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Under Their Skin #1
Under Their Skin
From New York Times bestselling author Margaret Peterson Haddix comes the first book in a brand-new thrilling series about twins who are on a quest to discover the secrets being kept by their new family.
Nick and Eryn's mom is getting remarried, and the twelve-year-old twins are skeptical when she tells them their lives won't change much. Well, yes, they will have to move. And they will have a new stepfather, stepbrother, and stepsister. But Mom tells them not to worry. They won't ever have to meet their stepsiblings.
This news puzzles Nick and Eryn, so the twins set out on a mission to find out who these kids are - and why they're being kept hidden.
Nick and Eryn's mom is getting remarried, and the twelve-year-old twins are skeptical when she tells them their lives won't change much. Well, yes, they will have to move. And they will have a new stepfather, stepbrother, and stepsister. But Mom tells them not to worry. They won't ever have to meet their stepsiblings.
This news puzzles Nick and Eryn, so the twins set out on a mission to find out who these kids are - and why they're being kept hidden.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 5, 2016
104 people are currently reading
2592 people want to read
About the author
Margaret Peterson Haddix
132 books6,350 followersMargaret Peterson Haddix grew up on a farm near Washington Court House, Ohio. She graduated from Miami University (of Ohio) with degrees in English/journalism, English/creative writing and history. Before her first book was published, she worked as a newspaper copy editor in Fort Wayne, Indiana; a newspaper reporter in Indianapolis; and a community college instructor and freelance writer in Danville, Illinois.
She has since written more than 25 books for kids and teens, including Running Out of Time; Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey; Leaving Fishers; Just Ella; Turnabout; Takeoffs and Landings; The Girl with 500 Middle Names; Because of Anya; Escape from Memory; Say What?; The House on the Gulf; Double Identity; Dexter the Tough; Uprising; Palace of Mirrors; Claim to Fame; the Shadow Children series; and the Missing series. She also wrote Into the Gauntlet, the tenth book in the 39 Clues series. Her books have been honored with New York Times bestseller status, the International Reading Association’s Children’s Book Award; American Library Association Best Book and Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers notations; and more than a dozen state reader’s choice awards.
Haddix and her husband, Doug, now live in Columbus, Ohio, with their two children.
She has since written more than 25 books for kids and teens, including Running Out of Time; Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey; Leaving Fishers; Just Ella; Turnabout; Takeoffs and Landings; The Girl with 500 Middle Names; Because of Anya; Escape from Memory; Say What?; The House on the Gulf; Double Identity; Dexter the Tough; Uprising; Palace of Mirrors; Claim to Fame; the Shadow Children series; and the Missing series. She also wrote Into the Gauntlet, the tenth book in the 39 Clues series. Her books have been honored with New York Times bestseller status, the International Reading Association’s Children’s Book Award; American Library Association Best Book and Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers notations; and more than a dozen state reader’s choice awards.
Haddix and her husband, Doug, now live in Columbus, Ohio, with their two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 332 reviews
August 21, 2018
Wow, so it would have been helpful if I had remembered this was a duology. I read the whole thing expecting it to be a standalone and got to the end with a feeling of “What? That’s it??” Basically, Avengers: Infinity War syndrome.
Once I got over that and thought through the plot and everything, I realized that this book was kinda amazing. ;) It was quite the pageturner that’s for sure! This is the second book I’ve read by this author, and I’m beginning to realize that she’s a queen of building up small, insignificant little details in a deep, mysterious plot.
There were also some cool pro-life ethical questions in there too--woohoo! (Sidenote: why is sci-fi one of the biggest genres for this theme?) I felt like they could have been a little bit more powerful, but I understand that the main characters were slightly emotionless preteens and this was the setup book, sooo… I’m happy the questions were raised though. :D
The worldbuilding was really fantastic. First, it felt impossibly normal. Then it was impossibly weird. And dangerous. Erin and Nick were fun characters. I liked how smart and curious they were, and their twin “telepathy” was sometimes funny (and foreshadowing).
I’m trying not to give too many spoilers, but let’s just say--there are some big surprises. ;)
Just a note, the word cr*p is used a few times in succession once during the book. Also, there is a general theme of preteens not being able to trust the adults, some rebellious attitudes, and some mentions of embryos/embryo storage.
Best quote: “You go up to his house and let him know we’re here,” she told Nick. “So we have an alibi. And a witness.” Was Eryn maybe a little too good at thinking like a criminal?
Altogether, that was a fun read. ;) I’ll definitely be trying the sequel and maybe some of this author’s other books. ;)
Once I got over that and thought through the plot and everything, I realized that this book was kinda amazing. ;) It was quite the pageturner that’s for sure! This is the second book I’ve read by this author, and I’m beginning to realize that she’s a queen of building up small, insignificant little details in a deep, mysterious plot.
There were also some cool pro-life ethical questions in there too--woohoo! (Sidenote: why is sci-fi one of the biggest genres for this theme?) I felt like they could have been a little bit more powerful, but I understand that the main characters were slightly emotionless preteens and this was the setup book, sooo… I’m happy the questions were raised though. :D
The worldbuilding was really fantastic. First, it felt impossibly normal. Then it was impossibly weird. And dangerous. Erin and Nick were fun characters. I liked how smart and curious they were, and their twin “telepathy” was sometimes funny (and foreshadowing).
I’m trying not to give too many spoilers, but let’s just say--there are some big surprises. ;)
Just a note, the word cr*p is used a few times in succession once during the book. Also, there is a general theme of preteens not being able to trust the adults, some rebellious attitudes, and some mentions of embryos/embryo storage.
Best quote: “You go up to his house and let him know we’re here,” she told Nick. “So we have an alibi. And a witness.” Was Eryn maybe a little too good at thinking like a criminal?
Altogether, that was a fun read. ;) I’ll definitely be trying the sequel and maybe some of this author’s other books. ;)
January 2, 2016
This review is also available on my blog, Read Till Dawn.
Wow. Just, wow. I can see Under Their Skin becoming so popular in the future. Haddix is at her best when it comes to her series (The Shadow Children and The Missing both make my top five favorites, easy), and she pulls no punches this time around. I absolutely love the premise of the entire series, and I can't wait to see what she does with it in the future! There's one fundamental trouble I have with it, though: it's just about murder to review without spoilers.
