Neptune's Children by Bonnie Dobkin

When the world falls victim to a deadly virus what happens? In Bonnie Dobkin's novel Neptune's Children, when this virus strikes an amusement park only the children survive. Feeling lost and hopeless the children struggle with the loss of their parents, and wander aimlessly on the islands that make up the park, until one boy takes charge. The children accept the islands as their home, and appoint leaders to keep them organized. What happens to the outside world remains a mystery until Zoe, one of the survivors, spots a glow in the distance. As secrets are revealed, a war rages, and few will believe the truth.

Neptune's Children is a fast paced book, full of mysteries waiting to be discovered. The main characters Josh, Zoe, and Milo, all have a strong voice and a well developed personality. No two characters are alike, and all of them change over time. Josh and Zoe, the two main characters, are easy to relate to and understand. As Zoe becomes more suspicious, the reader does too, and when Josh feels betrayed by those he trusts, the reader can easily sympathize. The author's vocabulary and writing style works well for the intended age group, and manages to create appropriate moods throughout the book. The conclusion ties up most of the ends neatly, but leaves some questions for the reader to ponder. Neptune's Children is a great book for anyone who likes sci-fi and mystery books. I enjoyed reading this book very much, and will look forward to this author's future works.

Mild language, and mild violence, as well as some suggestive themes.

Reviewer Age:15

Reviewer City, State and Country: Colleyville, Texas United States