#BookReview: The Middler by Kirsty Applebaum @KirstyApplebaum

Synopsis: Beyond the mysterious boundary of eleven-year-old Maggie's town, the Quiet War rages and the dirty, dangerous wanderers roam--a gripping debut for fans of The Giver, Pax, and Orphan Island

"The Middler held one marvelous surprise after another every time I turned a page, leading to a most unexpected ending! Readers are going to love this book!" --Jennifer A. Nielsen, New York Times-bestselling author of The False Prince and A Night Divided 

Maggie lives in orderly Fennis Wick, protected from the outside world by a boundary. Her brother Jed is an eldest, revered and special, a hero who will soon go off to fight in the war. But Maggie's just a middle child, a middler, often invisible and ignored, even by her own family.

When she chances upon a wanderer girl in hiding, she decides she wants to be a hero like her brother and sets out to capture the intruder. But once Maggie peeks past the hedges of the boundary for the first time, suddenly everything she's ever known about her isolated town gets turned on its head. . .

In her debut novel for young readers, Kirsty Applebaum crafts a gripping story of resistance, forbidden friendship, loyalty, and betrayal.


Goodreads | Amazon

Rating: ★★★★
My Review: This was a great dystopian for the middle grade crowd or really for anyone who loves them.  I love dystopians and this one was a hit.  I loved the way the book unfolded from the friendship to the betrayal to just everything about it.  This book had a great feel and I couldn't put it down. 

Go Into This One Knowing: Dystopian 

Review

Named a Children's Book of the Week in The Times and The Sunday Times!

"Maggie is a courageous, headstrong character who will grab the hearts of her readers. The Middler held one marvelous surprise after another every time I turned a page, leading to a most unexpected ending! Readers are going to love this book!” ―Jennifer A. Nielsen, New York Times–bestselling author of The False Prince and A Night Divided

"This is a quirky, original adventure about friendship and loyalty, betrayal and trust, kindness and greed, told as Maggie's vibrant narrative, with striking characters and a happy ending." ―The Sunday Times

"I thought I'd almost reached my fill of dystopian novels, but Kirsty Applebaum has rebooted the genre. The plot pulls you along . . . [and] there is a touch of Harper Lee's Scout [in Maggie]." ―The Times

"[A] remarkable debut . . . the story reveals its twists and turns in an almost cinematic manner. Young readers will be eager to know more about Maggie’s absorbing world and the mysterious wanderers beyond." ―Booklist

"[A] fast-moving, suspenseful dystopian novel . . . Maggie’s bravery, kindness, and loyalty are admirable." ―School Library Journal

About the Author

Kirsty Applebaum was born in Essex, England and grew up in Hampshire. She's had a wide variety of jobs including bookselling, railway re-signaling, picking stones off conveyor belts, putting lids on perfume bottles, and teaching Pilates. She now lives with her husband on top of a hill in Winchester. The Middler is her debut novel. Find out more about the author on her website and follow her on Twitter.

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FTC Guidelines: In accordance with FTC guidelines regarding endorsements and testimonials for bloggers, I would like my readers to know that many of the books I review are provided to me for free by the publisher or author of the book in exchange for an honest review. If am compensated for any reviews on this site I will state that post has been sponsored. 

Posted in: 4 Stars, Edelweiss, Henry Holt and Co., Middle Grade, Review