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The Zoo at the Edge of the World
A timeless, complex story about a young boy, his father, and the the world that comes between them, from the author of The Bully Book.
Marlin is not slow or mute; what he is is a stutterer, and that makes it impossible for him to convince people otherwise. What he is also is a the youngest son of the world-famous explorer Roland Rackham, renowned for his daring exploits on the dark continents, taming wild beasts, and filling in the blank spaces on the map. Roland is the owner and proprietor of the Zoo at the Edge of the World, a resort where the well-to-do from all over the world can come to experience the last bit of the wild left in the world in the mid-nineteenth century. For Roland, each day is a new opportunity to cast a light into the dark recesses of the world; for Marlin, each day is a to speak, to communicate, to live up to the lofty expectations that his family name carries. This isn’t easy when the only people who understand him are his father and his pet monkey.
In order to impress a powerful duke who comes to visit the Zoo, Marlin’s father ventures into the jungle and brings back a mysterious black jaguar, now the only one in captivity. Everyone is terrified of the jaguar, including Marlin—until one night, when the jaguar confers upon him a powerful gift. Soon Marlin finds himself with a difficult choice to make and, finally, something to say. If only he can figure out how to say it.
Marlin is not slow or mute; what he is is a stutterer, and that makes it impossible for him to convince people otherwise. What he is also is a the youngest son of the world-famous explorer Roland Rackham, renowned for his daring exploits on the dark continents, taming wild beasts, and filling in the blank spaces on the map. Roland is the owner and proprietor of the Zoo at the Edge of the World, a resort where the well-to-do from all over the world can come to experience the last bit of the wild left in the world in the mid-nineteenth century. For Roland, each day is a new opportunity to cast a light into the dark recesses of the world; for Marlin, each day is a to speak, to communicate, to live up to the lofty expectations that his family name carries. This isn’t easy when the only people who understand him are his father and his pet monkey.
In order to impress a powerful duke who comes to visit the Zoo, Marlin’s father ventures into the jungle and brings back a mysterious black jaguar, now the only one in captivity. Everyone is terrified of the jaguar, including Marlin—until one night, when the jaguar confers upon him a powerful gift. Soon Marlin finds himself with a difficult choice to make and, finally, something to say. If only he can figure out how to say it.
198 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 26, 2014
29 people are currently reading
1587 people want to read
About the author
Eric Kahn Gale
11 books133 followersIn my fiction, I am channeling life experience into an abstracted reality.
In my nonfiction, I am writing factual stories about the real-life, magical holiday character in charge of birthdays: Professor Birthday.
I'm a proud dog dad and aspiring human dad.
In my nonfiction, I am writing factual stories about the real-life, magical holiday character in charge of birthdays: Professor Birthday.
I'm a proud dog dad and aspiring human dad.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 199 reviews
June 24, 2019
Marlin Rackham stutters. And he is completely fed up with people assuming because he stumbles over his words that he must also be stupid. But Marlin is a Rackham....and Rackhams power through even the most difficult of experiences. Marlin's father is famous. Roland Rackham is an adventurer, famous for his exploration of dangerous places and his capture of many dangerous animals. He now runs the Zoo at the Edge of the World, a resort for the wealthy to come and see exotic animals. This story tells of a strange and scary week at the zoo. Marlin's father captures a Jaguar. Not only is the Jaguar fierce, but it also gives Marlin a gift. A gift that will change everything. Marlin's life will never be the same.
This is such a magical and interesting story! It was not what I expected. Much, much more going on in this tale than just a children's story. This book might be just a bit too intense for younger readers. It delves into some very dark subjects. It's not graphic....just a bit dark and has some moments of violence that might be too much for kids under 10.
I listened to the audio book version of this story (Recorded Books). Narrated by Julian Elfer, the audio is almost 5 hours long. Elfer gives a great performance. He reads at a nice pace and gives the characters/animals personality. Very entertaining listening experience. I have hearing loss but was easily able to hear and understand the entire book.
This is the first book by Eric Kahn Gale that I have read. He has written three other books for middle grade students, The Bully Book, The Wizard's Dog and The Wizard's Dog Fetches the Grail. I enjoyed The Zoo at the Edge of the World, so I have added these other 3 books to my TBR. Always up for a great children's story!
This is such a magical and interesting story! It was not what I expected. Much, much more going on in this tale than just a children's story. This book might be just a bit too intense for younger readers. It delves into some very dark subjects. It's not graphic....just a bit dark and has some moments of violence that might be too much for kids under 10.
I listened to the audio book version of this story (Recorded Books). Narrated by Julian Elfer, the audio is almost 5 hours long. Elfer gives a great performance. He reads at a nice pace and gives the characters/animals personality. Very entertaining listening experience. I have hearing loss but was easily able to hear and understand the entire book.
This is the first book by Eric Kahn Gale that I have read. He has written three other books for middle grade students, The Bully Book, The Wizard's Dog and The Wizard's Dog Fetches the Grail. I enjoyed The Zoo at the Edge of the World, so I have added these other 3 books to my TBR. Always up for a great children's story!
