It seems like any normal weekday, kids getting ready for school, parent organising themselves for another work shift. How could anything go wrong? A slow day flips into a dash of violent attacks on Andy and Stuart Pierce's mum with red paint supposing to symbolise blood. As a matter of fact, Christine Pierce works at Malarek Research centre which is a laboratory for testing on animals, so not everyone will be pleased on that. Especially animal activist groups or animal extremists. This fast paced section at the end of chapter 1 questions yourself, who the guys in the balaclavas were? etc., but altogether it makes you read on.
James Adams is 14, at this point he is on his 6th mission with Cherub. The mission to unearth the Animal Freedom Milta. As pointed, adults never suspect that children are spying on them. Yet this comes with difficult challenges fitting in. The task is set for James Adams, his sister Lauren and his (gay) friend Kyle. All face troubles and their demons of meat slaughter (James and Lauren), boyfriends(Kyle), animal cruelty (Lauren) and chances of human murder within the task (James and Kyle). At first I thought Robert Muchamore, was focusing on the character Lauren due to the little mission at the beginning, her punishment and her window smashed in, which is an interesting take. Nonetheless it refocuses on James and Kyle and Lauren doesn't have a major role, despite her being a black shirt.
Altogether the last 25% I could not stop reading or slow down as excitement levels rose. However, it doesn't mean the last 25%, the other 75% wasn't good, it was fantastic and well written. Overall, my favourite scene was the minor mission to help the new recruits and the extremist's group actions on the last few chapters.
The book includes all the action, excitement and tense situations of the CHERUB series so far, moreover it adds bits of information on vegetarianism and animal cruelty. In addition to the thrill that any teenager loves to read, Man Vs Beast will truly make you think about your beliefs of animal testing and cruelty. On the other hand, as much as I liked this book, I have a feeling Divine Madness (clue in the name) has the most excitable ending in the Cherub series.
To not end on a bad note. All of the elements of a good cherub book are definitely included in the book, it makes this novel worthwhile to read. Overall the whole mysterious story was well written for a mixed variety of genres. This' book target audience is for teens mainly boys, but I believe this can be enjoyed by female teenagers as well. I enjoyed every single novel of the cherub series so far and would definitely recommended the whole series.
This is a book you can lost in and let hours pass and is the series that started me to read again. TRUALLY RECOMMEND.