LoveReading Says
One of our Books of the Year 2014 Across a huge canvas that touches on almost everything a teenager might think about, this is a sexy, sharp-eyed, funny and totally irreverent view of the world as told by sixteen year Austin. Austin’s world view which is told as he hangs out in Ealing, Iowa with his best friend Robby and girlfriend Shann is very normal in that it is full of the usual teen concerns – mostly sex. But it also wholly extraordinary – especially after the bugs have been released. Accidentally, of course. With a world full of preying mantis the world will be never be the same again.
In addition to our Lovereading expert opinion for Grasshopper Jungle a small number of readers were lucky enough to be invited to review this title. Here's a taster... 'really original, I've never read anything like it. This has something for everyone; sci-fi, apocalyptic aspects, LGBT aspects, humour and so much more. I feel as though any fan of Michael Grant or David Levithan would love this book!' Sarah Murray.
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Andrew Smith Press Reviews
Teens love to read and so a small number of members were lucky enough to be invited to review Grasshopper Jungle. You can read their reviews below.
Izzy Read - 'It is either an unusual mix of genres or it was a completely new one. But strangely, it worked fantastically...This is a really unique book that I think a lot of teenagers will enjoy.' Click Here to read the full review.
Jack Graham - 'In Ealing, Iowa, two boys accidentally released the unstoppable soldiers – horny, hungry six foot praying mantises. Written as Austin’s history of the world, Grasshopper Jungle is a funny, complex novel.' Click Here to read the full review.
James Smith - 'Funny and Gripping...to me it was a good book, and it would make a very good film.' Click Here to read the full review.
Oliver Cawthorne - 'I found this book very interesting. There are a lot of exhilarating moments.' Click Here to read the full review.
Sarah Murray - 'really original, I've never read anything like it...This has something for everyone; sci-fi, apocalyptic aspects, LGBT aspects, humour and so much more. I feel as though any fan of Michael Grant or David Levithan would love this book!' Click Here to read the full review.
Andrew Wilson - 'If you enjoy a combination of realism and sci-fi with a unique interesting storyline then this book will keep you hooked all the way.' Click Here to read the full review.
Corey McKernan - 'This is not a book for younger readers as most of the story has vivid descriptions , but I found it was a most memorable read. Click Here to read the full review.
Zoe - 'If I had to describe this book up in one word, it would be: 'inter-esting'. Not 'interesting' which means extraordinary and entertaining, but 'inter....esting' where I found it odd and unexplainable.' Click Here to read the full review.
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Further praise for Grasshopper Jungle.
Grasshopper Jungle is a cool/passionate, gay/straight, male/female, absurd/real, funny/moving, past/present, breezy/profound masterpiece of a book.....Original, weird, thought-provoking and guaranteed to stir controversy. One hell of a book. Michael Grant, no.1 bestselling author of the Gone series
If you only read one book this year about sexually confused teens battling 6 foot tall head-chomping praying mantises in small town America, make it this one. Cool, funny, sexy, gross. Charlie Higson, bestselling author of The Enemy and Young Bond series
Beautiful, hilarious, heartbreaking, real, oh-so-macabre. inkwood books
Grasshopper Jungle is a perfect book. As wild as a Stephen King novel, and as emotional as a John Green, this book is equally funny, creepy and arousing. books & books
About Andrew Smith
Andrew Smith is English although he was born in New York and lived in California until he was in his early teens. He watched the moon landings on TV in his San Francisco home.
He has written for the Melody Maker, the Face, the Sunday Times, and the Observer where he has written on the KLF, death row, Damien Hirst, Jeff Bezos, Bianca Jagger and much much more. He currently lives with his family in Norfolk.
Photograph © Jaime Turner
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