December 9, 2017
This book and everything in it was unnecessarily cruel. There was chance for a story like this to be heart wrenching and inspiring and fun, but every time there was a crossroads where someone could have chosen not to be a worthless sack, the author chose to go the worst, darkest, cruelest route. There were maybe two or three bit characters that weren't scraping the bottom of the barrel of humanity, but they were far outnumbered and outgunned. You don't have to like a character in order for a story to be good, but it's been a long time since a middle grade book was so relentlessly unpleasant. I read this book to the end because of the other good reviews and I'm angry I can't get that time back. I would give this less than one star if I could.
June 7, 2014
One of my favorite reads in a while! This setting was so evocative and the story reminiscent of both Rudyard Kipling's fables and The Life of Pi with a powerful message about the dangers of Imperialism and the difference between protecting and conquering that which we love. Completely different and completely wonderful.
April 3, 2020
“My name? [...] Names are for men and their pets. I have my toes, my tongue, and my teeth. That’s all the name I need.”
(okay, this quote has nothing relevant to do with the plot of the book, but it’s probably my favourite, so there you go ~)
As a kid I used to adore and devour stories about children who could talk to animals. And so when I picked up this book, it was purely for the desire to experience that kind of adventure again and maybe to be brought ~ back to childhood ~ again. And so, here we are.
I've decided to give this book 3,75*, because though I really enjoyed this book a whole lot, there were some things I didn't like/agree with.
So, what is this book about?
The Zoo at the Edge of the World is a middle-grade novel about a 12-ish year old boy Marlin, whose father, Ronan Rackham, owns a zoo in South America at the end of the 19th century. It is a resort where people come from far and wide to experience 6 days in the wilderness of jungle without having to actually leave the safety and luxury of the resort. The animals there were either bought from other places, or the great Ronan Rackham, a well-known adventurer and a legend, caught them himself in the jungle and brought to the zoo. And one day, he manages to catch a jaguar. Which, depending on whom you ask, ends up being either the worst or the best thing he could have done.
Marlin has an extremely bad stutter that renders him almost mute when around people who don’t have enough patience with him. Which as it turns out, is most of the people he comes across. Because of his stutter, people tend to underestimate him, and he is bullied on the daily basis by both his older brother Tim, and most of the zoo staff. The only time he doesn’t stutter is when he talks to the animal occupants of the zoo. Unfortunately, the animals are not able to talk back. Or are they?
The Plot is fast paced and wonderfully engaging, and I found myself flying through the book. The chapters switch between chapters with plot and chapters where the reader is introduced to the wonders of the zoo by describing each day of the 6-day vacation, as if the reader was a guest at the zoo. Which was really interesting and a lot of fun to read.
From the characters , Marlin and his father are fleshed out and explored the most.
Marlin is an interesting character, because he is technically one of the people in charge of the zoo, being the son of Ronan, but also he is disrespected and ridiculed on daily basis. For the entirety of the story he is trying to prove himself to everyone and trying to help both opposing sides and to come up with a way to solve an unsolvable situation. He wants to make his father proud, but also to be on the good side of his animal friends. He wants to stop his father, but also stop the animals. And that’s a lot of pressure for a 12-ish year old.
Ronan Rackham, the father, turned out to be the most interesting character of the whole story. He, being a famous adventurer is a legend to people who heard about him. Everyone looks up to him, his sons included. But that’s from the point of the view of the humans. How is it from the point of view of those he captured and put into small cells to be ogled at for the rest of their lives? He encourages the animosity between his sons, he doesn’t stop those who bully his younger son, he’s overconfident and will not hear council of others. But he loves his sons, cares about the animals, and he cares about the jungle. He is not a great person, but he is a wonderful character. And he might even be one of my favourite parts of the story.
There’s not much to say about Tim. He’s a bully and that’s all there is to his character.
But shout-out to Olivia and Heppa for being the only 2 truly good people in the book.
Also Kenji. Can’t forget Kenji!
What I especially liked about this book was the absence of a clear villain. None of the main antagonists are completely bad. People are just being people, animals are just being animals. They both see the world from their own point of view and only their side of the story. Only Marlin, and the reader through him, can understand both, and I thought that was a really interesting take.
The relationships in my opinion could have been explored more deeply. The only relationship that really mattered to me (except maybe the friendship between Marlin and Kenji, because that was just the purest thing ever) was that between Marlin and his father. It had a great potential, especially considering Marlin and Ronan’s personalities, and views on the world and the zoo itself, but still it didn’t really get to be explored as much as I think it deserved to be.
Also, I found the romance quite unnecessary. I found no reason for it, it played no actual role, nor had it any actual importance to the plot. It also didn’t have any development at all, and I would have preferred it much more if the characters stayed friends. But of course, that’s just me.
The atmosphere of the resort was absolutely wonderful and it was extremely easy to get lost in the story. The in-between-plot chapters and the frequent pointing out of small details helped create the atmosphere so much, it almost fooled all of the senses and easily transported the reader right into the zoo. And it was a truly wonderful experience.
The book is written is first person from Marlin’s POV. Since it’s a middle grade story, the writing is easy, making the story a wonderfully quick read. It also is very vivid, doing a great job in enhancing the atmosphere.
Unfortunately, I didn’t completely enjoy the outcome of the book. Though I did like the plot twists, the ending of the story seemed inconclusive, and though the story’s main dispute was way too complex for a 12-ish year old boy to resolve, and so the ending may have been logical, I did find myself being a little disappointed.