How do you review a book that is so much better when the reader doesn't know anything about it? Very, very carefully. Let's see, how to do this . . . Well, parts of Under Their Skin remind me of Haddix's other sci-fi books (most especially a touch of The Always War, a little bit of the Missing series, and a dab of Double Identity), all of which I absolutely adore. Unfortunately, they're all horrible books to review, too, which is why I've avoided reviewing them (except for Double Identity, which I reviewed years ago and posted to my blog here). The very things that make Under Their Skin similar to Haddix's other books (the fascinating topics, the huge reveals, the intriguing ethical dilemmas) are what make it almost impossible to discuss Under Their Skin without taking away some of the magic of that first read-through.
Because seriously, I was mulling over the central conflict for days - how would I feel in Eryn's and Nick's place? What would I do, how could I make the decisions they will have to face? I still have no idea, but I'm letting myself be neutral for now - because after all, the twins are just as confused and conflicted as I am right now. I'm sure that the next book will expand both the conundrum and its nuances, laying things out as they must come to grips with their discoveries, and I'm waiting until then to decide what I think as well.
If I'm being completely honest, though, I did have some serious believability issues with the central concept of the story. I felt like it was a rather large leap of the imagination to believe that - argh, back to the no-spoilers barrier! Well, anyway, it was a bit unrealistic. But you know what? I'm totally suspending judgement until I've read at least one or two more books in the series - because I've been reading Haddix's writing for long enough that I know she can get me to believe anything. Heck, I read an eight-book series about time travel and popped out the other side full of jargon like "tracer," "time ripple," and "elucidator." If anyone can parse something down into the nitty-gritty and make me believe in it, it's Margaret Peterson Haddix.
At the end of the day, Under Their Skin is a captivating read full of breathtaking twists, heart-stopping dilemmas, and a fascinating scenario that can only become more exciting as the series continues. My only real complaint is that the sequel isn't here already - because seriously, I need to know what happens next!
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Wow. Just, wow. I can see Under Their Skin becoming so popular in the future. Haddix is at her best when it comes to her series (The Shadow Children and The Missing both make my top five favorites, easy), and she pulls no punches this time around. I absolutely love the premise of the entire series, and I can't wait to see what she does with it in the future! There's one fundamental trouble I have with it, though: it's just about murder to review without spoilers.
How do you review a book that is so much better when the reader doesn't know anything about it? Very, very carefully. Let's see, how to do this . . . Well, parts of Under Their Skin remind me of Haddix's other sci-fi books (most especially a touch of The Always War, a little bit of the Missing series, and a dab of Double Identity), all of which I absolutely adore. Unfortunately, they're all horrible books to review, too, which is why I've avoided reviewing them (except for Double Identity, which I reviewed years ago and posted to my blog here). The very things that make Under Their Skin similar to Haddix's other books (the fascinating topics, the huge reveals, the intriguing ethical dilemmas) are what make it almost impossible to discuss Under Their Skin without taking away some of the magic of that first read-through.
Because seriously, I was mulling over the central conflict for days - how would I feel in Eryn's and Nick's place? What would I do, how could I make the decisions they will have to face? I still have no idea, but I'm letting myself be neutral for now - because after all, the twins are just as confused and conflicted as I am right now. I'm sure that the next book will expand both the conundrum and its nuances, laying things out as they must come to grips with their discoveries, and I'm waiting until then to decide what I think as well.
If I'm being completely honest, though, I did have some serious believability issues with the central concept of the story. I felt like it was a rather large leap of the imagination to believe that - argh, back to the no-spoilers barrier! Well, anyway, it was a bit unrealistic. But you know what? I'm totally suspending judgement until I've read at least one or two more books in the series - because I've been reading Haddix's writing for long enough that I know she can get me to believe anything. Heck, I read an eight-book series about time travel and popped out the other side full of jargon like "tracer," "time ripple," and "elucidator." If anyone can parse something down into the nitty-gritty and make me believe in it, it's Margaret Peterson Haddix.
At the end of the day, Under Their Skin is a captivating read full of breathtaking twists, heart-stopping dilemmas, and a fascinating scenario that can only become more exciting as the series continues. My only real complaint is that the sequel isn't here already - because seriously, I need to know what happens next!
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
April 6, 2016
This story is amazing it has crazy secrets. It also has wonderful adventures. It is a book I would re-read again and again.
January 9, 2017
Good Book!!! It's very interesting, but with a very awesome plot twist! The brother and sister discover something very confusing and astonishing...
January 20, 2016
Margaret Peterson Haddix is a very uneven storyteller, I’ve found. The stories she’s told haven’t always filled me with confidence, interest, or an ability to suspend my disbelief. Fortunately, this is decidedly not the case in Under Their Skin, the first in a two novel series. Haddix flexes every single narrative and literary muscle she has to create a brilliant work that forces us to ask very pivotal questions about our humanity and the very fabric of existence. And while Haddix is not exactly an entirely consistent storyteller, she is an absolutely amazing writer. She somehow managed to top herself in this book and that includes such excellent thrillers as Double Identity and Running Out of Time.
I was so, so certain that I had figured out the big twist behind what the main character’s parents were hiding. And I was right. But it turns out that Haddix had been playing a completely different game than the one I was playing. Like a magician, Haddix lured my attention away with a brilliantly crafted bit of misdirection and caught me utterly by surprise when she revealed the real twist. THEN SHE SOMEHOW MANAGED TO DO IT AGAIN! Look, to manage to pull that trick off once, to get something like that past me once was an incredible feat of literature. But to do it twice? I tip my hat to you, Haddix. I truly do. You are a genius.
Despite her awesome manipulations with the plot, I have to admit that when it came to characterization, she dropped the ball somewhat. I had difficulty differentiating between the characterizations of the two main characters. Okay, yes, they’re twins, but other than superficial interests, it’s like they were clones. Thankfully, she managed to pick back up the ball somewhat in the last half of the book, where we definitely got more distinct character arcs. I’m very excited as to where everyone’s journey will lead them in the finale, especially since Haddix dropped a humdinger of a dilemma on us at the end.
