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Mouse
Mouse wouldn’t be your first choice to stop the apocalypse. He wouldn’t even be his own.
“Primarily non-verbal,” his file says, “anxiety and communication difficulty, nevertheless considerably bright.”
The world’s too loud for Mouse, all his dials are set to eleven, and just talking—let alone making friends—presents a very real challenge. But for reasons he can’t imagine, a purple-haired punk named Bliss has Decided They’re Friends, and things—for once—are looking up.
Then, he meets a ghost and learns some magic, while an ancient cabal of alchemists and sorcerers alternately try to kidnap and enlist him—
Because, you see, he’s their last hope for saving the world, and the proverbial clock is ticking.
Mouse wouldn’t be your first choice to stop the apocalypse. But then, sometimes life makes these choices for you.
“Primarily non-verbal,” his file says, “anxiety and communication difficulty, nevertheless considerably bright.”
The world’s too loud for Mouse, all his dials are set to eleven, and just talking—let alone making friends—presents a very real challenge. But for reasons he can’t imagine, a purple-haired punk named Bliss has Decided They’re Friends, and things—for once—are looking up.
Then, he meets a ghost and learns some magic, while an ancient cabal of alchemists and sorcerers alternately try to kidnap and enlist him—
Because, you see, he’s their last hope for saving the world, and the proverbial clock is ticking.
Mouse wouldn’t be your first choice to stop the apocalypse. But then, sometimes life makes these choices for you.
276 pages, Hardcover
Published August 1, 2017
3 people are currently reading
158 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
September 27, 2017
See more of my reviews on my blog the Book Deviant
Where do I even start? This book packs such a huge punch, that I don't even know what I want this review to focus on. I feel like a lot of people won't know or recognize this book, but I'll be making it my job so this book has more readers, because it deserves more than it's got at the moment.
Mouse starts out a little slow, but I was never bored with how interesting the characters were. Mouse himself, who's actual name is Simon, is a character I've never seen before, who is completely unique in a genre where I'm rereading the same characters over and over again. And while Mouse was a new character to me, he still felt familiar--like a close friend. I understood the world and the characters, the plot and the writing, but more importantly, I couldn't get enough of it.
Richard is writing Mouse from an Own Voices perspective as well, so I knew that the autistic rep was coming from a trusted point of view. In addition to that, though, two of the main characters were Japanese, and while I can't say anything about that rep, I can say that the characters were just as enjoyable as Mouse was, and that I felt like I grew up with them. Anna and Kai had one of the best sibling relationship that I have read in a while, and I honestly fell in love with them.
Bliss was the surprise character that I wasn't really expecting to like. At first she came off as just a "there-to-be-there" character, but by the end of the book I had fallen in love with her just as much as I was with Kai and Anna and Mouse. Richard was able to craft amazing, life-like characters that I couldn't help but fall for.
One detail that I kept running through my mind about this book is probably the most interesting. In the book, Mouse and Anna are a fan of Japanese anime. The story progresses very similarily to what you would see in an anime, and this book literally read in my mind like I was watching an anime. This book also featured everything that I love about anime, and I just couldn't get enough. I could see pieces of different anime, and where there was influence, but instead of finding it cheap, I found it endearing.
I also have to say that this book is one of the few that play with time in a way that is easy to understand. There are paradoxes and time jumps and I thought I would be confused but it honestly made complete sense to me.
Five stars - Overall?
There were so many twists and shocks to this book that I was literally yelling at Richard in the middle of the night, and while he may have regrets sending it to me, I have no regrets at all. This book has A+ representation, but also has a really good story line and amazing characters. This isn't a book to pass up.
Would I Recommend?
Yes, especially if you're a fan of manga/anime. There is so much influence of that in this book, and Richard adds a sense of that, along with just a beautiful book. It's one of my new favorites, and I'm greatly looking forward to see what else he writes.
Where do I even start? This book packs such a huge punch, that I don't even know what I want this review to focus on. I feel like a lot of people won't know or recognize this book, but I'll be making it my job so this book has more readers, because it deserves more than it's got at the moment.
Mouse starts out a little slow, but I was never bored with how interesting the characters were. Mouse himself, who's actual name is Simon, is a character I've never seen before, who is completely unique in a genre where I'm rereading the same characters over and over again. And while Mouse was a new character to me, he still felt familiar--like a close friend. I understood the world and the characters, the plot and the writing, but more importantly, I couldn't get enough of it.
Richard is writing Mouse from an Own Voices perspective as well, so I knew that the autistic rep was coming from a trusted point of view. In addition to that, though, two of the main characters were Japanese, and while I can't say anything about that rep, I can say that the characters were just as enjoyable as Mouse was, and that I felt like I grew up with them. Anna and Kai had one of the best sibling relationship that I have read in a while, and I honestly fell in love with them.