In my opinion, this book is dark, brutal and rather too cruel at times for young readers, and for the middle grade genre in general, which I think is important to keep in mind when picking this book up.
However, one of the things I really did appreciate was the pointing out of the destruction that people cause to jungle forests. It’s one of the main things the reader is left thinking about after finishing the story, and I’m honestly very glad it does.
representation : main character with a speech disorder
content and trigger warnings : intense bullying, rasism against native people, blood, injury, fires, violence of animals against other animals, animals against people, and people against animals
As a kid I used to adore and devour stories about children who could talk to animals. And so when I picked up this book, it was purely for the desire to experience that kind of adventure again and maybe to be brought ~ back to childhood ~ again. And so, here we are.
I've decided to give this book 3,75*, because though I really enjoyed this book a whole lot, there were some things I didn't like/agree with.
So, what is this book about?
The Zoo at the Edge of the World is a middle-grade novel about a 12-ish year old boy Marlin, whose father, Ronan Rackham, owns a zoo in South America at the end of the 19th century. It is a resort where people come from far and wide to experience 6 days in the wilderness of jungle without having to actually leave the safety and luxury of the resort. The animals there were either bought from other places, or the great Ronan Rackham, a well-known adventurer and a legend, caught them himself in the jungle and brought to the zoo. And one day, he manages to catch a jaguar. Which, depending on whom you ask, ends up being either the worst or the best thing he could have done.
Marlin has an extremely bad stutter that renders him almost mute when around people who don’t have enough patience with him. Which as it turns out, is most of the people he comes across. Because of his stutter, people tend to underestimate him, and he is bullied on the daily basis by both his older brother Tim, and most of the zoo staff. The only time he doesn’t stutter is when he talks to the animal occupants of the zoo. Unfortunately, the animals are not able to talk back. Or are they?
The Plot is fast paced and wonderfully engaging, and I found myself flying through the book. The chapters switch between chapters with plot and chapters where the reader is introduced to the wonders of the zoo by describing each day of the 6-day vacation, as if the reader was a guest at the zoo. Which was really interesting and a lot of fun to read.
From the characters , Marlin and his father are fleshed out and explored the most.
Marlin is an interesting character, because he is technically one of the people in charge of the zoo, being the son of Ronan, but also he is disrespected and ridiculed on daily basis. For the entirety of the story he is trying to prove himself to everyone and trying to help both opposing sides and to come up with a way to solve an unsolvable situation. He wants to make his father proud, but also to be on the good side of his animal friends. He wants to stop his father, but also stop the animals. And that’s a lot of pressure for a 12-ish year old.
Ronan Rackham, the father, turned out to be the most interesting character of the whole story. He, being a famous adventurer is a legend to people who heard about him. Everyone looks up to him, his sons included. But that’s from the point of the view of the humans. How is it from the point of view of those he captured and put into small cells to be ogled at for the rest of their lives? He encourages the animosity between his sons, he doesn’t stop those who bully his younger son, he’s overconfident and will not hear council of others. But he loves his sons, cares about the animals, and he cares about the jungle. He is not a great person, but he is a wonderful character. And he might even be one of my favourite parts of the story.
There’s not much to say about Tim. He’s a bully and that’s all there is to his character.
But shout-out to Olivia and Heppa for being the only 2 truly good people in the book.
Also Kenji. Can’t forget Kenji!
What I especially liked about this book was the absence of a clear villain. None of the main antagonists are completely bad. People are just being people, animals are just being animals. They both see the world from their own point of view and only their side of the story. Only Marlin, and the reader through him, can understand both, and I thought that was a really interesting take.
The relationships in my opinion could have been explored more deeply. The only relationship that really mattered to me (except maybe the friendship between Marlin and Kenji, because that was just the purest thing ever) was that between Marlin and his father. It had a great potential, especially considering Marlin and Ronan’s personalities, and views on the world and the zoo itself, but still it didn’t really get to be explored as much as I think it deserved to be.
Also, I found the romance quite unnecessary. I found no reason for it, it played no actual role, nor had it any actual importance to the plot. It also didn’t have any development at all, and I would have preferred it much more if the characters stayed friends. But of course, that’s just me.
The atmosphere of the resort was absolutely wonderful and it was extremely easy to get lost in the story. The in-between-plot chapters and the frequent pointing out of small details helped create the atmosphere so much, it almost fooled all of the senses and easily transported the reader right into the zoo. And it was a truly wonderful experience.
The book is written is first person from Marlin’s POV. Since it’s a middle grade story, the writing is easy, making the story a wonderfully quick read. It also is very vivid, doing a great job in enhancing the atmosphere.
Unfortunately, I didn’t completely enjoy the outcome of the book. Though I did like the plot twists, the ending of the story seemed inconclusive, and though the story’s main dispute was way too complex for a 12-ish year old boy to resolve, and so the ending may have been logical, I did find myself being a little disappointed.
In my opinion, this book is dark, brutal and rather too cruel at times for young readers, and for the middle grade genre in general, which I think is important to keep in mind when picking this book up.
