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EVIL GENIUS ‘Really smart and clever. ’ ‘Catherine Jinks is a brilliant builder of narrative firewalls, and just as you think you have it all figured out, you don’t. To match the dynamic intricacy of the plot, Cadel’s character develops from that of a put-upon child to a morally searching adolescent.’
‘Jinks has done a good job putting into words a complex plot that kids will understand. Evil Genius is a rousing summer read and a distraction for any genius who fancies altering traffic light patterns and learning the Pentagon's secrets. ’ ‘Catherine Jinks pulls out all the stops in Evil Genius, making Cadel not just smart, but brilliant, devious, loyal, inventive, creative, focused, and oddly good at cross-dressing. ’ ‘ This hefty but engrossingly complex tale features a young super-brain being groomed for world domination . . . Cadel rides right up there with Artemis Fowl as a sympathetic anti-villain.’Kirkus Reviews ‘Jinks has created an intricate, well-constructed and layered reality in this hefty novel, and as the complex deceptions that have shaped Cadel’s life come to light, his emotional unraveling and awakening will likely engross readers.’ ‘Imagine Harry Potter's Hogwarts in reverse . . . this book will appeal to younger teens who can see the possibilities for adventure through the eyes of the bad guys. Although Cadel himself will in the end deny evil, he learns that no one remains untouched by it.’ ‘Evil Genius will be another crossover title with a broad potential audience, appealing as much to adults as to teens with a taste for the dark side. It is long, at almost 500 pages, but the short, snappy chapters make it easy to get through.’ ‘There’s a moral here but Evil Genius doesn’t lay it on thick. It stands out from the pack of young adult novels and there’s a ‘Catherine Jinks has written several other books . . . However in my opinion Evil Genius is the best ever.’ ‘Like Cadel this is a clever book . . . [with] brilliant moments and thrilling episodes . . . ’ ‘With elements of and parallels to Artemis Fowl, Harry Potter and Lemony Snickett, and a plot that twists and turns, it would be easy to see Evil Genius as another book in the ‘me too’ vein, but CBC award winner Jinks is far too good a writer to fall into this trap. This will appeal to adults and teenagers alike.’
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