I was impressed with how Eryn reacted to matters: with lots and lots of righteous fury. A lot of people think of anger as a negative emotion (I blame Star Wars), but really, anger is a tool. It’s an amplifier of emotions, and you need to watch out, of course, when it is used to amplify hate and contempt. But when used positively, when directed against injustice, it can be an important asset. I’m pleased that Haddix showed Eryn’s anger as a tool that could be used for good, not as something that would devour her. Which is not to say that anger is always good. It’s neither good nor bad, but can be used for both causes.
Haddix has clearly upped her ante in terms of sheer skill in her latest novel. It remains to be seen whether she can maintain her momentum, and resolve the rather tricky problem our characters were left with, but if anyone can do it, she can. If she can manage to explore the tantalizing ideas that she introduced in this novel in its successor, so much the better. Either way, I consider my time well spent for reading – and being brilliantly deceived by – this book.
I was so, so certain that I had figured out the big twist behind what the main character’s parents were hiding. And I was right. But it turns out that Haddix had been playing a completely different game than the one I was playing. Like a magician, Haddix lured my attention away with a brilliantly crafted bit of misdirection and caught me utterly by surprise when she revealed the real twist. THEN SHE SOMEHOW MANAGED TO DO IT AGAIN! Look, to manage to pull that trick off once, to get something like that past me once was an incredible feat of literature. But to do it twice? I tip my hat to you, Haddix. I truly do. You are a genius.
Despite her awesome manipulations with the plot, I have to admit that when it came to characterization, she dropped the ball somewhat. I had difficulty differentiating between the characterizations of the two main characters. Okay, yes, they’re twins, but other than superficial interests, it’s like they were clones. Thankfully, she managed to pick back up the ball somewhat in the last half of the book, where we definitely got more distinct character arcs. I’m very excited as to where everyone’s journey will lead them in the finale, especially since Haddix dropped a humdinger of a dilemma on us at the end.
I was impressed with how Eryn reacted to matters: with lots and lots of righteous fury. A lot of people think of anger as a negative emotion (I blame Star Wars), but really, anger is a tool. It’s an amplifier of emotions, and you need to watch out, of course, when it is used to amplify hate and contempt. But when used positively, when directed against injustice, it can be an important asset. I’m pleased that Haddix showed Eryn’s anger as a tool that could be used for good, not as something that would devour her. Which is not to say that anger is always good. It’s neither good nor bad, but can be used for both causes.
Haddix has clearly upped her ante in terms of sheer skill in her latest novel. It remains to be seen whether she can maintain her momentum, and resolve the rather tricky problem our characters were left with, but if anyone can do it, she can. If she can manage to explore the tantalizing ideas that she introduced in this novel in its successor, so much the better. Either way, I consider my time well spent for reading – and being brilliantly deceived by – this book.
February 24, 2016
It got two stars because of the ending
January 3, 2019
This book was a very different one for me. I went into reading this under the false impression that it was a parallel book to the Hidden Children series. I was mistaken. This book seemed like a contemporary book, until the midpoint, when suddenly I was thrown headlong into a sci-fi novel, which genre I am very unfamiliar with so it took some mental adjustments to get used to it. The two things that kept me from completely going crazy was that 1.) there was a subtle hint in the cover, and 2.) the main characters were just as surprised as I was.
Overall the book was very skillfully written, keeping you on the edge of your seat most of the time. I related pretty well with Nick, not quite as well with his sister. There were a few problems I had with it, however, which is why I only gave it three stars. The worldview wasn't the greatest, but then again most modern fiction doesn't have a good worldview. My major issue with it was that the main character kids were very manipulative/disrespectful/disobedient to authority, especially their mom Also the family relationships in the story were messed up (divorced and remarried parents). There was also what may be considered a minor swear word repeated three times in a row, and some stuff about embryo storage which I found creepy. For all these reasons I couldn't recommend this otherwise awesome book to my bookworm little brother, and why I wouldn't give it a higher rating.
On the other hand it did bring up some interesting issues on what distinguishes humans from other intelligent creatures . The major difference that the story brought up was the ability to philosophize and the ability to know God (the book called it religion, but anyway.) These things are uniquely human because we are created in the image of God, and thus are the only beings able to think in these ways. It also got me thinking on where we might be going as far as robots/AI, and wondering how much tech is too much (I'm sure other books do the same, but like I said this is my first real encounter with Sci-fi.)
I'm looking forward to seeing how things resolve in the next book, and I would recommend this one to readers who are old enough to properly view/work through the moral and worldveiw issues.
Overall the book was very skillfully written, keeping you on the edge of your seat most of the time. I related pretty well with Nick, not quite as well with his sister. There were a few problems I had with it, however, which is why I only gave it three stars. The worldview wasn't the greatest, but then again most modern fiction doesn't have a good worldview. My major issue with it was that the main character kids were very manipulative/disrespectful/disobedient to authority, especially their mom Also the family relationships in the story were messed up (divorced and remarried parents). There was also what may be considered a minor swear word repeated three times in a row, and some stuff about embryo storage which I found creepy. For all these reasons I couldn't recommend this otherwise awesome book to my bookworm little brother, and why I wouldn't give it a higher rating.
On the other hand it did bring up some interesting issues on what distinguishes humans from other intelligent creatures . The major difference that the story brought up was the ability to philosophize and the ability to know God (the book called it religion, but anyway.) These things are uniquely human because we are created in the image of God, and thus are the only beings able to think in these ways. It also got me thinking on where we might be going as far as robots/AI, and wondering how much tech is too much (I'm sure other books do the same, but like I said this is my first real encounter with Sci-fi.)
I'm looking forward to seeing how things resolve in the next book, and I would recommend this one to readers who are old enough to properly view/work through the moral and worldveiw issues.