However, one of the things I really did appreciate was the pointing out of the destruction that people cause to jungle forests. It’s one of the main things the reader is left thinking about after finishing the story, and I’m honestly very glad it does.
representation : main character with a speech disorder
content and trigger warnings : intense bullying, rasism against native people, blood, injury, fires, violence of animals against other animals, animals against people, and people against animals
April 10, 2023
This was an interesting book! I can't say it's exactly what I expected, but I liked Marlin as a character a lot. He had a lot of depth and was very sympathetic. I was not huge fan of the romance (I'm not a huge fan of romances in general, but a Middle Grade romance is NOT one I will go for, especially since it felt rather forced and random, and really could have just been taken out entirely). Overall, it was a little forced/on-the-nose, but a fun story and interesting world.
January 7, 2015
The cover and illustrations for this book are absolutely stunning. I know they say you should never judge a book by it's cover, but I would say that this book delivers the adventure and magic realism that the cover image evokes.
For those of you who may have skipped the synopsis and headed straight for the reviews, this book is written for young adults. It's about a young boy who lives in the jungle with his father and brother. Poor Marlin doesn't fit in with the family though because he stutters. He can't communicate with the adults and other children in his world, but his speech therapist helped him along enough so that he can talk to his pet monkey, Kenzie, and some of the other animals in the zoo. Because he did this, I think it makes sense that the author (and the jaguar) chose to bestow a gift upon Marlin that allows him to understand what the animals are saying back to him.
I enjoyed the execution of this concept as well as the pacing of the novel.
My only complaint is that I wish it were longer and I also wish that it featured a few other character perspectives (especially Olivia's. I would have liked to hear more of her story.)
For those of you who may have skipped the synopsis and headed straight for the reviews, this book is written for young adults. It's about a young boy who lives in the jungle with his father and brother. Poor Marlin doesn't fit in with the family though because he stutters. He can't communicate with the adults and other children in his world, but his speech therapist helped him along enough so that he can talk to his pet monkey, Kenzie, and some of the other animals in the zoo. Because he did this, I think it makes sense that the author (and the jaguar) chose to bestow a gift upon Marlin that allows him to understand what the animals are saying back to him.
I enjoyed the execution of this concept as well as the pacing of the novel.
My only complaint is that I wish it were longer and I also wish that it featured a few other character perspectives (especially Olivia's. I would have liked to hear more of her story.)
March 14, 2023
good, could have been better, but it is a childrens story, so thats different
January 26, 2020
Marlin Rackham is the son of world famous explorer Roland Rackham. Once known for his exploration of Guiana, on the east coast of South America, Roland now owns an exotic resort that caters to wealthy Brits on vacation. Marlin loves the animals, but is ostracized and ridiculed because he has a severe stutter. After his father captures and brings back a live jaguar, though, Marlin is given the gift of speech, but he can only speak clearly to animals. Once he realizes what they are telling him, though, he begins to question everything he has ever known.
The first 1/3 of the book was a solid 4.5 stars for me. Great setting, vivid descriptions, and good pacing. But then it starts to unravel. The ending was a total mess; it seemed like the author needed to wrap things up ASAP and the result is a messy, unsatisfying conclusion. I hope there is a sequel planned, because this book would make for an incredibly weak standalone. Nothing is resolved, and more questions are asked than answered. Also, the 'love story' was questionable and inconsequential at best, and I don't think any of it was necessary (just because a boy and a girl meet doesn't mean they have to fall for each other). The girl in question, Olivia, is really just a deus ex machina at the end, and disappears after delivering an incredibly awkward and brief kiss.
Finally, while the writing style was intermediate, the content was definitely middle grade. The jungle can be brutal, and Gale doesn't shy away from showing this. One particularly disturbing scene involves Marlin showing off his newfound skills of animal speech with a young capybara who is destined to be fed to an anaconda. I would recommend this for struggling middle grade readers.
-Kelsey
The first 1/3 of the book was a solid 4.5 stars for me. Great setting, vivid descriptions, and good pacing. But then it starts to unravel. The ending was a total mess; it seemed like the author needed to wrap things up ASAP and the result is a messy, unsatisfying conclusion. I hope there is a sequel planned, because this book would make for an incredibly weak standalone. Nothing is resolved, and more questions are asked than answered. Also, the 'love story' was questionable and inconsequential at best, and I don't think any of it was necessary (just because a boy and a girl meet doesn't mean they have to fall for each other). The girl in question, Olivia, is really just a deus ex machina at the end, and disappears after delivering an incredibly awkward and brief kiss.
Finally, while the writing style was intermediate, the content was definitely middle grade. The jungle can be brutal, and Gale doesn't shy away from showing this. One particularly disturbing scene involves Marlin showing off his newfound skills of animal speech with a young capybara who is destined to be fed to an anaconda. I would recommend this for struggling middle grade readers.
-Kelsey
October 5, 2014
The cover grabbed me, and then the story sucked me right in! There is something for everyone: action, elements of fantasy, and historical fiction. Marlin, the main character has a stutter which renders him almost mute. This was such a part of the story that I think it would also appeal to those who enjoyed Wonder and Out of My Mind.
I'll definitely check out his first book, and anything else Eric Kahn Gale writes!
I'll definitely check out his first book, and anything else Eric Kahn Gale writes!
