35
“You don’t have to see ghosts, you know, to believe in them. You only have to feel them.” P.77
“You’re the only kid in the world who wants to do something big. There must be a reason why that is. If I hitch myself to your post, things will happen to me. Things I can’t do for myself. Even when this machine doesn’t work.” P.124
“Stuff, that’s all it is. It burns, or you lose it, or you forget about it. If you wanted to tie it into some grand plan of fate and destiny, be my guest. Believing that sort of thing means you have to believe in the good and the bad, the victories in the disasters. It’s all equally profound. It’s all equally meaningless.” P.174
“Two others out there alone, one of them probably dead. Thirteen years of knowledge, some faith, and a machine. This was supposed to return things to the way they were?” P.198
“My father ran a circus, which is like a story, but it’s real, and it has animals and rides, and travels. So we were always on the road and that made me angry. One day, I decided to leave my father, and I haven’t seen him since.” P.248
“I remember that night months back, when he was alone on the ocean, rowing the boat away from his island. I remember thinking it on the mainland there was a world where all the books he had read porn. The books told stories, and the endings to the stories that still stuck with him weren’t always the ones filled with happiness. They were the ones that could end only one way.” P.300
“On the Day, every fish in the school but a hook and was pulled out of the water. But each book but each fish to a different moment in the future. The machines calendar sent to the day. So every time we use the machine, we drop one of those hooks to that exact moment in the past, and we hook one of those fishers and bring them to the present.” P.310
“Magic, then,” his father said. “It’s going to help us start over. That’s all you need to know. Life is a path, Martin, and you follow it. Sometimes you follow it blind. Maps are for doubters, and I raised a believer.” P. 8-9
“Then again, Kelvin’s skinny body didn’t seem a big enough place for lies.” P.35
“You don’t have to see ghosts, you know, to believe in them. You only have to feel them.” P.77
“You’re the only kid in the world who wants to do something big. There must be a reason why that is. If I hitch myself to your post, things will happen to me. Things I can’t do for myself. Even when this machine doesn’t work.” P.124
“Stuff, that’s all it is. It burns, or you lose it, or you forget about it. If you wanted to tie it into some grand plan of fate and destiny, be my guest. Believing that sort of thing means you have to believe in the good and the bad, the victories in the disasters. It’s all equally profound. It’s all equally meaningless.” P.174
“Two others out there alone, one of them probably dead. Thirteen years of knowledge, some faith, and a machine. This was supposed to return things to the way they were?” P.198
“My father ran a circus, which is like a story, but it’s real, and it has animals and rides, and travels. So we were always on the road and that made me angry. One day, I decided to leave my father, and I haven’t seen him since.” P.248
“I remember that night months back, when he was alone on the ocean, rowing the boat away from his island. I remember thinking it on the mainland there was a world where all the books he had read porn. The books told stories, and the endings to the stories that still stuck with him weren’t always the ones filled with happiness. They were the ones that could end only one way.” P.300
“On the Day, every fish in the school but a hook and was pulled out of the water. But each book but each fish to a different moment in the future. The machines calendar sent to the day. So every time we use the machine, we drop one of those hooks to that exact moment in the past, and we hook one of those fishers and bring them to the present.” P.310
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 9, 2017
If Lord of the Flies is a plausible comp title, maybe this shouldn't be shelved as children's fiction.
Okay, I thought this would go in a completely different direction, with Martin being some sort of misled Messiah figure (which I guess he is? but not as explicitly as I thought it'd be). <---Actually this could be a really convoluted jab at Christianity, which would be (even more) depressing.
The whole point of this book is the inevitability of fate. Nothing we do matters, because it's all written down. The future and the past are set, and we create and fix our problems in an unending cycle.
And I do think there's something with Martin as the Messiah.
I like Starmer's books because they say something. However, both this and The Riverman are depressing in their messages. I like the message in The Riverman because it's something that I can relate to, but I'm not sure I agree with this one as much- especially if I'm right about the Messiah elements.
Okay, I thought this would go in a completely different direction, with Martin being some sort of misled Messiah figure (which I guess he is? but not as explicitly as I thought it'd be). <---Actually this could be a really convoluted jab at Christianity, which would be (even more) depressing.
The whole point of this book is the inevitability of fate. Nothing we do matters, because it's all written down. The future and the past are set, and we create and fix our problems in an unending cycle.
And I do think there's something with Martin as the Messiah.
I like Starmer's books because they say something. However, both this and The Riverman are depressing in their messages. I like the message in The Riverman because it's something that I can relate to, but I'm not sure I agree with this one as much- especially if I'm right about the Messiah elements.
January 27, 2019
No one I follow on GoodReads has read this, so I had no trusted reviews to go off of before reading.