December 9, 2016
In Under Their Skin, by Margaret Peterson Haddix, several gut wrenching twists made the story enjoyable, interesting and hard to put down. I think that the overall theme in the story is that sometimes, change doesn't have to be a bad thing, and it doesn't have to go fast. Another theme could be family. These themes are shown in many cases when Eryn and Nick want to find out as much as possible as soon as possible about their step siblings. But maybe, as described later in the review, isn't the best way to deal with the information that is given later.
In the beginning, Eryn and Nick, who live a happy life with their divorced mother in Maywood, possibly a town in North America in the 21st century. The author clearly identifies this because of the language that the kids use such as sick and awesome. Also, the author makes this clear because of the form of words used for middle school. If it were in England, it might be secondary school. Also it is very snowy in this climate, and it is December so it must be in the Norther Hemisphere. Nick and Eryn are close sibling, twins, actually who know a lot about their mother and each other because of so much time spent together. But out of nowhere, the mother announces she will be getting remarried to Michael, a computer engineer. The most shocking factor, is that Michael has kids that Nick and Eryn hadn't been told about or even saw. The kids growing curiosity led to frustration and desperation for any information about them. How old are they? What do they look like? What school do they go to? Finally, a piece of the puzzle is solved when they are shown pictures of Jackson and Ava, the mysterious step siblings. But this only sparked their curiosity even more, turning them into an ugly, greedy version of themselves, being interrogatory towards Michael and Mom. Going as far as breaking into their rooms! But all of a sudden, Nick and Eryn get the opportunity that they've been waiting for, a snow day. Their mother is caught in traffic and Michael is in a meeting. They break into Ava and Jackson's rooms, creepily similar to theirs. In Ava's room, they find an address, their mothers. They travel through the snow and wind, only to make a discovery that would open up their mind to a whole new element never pondered before. The world will never be the same. Also the genre of this book is science fiction because it includes a lot about the futuristic idea of a human extinction. A very interesting element that the author included was the sentences portraying was Eryn and Nick were thinking or even trying to tell each other through expressions. This tells a lot about the connection that the two main characters have in common to each other as twins. An example of this was established early, on page 2, "Eryn realized that Nick was glaring at her with an expression that clearly said, Ok, genius, if you don't like what I was going to say, why don't you do the talking?" This was a clear example of how Eryn and Nick had been around their mom so often, it became routine what to say and how to say it. Another thing that I noticed was that the attention to detail on the features of someones face like wrinkles or a nervous blink. Also how the description of a setting can really develope the plot and or characters because of the surrounding features, and I think that the author did that really well. An example of this was when the author was analyzing the house compared to the clothing of the mother and children. On page 98 and 99, "He could see a living room-with floral couches and ruffled curtains. He felt sorry for Jackson, and maybe Ava,too; apparently their mother liked fussy frilly stuff. Then Nick realized that Ava and Jackson were sitting on the couch... How had they blended so well with the flowery pattern.... A woman was standing in the doorway behind Ava and Jackson. She had the same reddish hair as Ava, but hers was even longer, falling in waves halfway to her waist. She was wearing a thick green sweater over a pair of jeans that looked strangely tattering and worn for someone who owned such frilly, prissy couches." This is a clear example of how the appearance of something cannot determine the quality of someone. Much like how some of the traits of Ava and Jackson, being similar to Eryn and Nick, isn't told by the first impressions. This is also a big factor later in the book, when the kids see the world from a completely different point of view. Something that I didn't like was the overall pace of the book. It seemed as though the story was in fast motion, especially when the robot plan was being explained to the kids through the video. This was started on page 163 when Nick and Eryn are introduced to the video: "Dr. Speck said, 'but how is there any hope for us.' 'But how could we stand to see humanity end completely?' The ache in her throat almost a palpable thing." I would say that this was a little well developed throughout the story what with the robot discovery of mom and Ava and Jackson, but that was a bit of a shock, too. It's not like a little surprise in a story is bad, but if it's consistently confusing, much like the plot build up of this story was, it can differ the reading experience by a a considerable amount.
But once you really realize the true virtues and personality, if you can call it that of these people. It is truly amazing how the author sold the purpose of the characters in the story as just a mother or father. Overall this was a truly fulfilling read that I would definetly recommend to all around the middle school age because it introduces an experience just complicated enough for the middle school mind to comprehend. Another reason that middle schoolers might enjoy this book is because a lot of the main characters in the book are very relatable. They might play the same sport, or like the same things, or be in 6th grade, like Eryn and Nick. A very thrilling book.
In the beginning, Eryn and Nick, who live a happy life with their divorced mother in Maywood, possibly a town in North America in the 21st century. The author clearly identifies this because of the language that the kids use such as sick and awesome. Also, the author makes this clear because of the form of words used for middle school. If it were in England, it might be secondary school. Also it is very snowy in this climate, and it is December so it must be in the Norther Hemisphere. Nick and Eryn are close sibling, twins, actually who know a lot about their mother and each other because of so much time spent together. But out of nowhere, the mother announces she will be getting remarried to Michael, a computer engineer. The most shocking factor, is that Michael has kids that Nick and Eryn hadn't been told about or even saw. The kids growing curiosity led to frustration and desperation for any information about them. How old are they? What do they look like? What school do they go to? Finally, a piece of the puzzle is solved when they are shown pictures of Jackson and Ava, the mysterious step siblings. But this only sparked their curiosity even more, turning them into an ugly, greedy version of themselves, being interrogatory towards Michael and Mom. Going as far as breaking into their rooms! But all of a sudden, Nick and Eryn get the opportunity that they've been waiting for, a snow day. Their mother is caught in traffic and Michael is in a meeting. They break into Ava and Jackson's rooms, creepily similar to theirs. In Ava's room, they find an address, their mothers. They travel through the snow and wind, only to make a discovery that would open up their mind to a whole new element never pondered before. The world will never be the same. Also the genre of this book is science fiction because it includes a lot about the futuristic idea of a human extinction. A very interesting element that the author included was the sentences portraying was Eryn and Nick were thinking or even trying to tell each other through expressions. This tells a lot about the connection that the two main characters have in common to each other as twins. An example of this was established early, on page 2, "Eryn realized that Nick was glaring at her with an expression that clearly said, Ok, genius, if you don't like what I was going to say, why don't you do the talking?" This was a clear example of how Eryn and Nick had been around their mom so often, it became routine what to say and how to say it. Another thing that I noticed was that the attention to detail on the features of someones face like wrinkles or a nervous blink. Also how the description of a setting can really develope the plot and or characters because of the surrounding features, and I think that the author did that really well. An example of this was when the author was analyzing the house compared to the clothing of the mother and children. On page 98 and 99, "He could see a living room-with floral couches and ruffled curtains. He felt sorry for Jackson, and maybe Ava,too; apparently their mother liked fussy frilly stuff. Then Nick realized that Ava and Jackson were sitting on the couch... How had they blended so well with the flowery pattern.... A woman was standing in the doorway behind Ava and Jackson. She had the same reddish hair as Ava, but hers was even longer, falling in waves halfway to her waist. She was wearing a thick green sweater over a pair of jeans that looked strangely tattering and worn for someone who owned such frilly, prissy couches." This is a clear example of how the appearance of something cannot determine the quality of someone. Much like how some of the traits of Ava and Jackson, being similar to Eryn and Nick, isn't told by the first impressions. This is also a big factor later in the book, when the kids see the world from a completely different point of view. Something that I didn't like was the overall pace of the book. It seemed as though the story was in fast motion, especially when the robot plan was being explained to the kids through the video. This was started on page 163 when Nick and Eryn are introduced to the video: "Dr. Speck said, 'but how is there any hope for us.' 'But how could we stand to see humanity end completely?' The ache in her throat almost a palpable thing." I would say that this was a little well developed throughout the story what with the robot discovery of mom and Ava and Jackson, but that was a bit of a shock, too. It's not like a little surprise in a story is bad, but if it's consistently confusing, much like the plot build up of this story was, it can differ the reading experience by a a considerable amount.