October 8, 2017
The book had an interesting premise - a family who operated a zoo in a jungle with a boy who could not communicate with humans but could communicate with zoo animals. Although I managed to finish reading it, it left me with so many unanswered questions, I just dismissed it. Sorry I spent the time reading it.
March 22, 2018
Like yikes I love all of Eric Kahn Gale's books so far but I have only rea the bully book and this.
August 14, 2021
Overall an OK book. Fine, but not great. I felt this was a little dark - especially towards the end - for this to be a middle grade read. Themes of animal cruelty, bullying, land appropriation, mistreatment of native populations and even murder just make this book seem more cruel than I think the author wanted to portray.
I did like that the main character had a stutter, something that isn't often portrayed. He strove to do the right thing.
The plot was fine, but at times a little confusing why certain choices were made. You can tell the author had strong feelings about zoos and animal treatment, it showed pretty starkly.
An ok middle grade read, but there are better reads out there for kids.
I did like that the main character had a stutter, something that isn't often portrayed. He strove to do the right thing.
The plot was fine, but at times a little confusing why certain choices were made. You can tell the author had strong feelings about zoos and animal treatment, it showed pretty starkly.
An ok middle grade read, but there are better reads out there for kids.
December 18, 2018
This book was such a fun and amazing read! I love the adventures, the characters such as Marlin who had wonderful personality, the magic!
It was extraordinary and mind blown. The storylines and ideas were well written. How Marlin got the power and could talk to the animals was my favourite part. I love the imagination! The ending was perfectly fine, like I’m really satisfied with the ending! This is recommended if you love an adventure and fantasy book!
It was extraordinary and mind blown. The storylines and ideas were well written. How Marlin got the power and could talk to the animals was my favourite part. I love the imagination! The ending was perfectly fine, like I’m really satisfied with the ending! This is recommended if you love an adventure and fantasy book!
May 2, 2021
Marvin has a trouble with his talking, which makes life harder for him. everyone underestimates him, that is, until a jaguar is taken into his famous father's zoo and is claimed to be a man eater and Marvin is given a magical spell that lets him talk to and understand animals. this power only leads to trouble.
June 29, 2025
I listened to the audiobook and loved the reader. Now after finishing it, I wonder if it was the reader more than the story that drew me in. I enjoyed the first 2/3 of the book, but the ending felt hasty and very dissatisfying. It needed more time and lacked a redemptive ending after a violent storyline.
November 10, 2024
I enjoyed this, but it was sadder than I expected, knowing it's a kids' book. One I'll be recommending to my students
December 17, 2022
Minunata! O carte plina de inocenta, care nu are cum sa nu iti ajunga la inima. E foarte frumoasa povestea. In special iubitorii de animale trebuie sa o citeasca!
October 12, 2017
The beginning of this book truly gripped me, and left me wanting to continue reading whenever I needed to put it down for awhile. The quality of the writing was excellent throughout the entire novel.
I also admire that the author wasn't afraid to throw in some controversial topics and ideas, especially for kids, to think about, but I wasn't totally thrilled with how it was all wrapped up. One positive is that I enjoyed how some traditional themes were handled in more contemporary and less traditional ways, however, I think the controversial issues should have been resolved a little bit differently. While parts of the resolution are probably pretty realistic, I think there was an opportunity to use some creative license to drive home some major lessons here to an up-and-coming generation, and that opportunity was somewhat squandered, at least in my opinion.
I also didn't think part of the ending was realistic enough even though this is obviously a fantasy novel. The ending felt lackluster. The rest of the novel was written very well, and kept me on the edge of my seat most of the time I was reading it, but I was left disappointed in the end. Although, I have to admit, my disappointment could have been a WHOLE lot worse. It's still a decent read, and I can't wait to discuss it with my book club kiddos and see what they thought of it.
I also admire that the author wasn't afraid to throw in some controversial topics and ideas, especially for kids, to think about, but I wasn't totally thrilled with how it was all wrapped up. One positive is that I enjoyed how some traditional themes were handled in more contemporary and less traditional ways, however, I think the controversial issues should have been resolved a little bit differently. While parts of the resolution are probably pretty realistic, I think there was an opportunity to use some creative license to drive home some major lessons here to an up-and-coming generation, and that opportunity was somewhat squandered, at least in my opinion.
I also didn't think part of the ending was realistic enough even though this is obviously a fantasy novel. The ending felt lackluster. The rest of the novel was written very well, and kept me on the edge of my seat most of the time I was reading it, but I was left disappointed in the end. Although, I have to admit, my disappointment could have been a WHOLE lot worse. It's still a decent read, and I can't wait to discuss it with my book club kiddos and see what they thought of it.
March 31, 2018
If I could give this book a negative number of stars, I would. I started this book with great hope, but as the main character, who stutters, was verbally beaten down by his brother and his father, I tried several times to put it down. Again when the father is drinking and verbally abusive, I wanted to stop reading, but I just kept hoping that things would turn around. I don't like criticizing books because I don't know what was in the author's heart and mind when they were writing it. Perhaps it was a cathartic write, but it's just not good for elementary students to see such brutality in a book when it should promise hope. I was especially disappointed at the end when the solution was not a solution. Because I read for children I expect for there to be sad stories--stories that aren't all sweetness and light, but truth be told, there must be hope. That hope needs to be there for the children who deal with brutality and without hope, that pick up a book hoping to find the hope and escape into it. I'm glad I read The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle immediately after this book. Now there's some hope!!
