THE ALEX CROW by Andrew Smith is a bizarre young adult novel that skillfully weaves together multiple storylines into a strangely powerful statement about society, extinction, and life.
What do a brutal war, a summer boys’ camp, a nineteenth century arctic expedition, and a schizophrenic bomber have in common? It sounds like a bad joke, but it’s actually the outlandish collection of situations that make Andrew Smith such as popular YA author. Like Grasshopper Jungle, the witty situations in THE ALEX CROW feel real but are actually set in an alternative version of our world where a depressed ex-extinct bionic crow seems possible.
Designed for science fiction readers 14 and up, Smith’s conversational writing style along with his unique balance of serious and goofy situations make this fact-paced book fly by. The reoccurring themes of extinction, life, and the “stories we carry” provide a new level of depth for Smith.
Fans of Andrew Smith will be pleased with his latest weird work and new readers will want to go back and read his earlier YA novels. While his books are perfect for reluctant readers, librarians should keep in mind that Smith’s works aren’t for everyone. They’re filled with masturbation jokes, disturbing teen violence, and gruesome, dystopian subplots.
Look for THE ALEX CROW on the best-seller lists for 2015.
To learn more about the author and his works, go to http://www.authorandrewsmith.com/.
Published by Dutton Book on March 10, 2015.