But once you really realize the true virtues and personality, if you can call it that of these people. It is truly amazing how the author sold the purpose of the characters in the story as just a mother or father. Overall this was a truly fulfilling read that I would definetly recommend to all around the middle school age because it introduces an experience just complicated enough for the middle school mind to comprehend. Another reason that middle schoolers might enjoy this book is because a lot of the main characters in the book are very relatable. They might play the same sport, or like the same things, or be in 6th grade, like Eryn and Nick. A very thrilling book.
December 16, 2019
Very mysterious and futuristic.
March 23, 2016
Growing up I loved Margaret Peterson Haddix. She was the first author I knew was an author and actively sought out her books no matter what they were about. It all arose from my love of Running Out of Time, which I feel I should reread, and that was technically a school book. Then I loved the Among the series. I read two of those books and for a kid with no attention span to wait for new releases that was a big deal. Margaret Peterson Haddix is probably why I love my books to blend mystery with either science fiction or fantasy.
So when I saw her new book as a Goodreads giveaway, I jumped on it so fast. Then I won it and I was beyond thrilled. Yet, I was nervous diving back in to her writing. What if I didn't enjoy the story. It is middle grade, what if I just wouldn't enjoy it. That definitely didn't turn out to be the case because I absolutely fell in love with this book.
I went into the book with very little idea about what the book was about. I knew that it was about twins and their mother was getting remarried. I also figured it was a science fiction story based on the physical cover(inside the jacket) having some techy nodes on the spine. That's it and that's all I will tell you is that yes in fact this is middle grade science fiction. Some of the fun of this story is going on the journey with the characters.
The mystery unfolds in a way that constantly had me asking new questions. It was a steady stream of one question answered only to open up new questions. That pace kept me in a loop of excitement and lulls and it really worked for the story. There wasn't very much action, but there were a lot of great exchanges between characters that made the story interesting.
The real heart of the story are the two young protagonists, Nick and Eryn. They are twins who are very much alike and very different. They are quite the delightful pair when they are off on missions together. They balance each other in a way that really works. Eryn is smart and intuitive. Nick is certainly not done, but he processes the information he's given and acts. It makes for some interesting switches on what you would expect from the two siblings. Eryn stirs the pot and Nick tries to fix things and make it okay.
The book toyed with some really interesting themes especially involving growing up and what it meant to be human. I can't really say much more than that without spoiling anything, but the way it was handled was really well done.
My only major gripe is that the adults in the story, aside from their mother, didn't feel as fleshed out as they could have been. We slowly saw some of their goals, but they still felt distant in a way that should have slowly changed. I'm sure we'll get more in the future, but as of this book it felt like not enough of the characters were fleshed out for me to form enough attachments. As it was I got very attached to Nick and Eryn, but honestly couldn't care what happened to any of the other characters. Considering that they will factor a lot into the emotional struggles the twins will face in the future, I feel like I needed that connection.
I'll be honest, I wasn't sure at first if I was going to love the book. Half way through I had sort of resigned this read to being a 3.5 read. However the end of the really elevated the story. I also realized that I didn't want the story to be over. I desperately wanted to know what happened next and it's that sort of feeling that I love getting from books. I wasn't just curious, but actively frustrated that I'd need to wait for the next book.
On the plus side, I'm now old enough to not let this drift from my mind and I will be reading the next book in the series because there is more and I can't freaking wait.
So when I saw her new book as a Goodreads giveaway, I jumped on it so fast. Then I won it and I was beyond thrilled. Yet, I was nervous diving back in to her writing. What if I didn't enjoy the story. It is middle grade, what if I just wouldn't enjoy it. That definitely didn't turn out to be the case because I absolutely fell in love with this book.
I went into the book with very little idea about what the book was about. I knew that it was about twins and their mother was getting remarried. I also figured it was a science fiction story based on the physical cover(inside the jacket) having some techy nodes on the spine. That's it and that's all I will tell you is that yes in fact this is middle grade science fiction. Some of the fun of this story is going on the journey with the characters.
The mystery unfolds in a way that constantly had me asking new questions. It was a steady stream of one question answered only to open up new questions. That pace kept me in a loop of excitement and lulls and it really worked for the story. There wasn't very much action, but there were a lot of great exchanges between characters that made the story interesting.
