"Mesmeric myth meets modern mystery in this atmospheric Middle Grade adventure in which mechanical beings run amok"
April 2020 Debut of the Month
Delving deep into Paris and Prague, and teeming with tension, automatons and assassins, Damien Love’s Monstrous Devices is an atmospheric, adventure-packed debut, which will surely appeal to fans of Jonathan Stroud’s immersive, multi-layered novels.
Bookish twelve-year-old Alex’s story begins with him enduring nasty messages from bullies at school, and then he receives a tin robot in the post, accompanied by a mysterious message that reads, “This one is special”. Next morning, his unfinished essay has been completed and, on cue, as matters take an alarming turn, Alex’s charismatic grandfather appears and whisks him away to Paris as a matter of urgency. Little by little, and in cryptic terms, Alex’s grandfather reveals details of a secret world of robots that sees them journey from Paris to Prague to combat mechanical menaces.
Interweaving the Czech origin of the word ‘robot’ (meaning ‘forced labour’ and derived from Karel Čapek’s ‘RUR’ play), and Prague’s 16th century legend of the golem (a man made from clay created to protect the city’s Jewish Quarter) with contemporary pace and punch, this feels at once timeless and of the 21st century.
'I enjoyed everything about Damien Love's debut.' Anthony Horowitz, bestselling author of the Alex Rider series
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the best books for 9-12 year olds · the best books for teenagers
'I enjoyed everything about Damien Love's debut.' Anthony Horowitz, bestselling author of the Alex Rider series 'Hugely original, exciting debut novel... a fantastical but entirely believable world with scary killer robots oiled to perfection with automaton history, surprising characters and dry humour... Get hold of a copy, wind it up and let yourself go.' The Times 'An effortless, atmospheric evocation of place and history combine in an unforgettable, immersive reading experience.' Guardian 'This grandad and grandson adventure has all the hallmarks of a whopping kids' thriller.' The Big Issue, Kids' Books of the year When twelve-year-old Alex receives an old tin robot in the post, the note from his grandfather simply reads: 'This one is special'.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Monstrous Devices and determined it is suitable for children aged 9-12 years old
Monstrous Devices features in the following genres: Adventure Stories, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Debuts of the Month, Recommendations, Fantasy / Magical, Featured Books for 11+ readers, Thrillers, Featured Books for 9+ readers
Hardback, Paperback, CD-Audio. Not Available.
Monstrous Devices was written by Damien Love and published by Rock the Boat an imprint of Oneworld Publications
Monstrous Devices has 338 pages