December 30, 2014
Exciting and extraordinary. I think it could have benefited from a stronger female character, but it's very much a father/son, patriarchy of colonization story, so the lack of inclusion felt fairly natural. The use of talking animals who don't act human was effective, especially the jaguar. Especially what happens in the end. It's like he always knew...and he probably did.
Full review at http://storytimehooligans.wordpress.c...
Full review at http://storytimehooligans.wordpress.c...
December 14, 2014
Interesting and a little bit gritty book. More for older kids. There is death and the difficulty of dealing with disappointing and damaging family relationships. I wanted there to be more depth with Olivia's character - wanted to get her point of view more. It felt like she was meant to be more a part of the story.
April 22, 2015
A very quick and exciting read. I wasn't expecting the fantasy elements, but it was very interesting. There was some nice foreshadowing and really good ethical questions about men and animals -- conquering vs protecting.
September 10, 2015
I want to share this with my nine yo daughter. Great story, mixed with some serious issues. Like being different, imperfect parents, and human exploitation of nature. I would love to be able to talk to animals too.
July 26, 2015
Really lovely middle grade. This felt like a relatively quiet book, but there is also a lot going on with Marlin's self discovery, family, and new powers with animals. Very fun!
April 20, 2017
LOVE this book! Such a fun read!
January 1, 2020
I didn't enjoy reading this book. It was hard to get through. When things like this happen in movies, I close my eyes until my husband tells me it's over, but it's hard to do that while reading a book. The book was just tragic in every way. The struggle between Marlin and the animals against the 'people' is ridiculous. It's like watching a group of rival mice fighting over territory on the sinking Titanic. Since this is historical fiction and we know that the jungle has indeed been burned to make sugar plantations already, there is no sense of victory in the end.
And I used to think being able to speak to animals would be a pretty good power, but that is a childish wish that no human would actually do well with--except maybe a sadist. Think about it. It's a zoo. Some of the animals eat other animals. You can't make friends with them all.
The characters in the book were all such one-dimensional villains. There wasn't any sort of deep choice or emotional challenge for our protagonist. He was never given any reason to choose the people in his family or life.
The stuttering was an interesting disability that I've never read anything about, but it feels like he was needlessly isolated. He never even tried to write a message to anyone, which seems like an obvious thing for him to try in those cases when he needed to get a point across.
The natives are shown as superstitious and backwards and un-civilized, which is normal for white people of this time, but there is never anything in the book that goes against that idea. Usually the main character will find out there is more to a culture and "Yay!" we all learn a lesson. But in this book, the natives are sheep being led around by various bad guys and superstitions and never really shown in a better light.
This book does make a good point about the greed of humans and how wildlife and nature take a backseat to earning money. Even the two sides fighting about protecting the jungle versus using it are both actually just arguing about different ways of using it and destroying it. I thought Marlin's lesson learned was good:
Marlin's father was stuck in some ways. He had to give the blood-thirsty people what they wanted and he had to keep the zoo open to save other parts of the jungle. I can't imagine being thrilled at the idea of attending an animal execution or a pit fight, but apparently all of these people were. I hope it was the just the times and that all the people I walk by every day now aren't secretly the kind that would enjoy that.
And I used to think being able to speak to animals would be a pretty good power, but that is a childish wish that no human would actually do well with--except maybe a sadist. Think about it. It's a zoo. Some of the animals eat other animals. You can't make friends with them all.
The characters in the book were all such one-dimensional villains. There wasn't any sort of deep choice or emotional challenge for our protagonist. He was never given any reason to choose the people in his family or life.
The stuttering was an interesting disability that I've never read anything about, but it feels like he was needlessly isolated. He never even tried to write a message to anyone, which seems like an obvious thing for him to try in those cases when he needed to get a point across.
The natives are shown as superstitious and backwards and un-civilized, which is normal for white people of this time, but there is never anything in the book that goes against that idea. Usually the main character will find out there is more to a culture and "Yay!" we all learn a lesson. But in this book, the natives are sheep being led around by various bad guys and superstitions and never really shown in a better light.
This book does make a good point about the greed of humans and how wildlife and nature take a backseat to earning money. Even the two sides fighting about protecting the jungle versus using it are both actually just arguing about different ways of using it and destroying it. I thought Marlin's lesson learned was good:
You cannot be a conqueror and a protector. You cannot preserve the jungle from men like the duke while being a man like him.
Marlin's father was stuck in some ways. He had to give the blood-thirsty people what they wanted and he had to keep the zoo open to save other parts of the jungle. I can't imagine being thrilled at the idea of attending an animal execution or a pit fight, but apparently all of these people were. I hope it was the just the times and that all the people I walk by every day now aren't secretly the kind that would enjoy that.
July 1, 2017
This is surprisingly engaging and thought provoking. My rating 4.5.
Marlin is a bright 11-12 year-old boy but people don’t realize it because he is an extreme stutterer. He can talk to animals when no human is around, but it is painful for him to try to speak to humans. At least his father accepts his difficulty, unlike his older brother, Tim, who taunts him and does everything to bully him.