The real heart of the story are the two young protagonists, Nick and Eryn. They are twins who are very much alike and very different. They are quite the delightful pair when they are off on missions together. They balance each other in a way that really works. Eryn is smart and intuitive. Nick is certainly not done, but he processes the information he's given and acts. It makes for some interesting switches on what you would expect from the two siblings. Eryn stirs the pot and Nick tries to fix things and make it okay.
The book toyed with some really interesting themes especially involving growing up and what it meant to be human. I can't really say much more than that without spoiling anything, but the way it was handled was really well done.
My only major gripe is that the adults in the story, aside from their mother, didn't feel as fleshed out as they could have been. We slowly saw some of their goals, but they still felt distant in a way that should have slowly changed. I'm sure we'll get more in the future, but as of this book it felt like not enough of the characters were fleshed out for me to form enough attachments. As it was I got very attached to Nick and Eryn, but honestly couldn't care what happened to any of the other characters. Considering that they will factor a lot into the emotional struggles the twins will face in the future, I feel like I needed that connection.
I'll be honest, I wasn't sure at first if I was going to love the book. Half way through I had sort of resigned this read to being a 3.5 read. However the end of the really elevated the story. I also realized that I didn't want the story to be over. I desperately wanted to know what happened next and it's that sort of feeling that I love getting from books. I wasn't just curious, but actively frustrated that I'd need to wait for the next book.
On the plus side, I'm now old enough to not let this drift from my mind and I will be reading the next book in the series because there is more and I can't freaking wait.
January 22, 2016
Once again, I am left in awe of Haddix's writing ability. Being a huge fan of the Missing series, I naturally went out and purchased this book on release day.
Please note that this review contains major spoilers, so if you've not read the book, skip down to my summary at the bottom.
To summarize, this book is, put simply, fantastic. Haddix is a master at crafting a story that will keep young readers interested, yet present some interesting food for thought to her adult audience, thus I would recommend it to any reader, young or old. Bravo, can't wait for the sequel!
Please note that this review contains major spoilers, so if you've not read the book, skip down to my summary at the bottom.
To summarize, this book is, put simply, fantastic. Haddix is a master at crafting a story that will keep young readers interested, yet present some interesting food for thought to her adult audience, thus I would recommend it to any reader, young or old. Bravo, can't wait for the sequel!
February 6, 2017
AAAAHHHH!!! Why, oh why did I read this book before book 2 came out? It felt like The Twilight Zone meets Doctor Who "The Almost People," and I can't really say more without spoilers. There was a lot I wasn't expecting...it's definitely not a contemporary novel about twins with divorced parents whose mom gets remarried. Just...I need book two!
Really, my only quibble is minor, since my worries about a somewhat liberal explanation for a certain element of the story were groundless. One mention of homeschooling paints it in a slightly bad light, but it was quick, and makes total sense in context. And though there is discussion of reproduction due to important plot elements, it's very science-focused and not the least bit sexual, which makes no sense unless you read the book, but major spoilers if I explain.
Just...won't April 11th come faster?
Really, my only quibble is minor, since my worries about a somewhat liberal explanation for a certain element of the story were groundless. One mention of homeschooling paints it in a slightly bad light, but it was quick, and makes total sense in context. And though there is discussion of reproduction due to important plot elements, it's very science-focused and not the least bit sexual, which makes no sense unless you read the book, but major spoilers if I explain.
Just...won't April 11th come faster?
October 21, 2016
This was a science fiction book written by Margaret Peterson Haddix. Nick and Eryn's mom gets remarried to a man named Michael who has 2 kids and the kids are very skeptical when their mom tells them they will never meet their new step siblings. They go on a long search to find out who those kids really are and what they found out is shocking! This is an action-packed book which at some points has you sitting on the edge of your seat. I liked the way the author described everything that was happening and how she really developed all of the characters. This was an exciting and very interesting book that leaves me wanting to read the sequel (coming out in 2017). I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good thriller with a lot of hidden surprises.
March 8, 2018
Good book.
July 26, 2017
First sentence: "You're doing what?" Nick exploded.
Premise/plot: Nick and Eryn are surprised that their mom is getting remarried. They worry that things will change--and not for the better. They are right, in a way, but not in the way you might be thinking. New step-father, new step-sister, new step-brother, new house, new rules, new dynamics. Right?! Not exactly. Their lives will be forever changed though.
My thoughts: I am still irritated at GoodReads for not saving my first review. This second review will be much shorter. And if GoodReads glitches again, the third one will be just a sentence long! It's not fair to Haddix to blame her though. The book is interesting. It's definitely plot-driven, action-driven. The characters aren't horribly developed. But I found it a very quick read--just one sitting. Overall, a satisfying read. I'm not sure I'll remember it as one of Haddix's best novels....I'm not sure I'll remember much of it at all. But that's a consequence of reading a couple hundred middle grade books a year.
Premise/plot: Nick and Eryn are surprised that their mom is getting remarried. They worry that things will change--and not for the better. They are right, in a way, but not in the way you might be thinking. New step-father, new step-sister, new step-brother, new house, new rules, new dynamics. Right?! Not exactly. Their lives will be forever changed though.
My thoughts: I am still irritated at GoodReads for not saving my first review. This second review will be much shorter. And if GoodReads glitches again, the third one will be just a sentence long! It's not fair to Haddix to blame her though. The book is interesting. It's definitely plot-driven, action-driven. The characters aren't horribly developed. But I found it a very quick read--just one sitting. Overall, a satisfying read. I'm not sure I'll remember it as one of Haddix's best novels....I'm not sure I'll remember much of it at all. But that's a consequence of reading a couple hundred middle grade books a year.
July 30, 2018
Kind of a ridiculous book, but I gave it one more star than I normally would because it’s definitely not my genre, and I feel like I can’t give it a good review because of that.
BUT here are two of my favorite quotes:
“I’m going to tell Mom she has to come pick us up,” Eryn said, “And then we’re going to go see the president of the United States.”
From the acknowledgments: “...a nearby sinkhole swallowed up eight Corvettes—they gave me a good idea for where to locate an important scene in this book.” EIGHT CORVETTES. WHAT WERE THEY DOING IN THE SAME PLACE EVEN?????
