Holyoke, P. (2015). The Neptune Challenge. Los Angeles: Disney-Hyperion.
Middle
Grade / Dystopian / Action
I
give this book 5 of 5 stars
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Author's Synopsis (from website)
Genetically
engineered to survive in the ocean, Nere and her friends are recovering
from their long, treacherous journey to refuge and settling in at
Safety Harbor. Despite its name, plenty of dangers still lurk just
outside the colony's boundaries. When two among them are kidnapped, the
remaining Neptune kids and their loyal dolphins must set out on a
mission even more perilous than their first: infiltrate the kidnapper's
fortress to save their friends and steal away a vital scientific secret
that may save the world and its oceans. Fighting terrifying mutated
creatures and teens, will the Neptune kids find a way to save their
friends, themselves, and their underwater world? The stakes couldn't be
higher in this thrilling sequel to the award-winning The Neptune Project.
========================================
In
the first book of this series, The Neptune Project, (click for synopsis & review), we meet main character Nere, and a group of her friends who have
been bio-engineered to live underwater and must trek through a thousand miles of
ocean to get to Safety Harbor. The Neptune Challenge picks up
right where Project leaves off, and it hits the ground running.
Author
Polly Holyoke has ramped up the pace and the story is action packed and has
some real nail-biting and harrowing scenes. Readers can expect to find some
raw, savage fights and a fairly high body count, and there are some truly
despicable, horrifying characters to be found not just in the mutates, but in
humans as well. Holyoke does a fabulous job with her characterization,
and readers will loathe more than a few of the characters. Wasp, who was
briefly introduced in the first book, is particularly well done, and one of the
most memorable villains I've read in a while. And of course, there are the
lovable, dependable, essential dolphins, who really round out the story.
Though
the book is violent and people are harsh, Holyoke always balances the bad with
subtle messages that reinforce the values of commitment, trust, honesty, and
doing the right thing. Readers will find that the characters and their
actions feel authentic in the situations that arise - and the situations that
arise are intense! Holyoke has created a plot line that is incredibly
interesting and fills it with a series of events that will tug on readers'
heartstrings, spike their anger, and prey on their fears. (Direct hit for me
since I might have a thing about sharks.) The underwater world
descriptions are vivid and amazing, and it's clear Holyoke has done her
homework to make accurate scenes.
Even
though references to the prior book are summarized, I definitely think readers
need to read the first book to fully enjoy this one. The background is
important, as are the details of some of the things that happened in book one.
The ending is more than satisfactory, but it does leave room for another book
in the series -- and I'm hoping Polly Holyoke decides to write it!
This
book is a solid middle grade book and sensitive readers need to know that there
is violence, blood, and some gore, and victims are both humans and animals.
There are also some pretty intense, even scary scenes that could be a little
haunting. There is no bad language or sex and only very mild references
to kids having crushes.
Thank
you to the author and Lone Star Literary Life for giving me a copy of this book
in exchange for my honest review -- the only kind I give.
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signed copy & dolphin necklace and earring set!
Want another chance to win the necklace and book? Jump over to The Page Unbound where another review is posted and a giveaway is happening!
About the Author: Polly Holyoke is a former teacher and loves reading, camping, skiing,
scuba diving, and hiking in the desert. She lives in Plano, TX with
three rescue dogs, two spoiled cats, and a nice husband who tolerates
piles of books all over their house. Her debut middle grade novel, The Neptune Project,
was selected to the 2014-15 Texas Bluebonnet Master List along with
state reading lists in Maryland and Ohio. Her second novel, The Neptune
Challenge, was released by Disney/Hyperion in May.
Learn more and follow Polly Holyoke and her books:
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