The two boys are sons of Roland Rackham, a famous explorer who has established the Zoo at the Edge of the World resort. The zoo contains many dangerous jungle species behind cages made to keep the animals in but allow the wealthy guests to see them mostly in their habitat. Rackham struggles to keep the resort afloat financially although he won’t let anyone else know of his financial troubles. He has been trying to buy more land on the edge of British Guiana forest rather than allow sugar planters to take over and destroy the wild. One of his competitors for land is an old English ‘friend’, a wealthy duke, who is visiting the resort with his family. The duke’s real goal is to find a way to discredit Rackham and his business.
Rackham captures a black Jaguar and sets him in a cage to be a special exhibit. Everyone is afraid of the ‘man-eater’ cat. Marlin discovers the mysterious Jaguar is wise and magical. Jaguar bestows a special power on Marlin. The gift alone would change Marlin’s life but it also creates a special bond with the Jaguar. Rackham decides to create a one of a kind spectacle by pitting the cat against some other jungle creatures. Marlin can’t allow the confrontation to occur but his solution results in other troubles.
As the week of events progresses Marlin discovers secrets he wishes he didn’t know. Ultimately, he must make a choice to stand up and try to speak out. But will it be too late?
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this but I was quickly drawn into the story. I liked Marlin’s character and the friends he’s made and new friends made during the week. Marlin is kind to the animals even when not all of them are kind to him. He doesn’t set out to cause trouble but it dominoes. Each action tumbles forcing him to make hard decisions. The genre says 5-7 year old but apparently it is supposed to be 5th to 7th grade which is much more fitting. There are moral lessons to be pondered and that would make for great family discussion.
The story is well written with enjoyable descriptions. This was a surprisingly engaging and intriguing story. I note that the kindle and print versions have charming illustrations.
Audio Notes: Julian Elfer does a beautiful job of narrating. His accent works perfectly for Marlin, the edge of the world and the world of animals that comes alive. I totally enjoyed the audio although I imagine the illustrated version would be lovely too.
Marlin is a bright 11-12 year-old boy but people don’t realize it because he is an extreme stutterer. He can talk to animals when no human is around, but it is painful for him to try to speak to humans. At least his father accepts his difficulty, unlike his older brother, Tim, who taunts him and does everything to bully him.
The two boys are sons of Roland Rackham, a famous explorer who has established the Zoo at the Edge of the World resort. The zoo contains many dangerous jungle species behind cages made to keep the animals in but allow the wealthy guests to see them mostly in their habitat. Rackham struggles to keep the resort afloat financially although he won’t let anyone else know of his financial troubles. He has been trying to buy more land on the edge of British Guiana forest rather than allow sugar planters to take over and destroy the wild. One of his competitors for land is an old English ‘friend’, a wealthy duke, who is visiting the resort with his family. The duke’s real goal is to find a way to discredit Rackham and his business.
Rackham captures a black Jaguar and sets him in a cage to be a special exhibit. Everyone is afraid of the ‘man-eater’ cat. Marlin discovers the mysterious Jaguar is wise and magical. Jaguar bestows a special power on Marlin. The gift alone would change Marlin’s life but it also creates a special bond with the Jaguar. Rackham decides to create a one of a kind spectacle by pitting the cat against some other jungle creatures. Marlin can’t allow the confrontation to occur but his solution results in other troubles.
As the week of events progresses Marlin discovers secrets he wishes he didn’t know. Ultimately, he must make a choice to stand up and try to speak out. But will it be too late?
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this but I was quickly drawn into the story. I liked Marlin’s character and the friends he’s made and new friends made during the week. Marlin is kind to the animals even when not all of them are kind to him. He doesn’t set out to cause trouble but it dominoes. Each action tumbles forcing him to make hard decisions. The genre says 5-7 year old but apparently it is supposed to be 5th to 7th grade which is much more fitting. There are moral lessons to be pondered and that would make for great family discussion.
The story is well written with enjoyable descriptions. This was a surprisingly engaging and intriguing story. I note that the kindle and print versions have charming illustrations.
Audio Notes: Julian Elfer does a beautiful job of narrating. His accent works perfectly for Marlin, the edge of the world and the world of animals that comes alive. I totally enjoyed the audio although I imagine the illustrated version would be lovely too.
November 19, 2020
What an enjoyable read! While the book opened pretty slowly in my opinion everything moved at a quick speed after that and kept me reading with earnest until the end. The writing style was well done, blending easily into the back of my mind, images of the scenes playing out instead of being forced to focus on the words and being perfectly descriptive when needed.
The story had a great arch and came to a natural conclusion, obviously well planned out. I was a bit disappointed in the ending, leaving a few things unanswered and unsatisfied, but it felt well placed. I do wish the magic in the book had been expanded on a bit more. Is it just jaguars that have magic? Or just this one? Why did the Jaguar give Marlin the power to speak to animals? This is kind of touched on in the book, but I feel as though it wasn’t fully explained, or at least not explained well enough for me to understand.
The character relationships were complex and interesting. The author did a great job showing how the characters felt about each other. And the character arc for Marlin was very well done. Again, a little disappointed that some things were left unresolved at the end such as his relationship with his brother, but I can understand why his early exit from the story was natural for his arc and my personal disappointments don’t take away from the book.