SPOILER FREE! KEEP READING:
Martin Maple and his Father live on a small island and are building a mysterious machine. His father leaves the island to find the last piece of the machine and promises Martin that he will return by Martins 11th birthday.
He doesn’t. And what’s stranger is that the few residents of the island and “summer people” who came to visit are gone as well.
Martin waits about two years (breaking into the uninhabited homes, eating their food, and reading their books) then sets out to find his father and others.
That’s all I will give you in order to keep this review spoiler free!
I really enjoyed this middle grade book! There was no sex. A couple deaths. A mild love interest. Weird people. Weird events. Enough action to keep me entertained. This would be a fun car trip audiobook for the family.
Thank you Kelly for sending me this book!
SPOILER FREE! KEEP READING:
Martin Maple and his Father live on a small island and are building a mysterious machine. His father leaves the island to find the last piece of the machine and promises Martin that he will return by Martins 11th birthday.
He doesn’t. And what’s stranger is that the few residents of the island and “summer people” who came to visit are gone as well.
Martin waits about two years (breaking into the uninhabited homes, eating their food, and reading their books) then sets out to find his father and others.
That’s all I will give you in order to keep this review spoiler free!
I really enjoyed this middle grade book! There was no sex. A couple deaths. A mild love interest. Weird people. Weird events. Enough action to keep me entertained. This would be a fun car trip audiobook for the family.
Thank you Kelly for sending me this book!
January 14, 2025
I've always been fascinated by the messy plots of time travel and time loops. This was a really interesting take on that I hadn't seen before. I find the idea of time loops inherently broken — it may be interesting, but it would never work — but this one actually made sense. A fascinating book, that sucked me in, not because of suspense, but to know why. And it doesn't tell why you until right at the end. There are still a number of whys and hows the book left unanswered. Hell, the ending wasn't actually the end of the story, but it was still a satisfying ending. This is a brilliant novel, utterly brilliant. One of my favorite parts was about how Felix rebuilt the Internet using blocks of wood connected by string. The story seems to ponder the ideas of fate, destiny, and predestination, and ultimately concludes — what does it matter? Just do what you should do.
March 26, 2019
It was an okay reading.
The premise is good, although the development is really uneventful. It has this misterious aura going on, complemented by some weird described dialogues between characters. It shows some wow! here and there, but other than that it's really not that exciting.
The characters are uncharismatic, bidimentional and you don't really care abou them. The MC, especially.
The conclusion is again, another thing that frustrated me. I know that you don't really need to go too complex when you're writing time travel plot in a kid's book, but come on. Summoning people and all that and not one single consequence?
The writing makes the story flows tho
The premise is good, although the development is really uneventful. It has this misterious aura going on, complemented by some weird described dialogues between characters. It shows some wow! here and there, but other than that it's really not that exciting.
The characters are uncharismatic, bidimentional and you don't really care abou them. The MC, especially.
The conclusion is again, another thing that frustrated me. I know that you don't really need to go too complex when you're writing time travel plot in a kid's book, but come on. Summoning people and all that and not one single consequence?
The writing makes the story flows tho
April 12, 2021
5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“As far as Martin was concerned, all the books were classics, because they were all full of such surprises. They distracted him from life.”
“From the books, he came to realize that the world had plenty of joy in it, but also some terrible things. Bombs that wiped out cities. Savage landscapes full of people willing to fight you at the drop of a hat. Diseases and vengeful gods and science gone mad. Whether it was fiction didn’t matter.”
As books should, this book does distract you from life and it’s really good. It’s a book about books for the most part and that’s all you could ask for in a book.
“As far as Martin was concerned, all the books were classics, because they were all full of such surprises. They distracted him from life.”
“From the books, he came to realize that the world had plenty of joy in it, but also some terrible things. Bombs that wiped out cities. Savage landscapes full of people willing to fight you at the drop of a hat. Diseases and vengeful gods and science gone mad. Whether it was fiction didn’t matter.”
As books should, this book does distract you from life and it’s really good. It’s a book about books for the most part and that’s all you could ask for in a book.
October 26, 2017
I bought this book at a local dollar store a couple years ago and it sat on a shelf collecting dust until a few days ago when I finally decided to read some of my older books. I bought it mostly because I was drawn to the cover but I found the synopsis intreging as well. I just wish I hadn't waited so long to read it, I loved every page of this book and I wish this was a series. I want to know more about Martin and his father and mother. A prequel of some kind would also be amazing. In any case I'm so glad I decided to pick this book up! 📚
March 13, 2018
My son read this book, not me. He liked it, but I want to let parents know that he seemed really taken aback by the violence in the book. His comment to me when I asked how the book was was . He also wanted to go through the book to show me some other parts that bothered him. He just turned 10, has been watching all 6 Harry Potter movies since age 7 without flinching, and has read many pretty intense books--this is the first time he's commented like this. I think younger readers should approach the book with some care.
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