Sometimes far fetched is just too far fetched; even if, the writing is fluid and keeps the storyline from growing stagnate.
My kids (12, 11, almost 9, and 7.5 years old respectively) would rate this book a 5; however, as the mom, I can only manage a 3 star rating with this particular "Extreme Adventure" offering in mind.
Each book in this series has elements of good versus evil coupled with natural elements and/or disasters. It's one bad turn after another! How much can one person face and withstand and still survive?
From sharks, to dolphins, to reefs, oh my! From island to island, to a pit bull and a cassowary, survival instincts remain on full throttle throughout this read.
Definitely for the adrenaline junkie, you'll find martial arts and a boat that gets cut in two! The only downside is, you may need a translator for this one. Keep your phone or computer handy to look up Japanese to English translation; unless, you want to go with the flow and try to understand what's going on without fully being able to communicate with one of the main protagonists clearly. (When cultures and languages collide it's best done and most effective when face-to-face. When we can communicate with our hands, faces, and body language. Much harder to grasp within fictionalized character format and reading alone.)
For all of the aforementioned downsides, this book most definitely still earns every one of its three stars from me! It's one amazing, death-defying adventure that won't be soon forgotten. A good, middle grade read!