Furthermore, the book had a great lesson and overall story, even if a bit cliche. It also did a good job showing how Marlin felt more comfortable living in the animal world with excellent contrast to the human world where he can barely utter a word. He had always confided in and spoke better with animals and so it felt natural that he would choose them at the end over going back to a place where he would be surrounded by people who wouldn’t understand him. And other than leaving Olivia behind, this felt satisfying to read.
The story had a great arch and came to a natural conclusion, obviously well planned out. I was a bit disappointed in the ending, leaving a few things unanswered and unsatisfied, but it felt well placed. I do wish the magic in the book had been expanded on a bit more. Is it just jaguars that have magic? Or just this one? Why did the Jaguar give Marlin the power to speak to animals? This is kind of touched on in the book, but I feel as though it wasn’t fully explained, or at least not explained well enough for me to understand.
The character relationships were complex and interesting. The author did a great job showing how the characters felt about each other. And the character arc for Marlin was very well done. Again, a little disappointed that some things were left unresolved at the end such as his relationship with his brother, but I can understand why his early exit from the story was natural for his arc and my personal disappointments don’t take away from the book.
Furthermore, the book had a great lesson and overall story, even if a bit cliche. It also did a good job showing how Marlin felt more comfortable living in the animal world with excellent contrast to the human world where he can barely utter a word. He had always confided in and spoke better with animals and so it felt natural that he would choose them at the end over going back to a place where he would be surrounded by people who wouldn’t understand him. And other than leaving Olivia behind, this felt satisfying to read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 8, 2023
The story follows approximately a week in the life of a boy/young man whose somewhat eccentric father owns and runs a very special zoo. The story takes place around the early 20th century, I think? The zoo is located in what seems to be the jungle in South America, centered around an ancient temple. Wealthy people come to stay at the zoo for a week to be entertained.
One of the challenges that occur in the story is that the boy has a terrible stutter, which causes many people to not take him seriously because he can barely get words out. This weakness sort of becomes a strength when a magical jaguar gives him a special gift—he can understand and talk to animals.
The jaguar is captured because a different problem—the zoo is in trouble. The boy learns his father isn’t exactly what he thought he was.
In the story we experience animal mutiny, natural animal behaviors such as animals eating other animals (a capybara begs for help but is fed to a snake, the snake later eats another animal), some violence: a zoo worker is found dead in a tree—no gory details, the jaguar claws the boy’s hand and seriously injures another character, and we find out that someone is a murderer, animals’ lives are threatened and there are guns. I had read a review that a class of fourth graders LOVED this book, but I still got a little worried some parts might bother my younger kids. Nope, they were fine.
We listened on audio and it was well done—I really recommend the audio. I thought it was time for a more adventurous book for the kids (my teen boy really needed something with adventure) and this fit the bill. My kids ages 7, 9, and 15 all enjoyed it, as did I.
If you’re looking for a book with a happily little family, this is not it. If you want a book about a young man who does what he believes is right in the face of danger and even having to disobey his own selfish father, then you may like this.
One of the challenges that occur in the story is that the boy has a terrible stutter, which causes many people to not take him seriously because he can barely get words out. This weakness sort of becomes a strength when a magical jaguar gives him a special gift—he can understand and talk to animals.
The jaguar is captured because a different problem—the zoo is in trouble. The boy learns his father isn’t exactly what he thought he was.
In the story we experience animal mutiny, natural animal behaviors such as animals eating other animals (a capybara begs for help but is fed to a snake, the snake later eats another animal), some violence: a zoo worker is found dead in a tree—no gory details, the jaguar claws the boy’s hand and seriously injures another character, and we find out that someone is a murderer, animals’ lives are threatened and there are guns. I had read a review that a class of fourth graders LOVED this book, but I still got a little worried some parts might bother my younger kids. Nope, they were fine.
We listened on audio and it was well done—I really recommend the audio. I thought it was time for a more adventurous book for the kids (my teen boy really needed something with adventure) and this fit the bill. My kids ages 7, 9, and 15 all enjoyed it, as did I.
If you’re looking for a book with a happily little family, this is not it. If you want a book about a young man who does what he believes is right in the face of danger and even having to disobey his own selfish father, then you may like this.
January 26, 2018
*Spoilers: The review is a way for me to remember the main parts of this story in the future. The connection between human and animal has always intrigued me. As a girl it was always a fantasy of mine to be able to communicate through speech with my pets. Marlin, the hero of this story has a speech impediment that prevents him from speaking well to other people. When his large and in-charge father brings a magical jaguar to their family zoo Marlin is gifted the ability to talk to animals. I loved the author's way of showing humanities need to "protect" animals by owning them and forcing them into cages. Marlin discovers his "voice" through his interactions with the animals and is able to understand their unhappiness. He also learns that his father is really clueless when it comes to aiding animals in need from conversations he has with the apes, jaguar, and others. Another theme with which I connected was that of "seeing" the truth. Marlin was living in his own world because of the way he was shunned by society. When he learned of the intentions of the Duke and how his father had created lies to thwart him, he was angry. He also had a hard time accepting what he needed to do, while still saving his father. When the jaguar "dies" at the end- a part of Marlin also perished. His need to please and be accepted by everyone fell away in order to save his only true friend.
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