A Fast and Brutal Wing
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Book Overview
"She leapt, a perfect arc, lithe muscles propelling her through the air, leaving what was human behind, clothes fallen to the ground. She was cat, claws unsheathed, teeth bared. Loving the hunt, the chase, the pounce and the strike, her teeth sinking into flesh, blood spurting in her mouth." "Animal justice: ruthless and swift. And totally satisfying." A provocative, richly layered, and utterly compelling novel that asks the answerable: what is truth, and what does it mean to be human? Niki and Emmet are siblings with a secret: their ability to change from human to animal, and back-their ability to transform-she to a cat, he to a hawk. Their mother is clueless, but how much does the elusive writer Slanger know? Is their classmate Doug as superficial as he seems? Is the psychiatrist a caretaker or an enemy? And what did she have to do with their father's disappearance? Alternating 4 voices, paralleling the transformations of adolescence itself, this book is also about the transformative power of great literature, on the border between the darkest fantasy and our own reality.
Format:Hardcover
Language:English
ISBN:1596430133
ISBN13:9781596430136
Release Date:October 2004
Publisher:Roaring Brook Press
Length:192 Pages
Weight:0.80 lbs.
Dimensions:0.8" x 5.8" x 8.6"
Age Range:12 to 17 years
Grade Range:Grades 7 to 12
Customer Reviews
3 ratings
Complex and fantastic
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 17 years ago
Although not technically a "difficult" read, this book is wonderfully challenging in that the multiple narrative perspectives offer different versions of the chilling events that happened to three teens one Halloween night. Johnson constructs the plot masterfully, and reveals information at a pace that keeps you reading and maintains the tension. I can't quite understand how the librarian who reviewed this book would be confused by it. It's not your standard, linear narrative, true; but Johnson makes it very clear what each of the narrators' perspectives on the events is. The only confusion is which one of them you want to believe -- a choice left up to the reader. A great, great book for upper level teens.
A fast-paced story highly recommended as a leisure read for high school teens.
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 17 years ago
A brother and sister are bonded not just by the usual sibling relationship but by the fact they can change from human to animal and back... or is it a lie? A broken family, a series of bizarre encounters, and seemingly supernatural abilities lend a swift and unique action to a fast-paced story highly recommended as a leisure read for high school teens.
A must read!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 18 years ago
Niki and Emmet have a secret that not another soul knows about besides them, so they think! Their secret is they are able to transform into animals. But something totally goes wrong when a school assignment asks to do "The Father Project", and more is exposed than what is wanted. This is a great mystery story that shows a longing to be free and have no worries or cares. This is a must read for all teens ages 14 or higher.
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