Deviant

September 1, 2011

The new kid in a near-reform school finds himself caught up in a disturbing animal-abuse case.

Accused of theft at his Las Vegas school, Danny Lopez needs a fresh start in a structured environment, and his parents think they've found just the place in Colorado: Cobalt Junior High Charter School, with a strict dress code, a draconian policy on communication and tightly outlined class instruction. As Danny adjusts to the silence and the scripts, he also gets caught up in the student sects, each of which claims to run the school. Meanwhile, a serial killer is murdering cats, and Danny is determined to uncover the secret before his cat is sacrificed. Generic protagonist Danny's lack of personality and distinctive voice is underscored by the stream of pop-culture references that pepper the narrative, seemingly in an attempt to reach out to the teen audience. Many of the plot points (rote memorization over critical thinking, absentee parents, religious instruction in schools) come across as social critique rather than narrative elements, and none of them feel particularly suited to the middle-school audience. Though the cat killings are slightly gruesome, the serial killer is never truly scary and has flimsiest motivation at best. The publisher has labeled this book for ages 14 and up, perhaps because of the serial killings. The gore isn't particularly gory, though, and protagonist, writing and setting all seem to skew this book to middle-school audiences.

Bloody without terror, this tale barely deviates from formula. (Mystery. 12-13)

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

November 1, 2011

Gr 7-10-A newcomer to the Colorado Springs area, Danny Lopez is interested in giving his stepdad a hard time, riding his skateboard, and eyeing the pretty girl across the street. But he soon discovers that Cobalt Junior High Charter School, where everyone wears white gloves and behaves like silent robots, is not the only thing about the town that's creepy. Not only is there a maximum-security prison nearby, but a psychopath is systematically and ritualistically disemboweling the local domestic cats. Naturally curious, and concerned about his own pet, Danny gets caught up in solving the mystery of the serial cat killer-and consequently becomes a target himself. Considering the sadistic premise, revealed within the first pages of the book, this would be a poor fit for squeamish or sensitive readers. Plot-driven, with minimal character development, the narrative is interspersed with letters from the killer that add to the creepiness factor. Worth a try by strong-stomached fans of true crime and horror.-Emma Burkhart, Springside School, Philadelphia, PA

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.