Book Review

The Carnelian Fox by Kay MacLeod

A Summary:  Kay MacLeod’s The Carnelian Fox is a YA novel that takes a more realistic look at what would happen if Pokémon (and all other games of that nature ending in ‘mon’) were real. This book distinguishes itself from those games by taking a more realistic and often dark view on these creatures. The book opens with the debut of Maiyamon and from that point forward the readers follows Sam a young woman with aspirations to be a battle prime. In this world there are Battle Primes and Show Primes, Sam’s journey begins with her being accompanied by her best friend Callum who is the son of a famous battle prime. Even though Sam does not come from an esteemed family Callum and her got along well but, unfortunate circumstances lead to them having to part ways. The path to becoming a Battle Prime is riddled with Challenge Masters that dole out points to aspiring Primes if they succeed at the challenge. Sam needs to have someone accompany her on this treacherous journey, so she teams up with a Show Prime Lucy. The two girls don’t exactly compliment each other; Lucy’s sparkly and pink candy types often making Sam sick to her stomach. Along their journey they get themselves in a sticky situation in which Eli a far more advanced Battle Prime than Sam aids in their escape from a Gargantuan Spider but things with Eli are not as they seem.

THE REVIEW: This book was great I went in with such low expectations because I’ve been bombarded with bad book as of late, but this book was a pleasant surprise. It’s easy to expect this book to just be Pokémon rip-off but it takes the source and improves on it. We will never see people being afraid Pokémon for their unrestrained power nor will we ever hear a story about a Pokémon killing a child causing people to protest them and torture them for their wrongdoings. I couldn’t help but get attached tpall the member in Sam’s team. Watching Sam grow over the course of the book was wonderful, seeing her persevere over challenges were really refreshing finally a character in a book that had tribulations whose purpose was only to lengthen the book. I will be eagerly awaiting the sequel to this book.

Writing

v The italicized bits at the end of every chapter are the only gripe I have with the book. The reader need not be told that Sam is naïve by Sam just show us she is naïve. I hope they do not continue this aspect of the book in the sequel (-20)

The Carnelian Fox
Grade: 80/100 B
Thoughts: 8/10 Sven is best boy