The Middler
Kirsty Applebaum
Subjects
- Action Adventures - chills, thrills and plenty of spills
- Friends & Family - tears and laughter, and happy ever after
""I was special. I was a hero. I lost the best friend I ever had.""Eleven-year-old Maggie lives in Fennis Wick, enclosed and protected from the outside world by a boundary, beyond which the Quiet War rages and the dirty, dangerous wanderers roam. Her brother Jed is an eldest, revered and special. A hero. Her younger brother is Trig - everyone loves Trig. But Maggie's just a middler; invisible and left behind. Then, one hot September day, she meets Una, a hungry wanderer girl in need of help, and everything Maggie has ever known gets turned on its head. Narrated expertly and often hilariously by Maggie, we experience the trials and frustrations of being the forgotten middle child, the child with no voice, even in her own family. This gripping story of forbidden friendship, loyalty and betrayal is perfect for fans of Malorie Blackman, Meg Rosoff, Frances Hardinge and Margaret Atwood. ""I thought I'd almost reached my fill of dystopian novels, but Kirsty Applebaum has rebooted the genre. The plot pulls you along and I liked Maggie more and more as she grew in courage. There is a touch of Harper Lee's Scout about her."" - Alex O'Connell, The Times Also by Kirsty Applebaum: TrooFriend
Reviews
I LOVED this book! Perfect to read to a class whilst studying WWII. You ask questions right from the start and you stay hooked all the way through. The denouement is utterly brilliant and satisfying and also a bit sad. Excellent writing by Kirsty Applebaum!
MichelleHGH
An interesting premise - all eldest children are sent away to fight an obscure, never-ending conflict and are idealised by their society. This book had some astute observations about how propaganda can shape a society and a relatable protagonist in Maggie. Recommended for fans of the hunger games although this is aimed at slightly younger readers.
norathurkle
A slow burner initially, but once I plodded through it really picked up speed and hooked me at the end. A definite must read, but it is slow to start.
Alama
A dystopian for middle grade readers. Maggie lives in a world where the "eldest" child in every family gets all the attention until they leave at age 14 to go "to camp" and help to fight the Quiet War and protect their community from the outside world. Everyone accepts this until Maggie, a middle child or "middler" meets Olga who is a wanderer from beyond the town boundaries. She starts to ask questions and discovers all is not as it seems. An exciting and thought provoking read about friendship, loyalty, betrayal and bravely standing up for what is right. Useful for discussions about politics, tolerance, refugees, brainwashing and injustice.
Joyful
This is a brilliant book, that i would definitely recommend to others! The main character, Maggie, faces great moral dilemmas, while also being a character who is easy to relate to. The story has similarities to 'The boy in the striped pyjamas' but has a much happier ending! There are a couple of typos in this book, but overall, it's a story that captures the readers attention and one of those books that you just don't want to put down.
LaurenBrown
This was an okay read. I liked the premise of the story - that all eldest children are sent away to military camps in order to protect everyone and continue the fight against the 'Quiet War' and as a consequence, these children are revered and treated differently to their siblings. There is also a threat from the Wanderers - who seem to be outsiders. However, this isn't really explored fully or explained. It should appeal to younger readers though, particularly those interested in dystopian fiction or fantasy.
BelvoirLibrarian
I liked the idea of this and it has potential but I felt that it lacked the grittiness of other dystopian fiction. The main character, in my view, lacked something and it all seemed to end very conveniently. I would recommend though for younger ks2 audiences.
RachelSchoolLibrarian
This was an absorbing read. The parameters of the near-future society was deftly drawn and interesting.
SophieHatter
A fantastic book, slightly dystopian. One which children and adults alike will enjoy - with adults experiencing the book on another level. The story of a town which is ruled by the mayor and keeps itself within the boundary for fear of the 'wanderers' outside the fence. Outside rages the Quiet War to which the eldests are sent at the age of 14. The main character, Maggie decides to make a name for herself by seeking out and handing over one of these wanderers. Meanwhile, her elder brother is being sent off to the Quiet War - or is he? An intriguing story, and highly remcommended.
msfbedu
This book is so intriguing - the world is like ours, but not quite. Wars have necessitated new rules which send eldest children off to mysterious camps. I absolutely loved the family relationships which are explored and the unlikely friendships which emerge. A really unusual, story which stayed with me long after I had finished it.
mrspbookworm