Bliss was the surprise character that I wasn't really expecting to like. At first she came off as just a "there-to-be-there" character, but by the end of the book I had fallen in love with her just as much as I was with Kai and Anna and Mouse. Richard was able to craft amazing, life-like characters that I couldn't help but fall for.
One detail that I kept running through my mind about this book is probably the most interesting. In the book, Mouse and Anna are a fan of Japanese anime. The story progresses very similarily to what you would see in an anime, and this book literally read in my mind like I was watching an anime. This book also featured everything that I love about anime, and I just couldn't get enough. I could see pieces of different anime, and where there was influence, but instead of finding it cheap, I found it endearing.
I also have to say that this book is one of the few that play with time in a way that is easy to understand. There are paradoxes and time jumps and I thought I would be confused but it honestly made complete sense to me.
Five stars - Overall?
There were so many twists and shocks to this book that I was literally yelling at Richard in the middle of the night, and while he may have regrets sending it to me, I have no regrets at all. This book has A+ representation, but also has a really good story line and amazing characters. This isn't a book to pass up.
Would I Recommend?
Yes, especially if you're a fan of manga/anime. There is so much influence of that in this book, and Richard adds a sense of that, along with just a beautiful book. It's one of my new favorites, and I'm greatly looking forward to see what else he writes.
February 23, 2021
Wow, this book was phenomenal. Ghosts, gods, time, magic, love, friendship... this book balances all of this into one epic story I won't forget. My mind is still reeling from the ending. You will especially love this novel if you are into manga or anime. The author paces the intense and complex reveals/twists so well, they don't feel overwhelming until the book ends and then you realize the labyrinth of storytelling you just went though. I will also never think of ghosts in the same way, or ignore those subtle noises.
June 10, 2018
This is a superb example of well written, engaging, speculative fiction. Once begun, I couldn’t set it down.
I received a copy of Mouse for review from the publisher and went into this story blind. I hadn’t even read the blurb and was completely amazed by how I was totally taken in this smart urban fantasy.
It begins simply enough. Mouse is a 15 year old student on the autistic spectrum, coming into a new school a week after classes begin. He’s verbally challenged, but very bright and he does well academically as long as he isn’t required to work in a group, or do a presentation in front of a class. He’s enthusiastically befriended on his first day by a punk dressing girl with purple streaks in her hair whose name is Bliss. Mouse doesn’t like to make eye contact with people. He watches the world from a perspective of the peripheral, identifying others by their shoes as he makes his way through the crowded halls, always a bit late to the next class, even with Bliss helping him navigate his way.
After these introductions endear the characters, the story is anything but simple. I could write hundreds of words to explain it, but it would not scrape the surface of this tale.
Richard Ford Burley takes this seemingly ordinary scenario and injects it with familiar pop culture and anime references that you expect to find in many urban fantasies, but after that, all similarities end. What appears to be an anime inspired fantasy, with young protaganists, quickly becomes a convoluted tale of paradoxes, timelines, powerful timeless beings, and magic.
The characters are highly defined and drive the story which unfolds like a fractal flower, building from within itself. It expands and grows in ever more complicated shapes, only to fold back in on itself again in ways that are unpredictable, delightful, and sometimes terrifying. All the familiar tropes are taken and twisted so well that they’re nearly unrecognizable. When the plot takes a turn into violence, danger, heartbreak, and death, you expect the deus ex-machina to drop, but it doesn’t. You may think you can see it coming, a revelation that will put it all in place for you, but you won’t get one. There is a surprise around every corner until it culminates into the one crushing goal of a millennia of lifetimes.
The pace is break-neck when the action starts and it doesn’t stop until the last page.
Highly recommended for fantasy readers that love a unique story arc that makes readers think hard but still never loses you in all its very very complicated turns. It is a brilliant must read!
I received a copy of Mouse for review from the publisher and went into this story blind. I hadn’t even read the blurb and was completely amazed by how I was totally taken in this smart urban fantasy.
It begins simply enough. Mouse is a 15 year old student on the autistic spectrum, coming into a new school a week after classes begin. He’s verbally challenged, but very bright and he does well academically as long as he isn’t required to work in a group, or do a presentation in front of a class. He’s enthusiastically befriended on his first day by a punk dressing girl with purple streaks in her hair whose name is Bliss. Mouse doesn’t like to make eye contact with people. He watches the world from a perspective of the peripheral, identifying others by their shoes as he makes his way through the crowded halls, always a bit late to the next class, even with Bliss helping him navigate his way.
After these introductions endear the characters, the story is anything but simple. I could write hundreds of words to explain it, but it would not scrape the surface of this tale.
Richard Ford Burley takes this seemingly ordinary scenario and injects it with familiar pop culture and anime references that you expect to find in many urban fantasies, but after that, all similarities end. What appears to be an anime inspired fantasy, with young protaganists, quickly becomes a convoluted tale of paradoxes, timelines, powerful timeless beings, and magic.
