Title: Caution: darkness and complexity ahead
Product review: Just a cautionary note to parents. This isn't a "fun" or innocent book for younger children, as you might imagine from a cursory look, or from what you might glean from the title and packaging. We got a few chapters into to before my daughter asked (begged) me to stop reading it. A lot of it is just downright mean, and not in any helpful sense. On reflection, why would we want to introduce young kids to such themes as alienation, existentialism, class warfare, entitlement, and on and on? Can't we allow them a few years of innocence and fun before the onslaught of the teenage turmoil and adulthood? And some of the effort to introduce complexity comes across as risible. I mean quoting Dostoesky? Honestly, how pretentious. If you want darkness, stimulation, character development, and excellent writing in a completely original imaginative landscape then try the Guardians of Ga'hoole series. My 8-year old has read the first seven volumes and can't put them down.
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