BUT here are two of my favorite quotes:
“I’m going to tell Mom she has to come pick us up,” Eryn said, “And then we’re going to go see the president of the United States.”
From the acknowledgments: “...a nearby sinkhole swallowed up eight Corvettes—they gave me a good idea for where to locate an important scene in this book.” EIGHT CORVETTES. WHAT WERE THEY DOING IN THE SAME PLACE EVEN?????
December 19, 2018
I loved Margaret Peterson Haddix in elementary school and junior high school. It's awesome to know I still really enjoy her latest stuff! Really curious to see what happens in the sequel to this one. :D
September 14, 2020
It was a great book, especially at the end. Now I'm wandering if their is going to be another book about it.
December 19, 2020
Weird but cool
March 13, 2021
Eryn and her brother Nick’s mom is getting remarried to a man named Micheal. Micheal and his ex-wife had 2 kids. Ava and Jackson. And yet, Eryn and Nick will never get to meet them. Then, one day they find Ava and Jackson. Ava and Jackson don’t know who they are. Why not? And, during all that, Eryn and Nick’s parents are hiding something. A secret. What could it be? Will Ava and Jackson ever remember who Eryn and Nick are? Will Eryn and Nick discover what there parents were hiding all along?
September 15, 2017
If you like science fiction, this book is for you! What if you lived 12 years just to realize that most of the people you know (including your family) weren't really humans? Everything you grew up knowing was a lie. This is a two part series. I can't wait to read the next book!
November 9, 2019
i loved this book. i would recommend it.
July 12, 2017
I have read Haddix since I was young and I always enjoyed her books--they were always a good mix of horror, fantasy, or in general, unbelievable things that managed to capture your attention. This book is no exception--except it isn't as much horror as it is sci-fi. Well, that isn't so jarring as I'm a pretty big sci-fi fan. To be honest, when reading the blurb, I didn't really get a sci-fi vibe from it and though it was just another teen fiction novel about growing up or learning to live with new families.
Though the 'secret' in the novel is a pretty interesting and big one, the way that Haddix precipitates the reveal is very clearly organized and noticeable if you look out for it. I wasn't really surprised by the reveal once it ended up happening, and then you realize that there were quite a lot of foreshadowing events. In any case, though it wasn't a big shock, I still went with it because the concept was really interesting, and I loved to see something so different from Haddix.
However, the book was definitely written for a younger audience than me, I suspect, because I was not able to enjoy it as much as I probably did when I was younger. The story was pretty good and the writing was decent as well, except for the general predictability of events and some awkward writing. For example, sometimes the characters seemed a bit contrived or unrealistic. I am not sure if that is actually how teens/preteens think and I've outgrown that, or if it is actually awkward. Some of the things that seemed weird were how the twins were treated like identical twins -- "identically brown eyes" and many other examples -- because they are clearly not. Although considering the big plot reveal, this may or may not be more practical than I am assuming.
One particular ridiculous part, or really recurring motif, is the twins' nonverbal communication. I get that twins can be particularly intimate with each other and thus know each other well enough to maybe speak without words, but what on earth are these kids doing? "Looking back at Eryn, Nick opened his eyes as wide as he could. This probably made him look scared, but he didn't care." These two converse with several sentences at a time in a single glance. I mean, come on. I couldn't help but eye-roll at that.
"The Bluebeard story is about patriarchal abuse of power and feminist subverting of that power." Okay Haddix, I get your point about the mother, but is that really appropriate to put into a young person's mind? Keep the politics out of children's novels, please.
There were a few shining moments where I could really relate to the characters, though. Eryn has some words of wisdom: "We're all such rule-followers, Eryn thought. We go to school, we go to after-school activities, we go home and eat dinner and do our homework. It's like we're robots or something." The blatant subtext aside, how many kids actually have a similar realization? I would guess not many. And this kind of life continues into adulthood as well, yet it's something that is never really acknowledged. We kind of just go with it. Aren't I allowed to be a little disturbed by that notion?
Nonetheless, despite its flaws, I will look forward to the next book in the stories. The premise is weird enough to keep me mildly interested, and the big cliffhanger at the end of the book certainly helps. I would love to see how Haddix plays it out--and hopefully some of the issues I mentioned will be ironed out in later sequels or further explained.
Disclaimer: I was given a free copy through Goodreads Giveaway, thank you Simon & Schuster. My review is not reflective of this--I was genuinely interested in reading this book prior to the giveaway.
Though the 'secret' in the novel is a pretty interesting and big one, the way that Haddix precipitates the reveal is very clearly organized and noticeable if you look out for it. I wasn't really surprised by the reveal once it ended up happening, and then you realize that there were quite a lot of foreshadowing events. In any case, though it wasn't a big shock, I still went with it because the concept was really interesting, and I loved to see something so different from Haddix.
However, the book was definitely written for a younger audience than me, I suspect, because I was not able to enjoy it as much as I probably did when I was younger. The story was pretty good and the writing was decent as well, except for the general predictability of events and some awkward writing. For example, sometimes the characters seemed a bit contrived or unrealistic. I am not sure if that is actually how teens/preteens think and I've outgrown that, or if it is actually awkward. Some of the things that seemed weird were how the twins were treated like identical twins -- "identically brown eyes" and many other examples -- because they are clearly not. Although considering the big plot reveal, this may or may not be more practical than I am assuming.
One particular ridiculous part, or really recurring motif, is the twins' nonverbal communication. I get that twins can be particularly intimate with each other and thus know each other well enough to maybe speak without words, but what on earth are these kids doing? "Looking back at Eryn, Nick opened his eyes as wide as he could. This probably made him look scared, but he didn't care." These two converse with several sentences at a time in a single glance. I mean, come on. I couldn't help but eye-roll at that.
"The Bluebeard story is about patriarchal abuse of power and feminist subverting of that power." Okay Haddix, I get your point about the mother, but is that really appropriate to put into a young person's mind? Keep the politics out of children's novels, please.