The characters are highly defined and drive the story which unfolds like a fractal flower, building from within itself. It expands and grows in ever more complicated shapes, only to fold back in on itself again in ways that are unpredictable, delightful, and sometimes terrifying. All the familiar tropes are taken and twisted so well that they’re nearly unrecognizable. When the plot takes a turn into violence, danger, heartbreak, and death, you expect the deus ex-machina to drop, but it doesn’t. You may think you can see it coming, a revelation that will put it all in place for you, but you won’t get one. There is a surprise around every corner until it culminates into the one crushing goal of a millennia of lifetimes.
The pace is break-neck when the action starts and it doesn’t stop until the last page.
Highly recommended for fantasy readers that love a unique story arc that makes readers think hard but still never loses you in all its very very complicated turns. It is a brilliant must read!
September 24, 2017
Mouse, both the book and the main character, excel at confounding and exceeding your expectations. Characters and situations that could be well-worn tropes in the hands of others (an awkward kid trying to fit in at school, a character who is an unexpected Chosen One, an instant friend with shades of Manic Pixie Dream Girl-ness) are made new and interesting in this novel. The "awkward kid" is on the Autism spectrum, and finds inventive ways to make sure that his worldview is understood, and his "Chosen One" status comes with a lot of caveats attached. And the would-be Pixie is a full, complex character with a narrative in her own right. Unlike a lot of other YA novels, this one believes in the intelligence of its reader, and expects readers to work with the book instead of having their hand held. The last half of the book is nonstop action, though you may occasionally need to start drawing diagrams to help you understand all the implications of what is going on!
The best books leave you wanting to know more about novel's world and its characters, and that is how I feel after reading Mouse. There's so much that I would love to be able to explore further and know more about.
The best books leave you wanting to know more about novel's world and its characters, and that is how I feel after reading Mouse. There's so much that I would love to be able to explore further and know more about.
May 17, 2018
Well, that was not what I was expecting at all. And I'll probably need to read at least the latter half again to make sure I've got all the details straight. If you like magical realism, pick this one up asap.
August 28, 2017
MOUSE is a book that grabs you from page one and won't let go. Giving voice to a perspective rarely heard from, the main character, Mouse, is on the Autism spectrum, and his unique way of seeing the world is a welcome change from that of most modern YA heros. It is also beautifully written, with crisp and unusual turns of phrase adding depth to the experiences of the characters.
This book surprised me over and over, twisting and turning from Mouse's interactions at a new school, and the unexpected friends he makes under equally unexpected circumstances, to encounters with the supernatural that lead no-where I had ever been before!
A little bit anime and and a little bit fantasy, MOUSE kept me guessing, made me laugh, and made me want another book with these characters!
This book surprised me over and over, twisting and turning from Mouse's interactions at a new school, and the unexpected friends he makes under equally unexpected circumstances, to encounters with the supernatural that lead no-where I had ever been before!
A little bit anime and and a little bit fantasy, MOUSE kept me guessing, made me laugh, and made me want another book with these characters!
November 21, 2022
really liked the start, but kinda wasnt vibing with the pacing beginning around the middle. took a break before coming back to finish it. Its pretty fun overall, but yeah the pacing got a bit too fast and episodic for me personally, and I think that's why I vibed more with the beginning 30-50%. I liked the characters, but would've liked to have gotten more "personal time" with them outside of high stakes action, or more examination of the emotional effects on that kind of stuff. But like, the book has fun concepts and a cool choice for a mc, and if you like faster paced stuff, you might not have the same issues I did
October 14, 2017
After about 20 pages in, I couldn't put it down. I'm one of those people who can usually see plot twists coming from a mile away, but Mouse kept me on my toes until the last page. When novels are heavy on plot it sometimes comes at the expense of character, but that's not the case here -- each character feels so grounded and alive, I wanted to spend more time with them after the book was over. (Mouse's mom, June, was my unexpected personal favorite.)
August 30, 2017
All the while reading this I was picturing it playing out as an Anime series. Good character development. I'd love to see this turned into a Anime or Manga or both.
September 15, 2022
Unfortunately, this was the worst book I've ever read. Felt like an anime oc self insert fanfiction. I am preparing to reread it so that I can add more to this review to justify my rating.
February 3, 2018
An excellent, compelling read that will appeal to adults of all ages!
An extremely well-written novel, the story line builds in the first few chapters along with the characters to the point that the reader is compelled to continue reading and seek out the plot conclusion. The use of the English language is exquisite. Utilising an efficient and compact style, the author eloquently takes the reader through the journey through time. Described as written for Young Adults, this will appeal equally to all adults who love a good read albeit with its fantastic theme. Looking forward to the next book.
An extremely well-written novel, the story line builds in the first few chapters along with the characters to the point that the reader is compelled to continue reading and seek out the plot conclusion. The use of the English language is exquisite. Utilising an efficient and compact style, the author eloquently takes the reader through the journey through time. Described as written for Young Adults, this will appeal equally to all adults who love a good read albeit with its fantastic theme. Looking forward to the next book.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews