Masterminds

One of the best books I've read this year. Gordon Korman weaves a masterful tale about an isolated, almost too perfect town that manufactures orange safety cones.

Masterminds is the perfect preteen mystery story. With elements that reminded me of the movies Super 8, Goonies and The Truman Show, the story revolves around a group of 12-13 year old kids living in a town named Serenity. Everything is perfect - too perfect.

But as events unfold, they begin to question the purity of motives and the honesty of words spoken. Truth and lies are revealed behind concealed information and misdirection. Unsure who to trust, and pressured into action, the kids take bolder and more daring risks to discover the truth.

With sexual elements, vulgar language and minimal violence, this book is a safe read for early young adults and older. The concepts of honesty and deception are central to the plot and continually draw the reader back into the narrative. Well written, the story brings the reader along, revealing enough details to keep them hooked but never fully resolving all the answers.

I particularly liked how several plot points are intentionally left unanswered. Whether done to serve the writing of a sequel or as part of the intrigue waits to be seen. My only complaint is that Korman writes each chapter from a different character's perspective. The point of view is not as divergent as other books and he probably could have used a simple narrative style so I'm not sure why the writing technique was used.

Overall an excellent book, well worth your time.

Masterminds by Gordon Korman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
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