There were a few shining moments where I could really relate to the characters, though. Eryn has some words of wisdom: "We're all such rule-followers, Eryn thought. We go to school, we go to after-school activities, we go home and eat dinner and do our homework. It's like we're robots or something." The blatant subtext aside, how many kids actually have a similar realization? I would guess not many. And this kind of life continues into adulthood as well, yet it's something that is never really acknowledged. We kind of just go with it. Aren't I allowed to be a little disturbed by that notion?
Nonetheless, despite its flaws, I will look forward to the next book in the stories. The premise is weird enough to keep me mildly interested, and the big cliffhanger at the end of the book certainly helps. I would love to see how Haddix plays it out--and hopefully some of the issues I mentioned will be ironed out in later sequels or further explained.
Disclaimer: I was given a free copy through Goodreads Giveaway, thank you Simon & Schuster. My review is not reflective of this--I was genuinely interested in reading this book prior to the giveaway.
January 15, 2016
Immensely satisfying for a tween audience -- Haddix is the master at building a well-plotted story that builds suspense.
I enjoyed that this book had a simple buildup: twins Eryn and Nick are curious about their new stepsiblings, Ava and Jackson, but Eryn and Nick's parents make every excuse to keep them out of sight. Eryn and Nick start asking why, and the answer is unsettling.
Two qualms:
1. I found aspects of the big reveal unnecessarily convoluted. Though the story makes a good forward motion, I could see some of my readers getting stuck on some of the details that seem either internally inconsistent or not cleanly explained and delineated. In middle grades page-turners the clarity of the reveal is vital -- the more needlessly complex it is, the more likely you are to confuse and alienate your readers.
2. I wonder how many readers will see this book as Haddix recycling old storylines from Haddix. Many of the elements in this book harken back to Among the Hidden and Found. I anticipate that many middle grades readers won't care, but part of me wishes this story were a little more original.
Similar read: Gordon Korman's Masterminds
I enjoyed that this book had a simple buildup: twins Eryn and Nick are curious about their new stepsiblings, Ava and Jackson, but Eryn and Nick's parents make every excuse to keep them out of sight. Eryn and Nick start asking why, and the answer is unsettling.
Two qualms:
1. I found aspects of the big reveal unnecessarily convoluted. Though the story makes a good forward motion, I could see some of my readers getting stuck on some of the details that seem either internally inconsistent or not cleanly explained and delineated. In middle grades page-turners the clarity of the reveal is vital -- the more needlessly complex it is, the more likely you are to confuse and alienate your readers.
2. I wonder how many readers will see this book as Haddix recycling old storylines from Haddix. Many of the elements in this book harken back to Among the Hidden and Found. I anticipate that many middle grades readers won't care, but part of me wishes this story were a little more original.
Similar read: Gordon Korman's Masterminds
January 9, 2019
I really struggle with middle-grade sci-fi...probably because I am used to YA and adult and all the intricacies and complexities that come with. Stories like this are interesting at first, but because very little of the science is explained and there are so many vague "answers" and plot holes, it's hard to enjoy. It feels "dumbed down" to some extent, which is rather annoying as an adult reader.
I know, I know...I am not the target audience. But there are SO MANY problems here that I just couldn't shrug off.
Do you see what I mean about plot holes? Now, sure. Some of these bigger questions might be addressed in subsequent books. But I just couldn't get past some of them and likely won't be continuing the series. Haddix has done some stuff I like (Among the Hidden will always rank up there for me), but this one missed the mark.
I know, I know...I am not the target audience. But there are SO MANY problems here that I just couldn't shrug off.
Do you see what I mean about plot holes? Now, sure. Some of these bigger questions might be addressed in subsequent books. But I just couldn't get past some of them and likely won't be continuing the series. Haddix has done some stuff I like (Among the Hidden will always rank up there for me), but this one missed the mark.
March 6, 2016
This first book in a new two book series is Haddix's brand of science fiction with a Isaac Asimov twist. Similar to Double Identity in format, our main characters discover that what they believe is true isn't and that their new understanding puts them in danger. The plotting is carefully crafted and although it may not surprise young sci-fi readers, it will keep them waiting for the next shoe to drop. A major plot point concerns an embryo bank. Although nothing is explicit nor surprising for middle grade readers, younger readers may need some plot points explained. There is definitely a cliff-hanger that will leave readers eager for the next installment.
September 27, 2016
Eryn and Nick are twin siblings with divorced parents. They live in the small city of Maywood. One day, their mom decides to get married with Michael, a computer engineer. He also has a son and daughter, but Eryn and Nick can never meet them. They are confused and try to find out more. This is an action packed book with a great plot. It has a lot of suspense like all of Haddix's books. I would say that this book is a mix of science fiction and fantasy. I really liked this book because it has everything a book needs, suspense. Margaret Peterson Haddix is a great writer and always surprises me with different types of writing in each book.
February 25, 2019
I can say if you as a reader are going to enjoy this but I did not. Honestly I was just a little disgusted pretty much as soon as I found out the main plotline. It was just sickening. Like, I personally can't stand robots in general. And I didn't think it was as polluted with robots as it turns out it it. Again, this is my own personal peevish thing so I can't say you wouldn't enjoy it. I was extremely disappointed with the ending. Absolutely horrified. There was no conclusion at all, even as a cliffhanger conclusion. I will most likely have to get the sequel to give my poor brain a completion, however I did not like it at all.
Sorry.
Sorry.
February 26, 2016
3.5 stars. Haddix's storytelling abilities are top notch, no question. This book is fast paced, extremely readable, and exciting. I think middle grade kids would absolutely love it. The problem for me came in all the pesky details of the plot (which I can't elaborate on, because maaaaaajor spoilers). Sometimes my questions were explained away in a semi-satisfactory manner, but others were never touched on and I could only think, "well, that's really dumb." So....yeah. Dumb fun? I'll still read the sequel because it ends on a great cliffhanger.
March 15, 2017
If you love believable Science Fiction with plenty of action and mystery to it, this book will leave you wanting the next installment. Haddix is a master at weaving science and a bit of creepy together with satisfying results. Her newest mixes family drama and robotics and manages to surprise the reader throughout. The concept is more complex than the reading level indicates. Consequently, students younger than fifth grade probably won't understand it. Recommended for 5th-8th grade.
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