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Kaworu

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Wicked fun and truly hatable villains

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 09-05-23

Really enjoying this one at about the halfway point now. Justine Lupe is not nearly as bad as I thought she might be (though I find her vocal fry distractingly unprofessional). In truth, I still find myself missing Will Patton’s familiar growl and it’s awfully strange to listen to a book from this particular universe that’s not narrated by him, I do think the overall story and characters are more than strong enough to pull the reader through.

I have absolutely no clue what this “left-wing preaching” being discussed is supposed to be. The novel is set in the midst of COVID America, so politics is a part of the background, but it never goes beyond that.

The two villains (who - light spoiler - are cannibals and possibly satanists) seem to be virulently racist/homophobic beneath their genteel exteriors, so all I can assume is that these complaining reviewers are simply racist homophobes who object to their fictional counterparts being portrayed as demonic cannibals. Can’t think of any other “left-wing political messaging” and can’t say I give them much credence.

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So happy to see this book here!

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 05-01-22

This was the first chapter book that I ever selected, bought, and read entirely by myself when I was about 10 years old, and I *adored* it - read the cover off of it, and the other Johnny Dixon books by Bellairs. It actually holds up exceptionally well, and I’m sort of stunned at how genuinely charming, funny, and clever (and creepy) it still is.

The narrator does a totally solid and decent job, and I particularly thought he more or less nailed Professor Childermass which is the key voice to make it all hang together. I docked him a point for the absurd stereotypical German accent he gave the psychiatrist character.

Reading this after 25 years of YA novels dominated by the specter of Harry Potter, I have to mention how refreshing Bellairs boy protagonists are. Unlike a Harry Potter, boys like Johnny Dixon (and Lewis Barnavelt) are *truly* losers and wimps. Awkward and sensitive, unpopular at school, bad at sports, lacking courage, coming from poor families and with dusty dweeby talents and hobbies. I think a *lot* of us can much more readily and realistically identify (and sympathize) with that sort of protagonist than the famous, rich, popular, brave, courageous, innately powerful quidditch star that is Harry Potter.

Anyway, I’m utterly thrilled to see this here and listen to it again, and definitely am looking forward to more Johnny Dixon books coming out on here. The Trolley to Yesterday is my most anticipated one, I think - though The Eyes of the Killer Robot may be a close second!

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