The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes was actually sent to Big to review, which she did, over here. Then after she’d read it, I took it with me to blogfest last weekend, as I’d a couple of nice train journeys to do. And when I got back and my head was bouncing and I couldn’t sleep, it was ideal reading material.
I say ideal, and yet it’s not a particularly light read. It may be being launched as a teen book, but it’s only the age of the protagonist that targets it at that market. The material and presentation is of a smooth crime book. And some parts of it are downright creepy – I was actually really surprised that Big enjoyed it, and didn’t have any issues with some of the secondary story line.
What you’ve got is teenagers being recruited into the FBI due to natural talents such as profiling, lying and reading people. It’s kind of like a teenager’s Criminal Minds – which was a show I used to love, and somehow just ran out of time to watch. It’s not an easy show though, and getting inside a serial killer’s mind isn’t that enjoyable a process – and that’s what the extra bits of book are. You’ve got the main story line, and then interspersed narrative from inside a killer’s mind as they are killing. And it’s chillingly plausible.
The rest of it? Possibly not quite so plausible that the FBI would go around recruiting children from the age of 12. But then again, they’ve done some weird things in the past. I suppose it has a parallel with things like Stormbreaker, but that is a younger book again, and there isn’t the creepiness quotient, or the latent romance either. (Yes, it’s a teen book, yes of course there’s romance. No teen can get through more than a couple of days without hormonal outbreaks after all, can they? )
Despite my slight unhappiness with the shoehorning of romance into the situation, overall I thought this was extremely strong, and I very much hope it is the beginning of a series, because I’d love to read more about the teenage cast and where they go next. Plus there’s the unanswered question of what did happen to Cassie’s mother – I’m hoping that’s going to be a theme as well. Answering it that is, rather than asking it repeatedly.
I’m sorry. I’m not convinced I’m making a whole lot of sense tonight. You’d probably be better off reading my daughter’s review. But there you go.
(Just discovered that Jennifer Lynn Barnes has written loads of stuff! Definitely got to get my hands on some of those.)
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