#animorphs book

[byelacey]

me on oct 1

[mooncyclereader]

PLOT

Sometimes weird things happen to people. Ask Jake. He may tell you about the night he and his friends saw the strange light in the sky. He may even tell you about what happened when they realized the "light" was only a plane -- from another planet. Here's where Jake's story gets a little weird. It's where they're told that the human race is under attack -- and given the chance to fight back.

Now Jake, Rachel, Cassie, Tobias, and Marco have the power to morph into any animal they choose. And they must use that power to outsmart an evil that is greater than anything the world has ever seen...

RATING : 3.5/5

SPOILER BELOW

I can already hear people laughing at me.

"Moon i thought you where an adult! Why are you reading a middle grade book?!"

Because i can and i wanted to!

I didn't grow up with these books, they weren't published in my country. Fairy Oak was the big household name in my time. Definitely a different vibe from this serie.

I remember seeing the Covers of Animorphs online during my early internet years and how everyone called them cringe. No one would say anything about the content of the books tho, so i didn't look in to it. Then two years ago or so i stumble upon a page of the graphic novel and i was MADDLY CONFUSED by what i was seeing. I thought for a moment that it was a cool online comic by some indie author. Only to discover it belonged to an adaptation of those long forgotten weird books i saw online.

And so i got curious, not curious enough to want to buy them, but enough to consider reading them.

I never really liked middle grade books, i think it's the kind of stuff you either get in to when you are the appropriate age or you never do. I tried reading harry potter at 17 and was bored. At 19 i tried Percy Jackson and every character was annoying me to the end.

So you can understand i didn't have high hopes for Animorphs. I didn't want to spend money on it but i wanted to check it out still.

Luckily i found the audio book version on YouTube ( @R3 Shorts, they have up to book 7) And decided to get the first book a listen. Worst comes to shove it just stopped listening and moved on.

When i tell you i was shocked.

The book of course still reads like a middle grade book from the early 2000s. It's still a bit cringe and silly, buy it also have very powerful visuals and themes, and the consequences and stakes feel *real*. When by the end of the book Tobias was stuck in his falcon form, my heart broke for the boy. And Jake's anxiety around his brother and his safety and fear of loosing him forever, it's extremely realistic, reminiscent of a young kid seeing their older brother who they admire, changed by the wrong company, or substance abuse. Cassy is the sweetest little angel which i appreciate considering she is a black girl and they don't often get to be soft and gentle in media. Racel is fierce and charismatic breaking the mold of what could have easily been a stereotypical mean girl. Even Marco could have been a lazy write off as the comic relief of the situation, but his humor is cutting and dry as he ends up being the more realistic of the group, who has perfectly valid reasons for behaving the way he does. I'm curious if there will be a book from his POV.

The aliens are very interesting, i wonder if we will ever go more in depth about all the species, and i find the powers rather well l balanced.

It's impressive how good these books are even as an adult. I already started the second book and i'm hooked.

[boneheadtrashmouth]

You were either a Magic Treehouse kid, a Goosebumps kid, an Animorphs kid, or a Babysitters Club kid.

[readordiebyemilyt]

Page 22: The Were-Crow. 🌕

[mooncyclereader]

I started listening to the Audoobook of Animorphs, and for being a middle grade book series this is dark. But such a fun and interesting concept. I'm curious to see how the writing evolves through the serie.

[mooncyclereader]

PLOT

Marco never wanted to be an Animorph. He never wanted the ability to change into any animal he touches. He just wants to chill. Whatever happens, happens.

Jake, Rachel, Cassie, and Tobias know why Marco feels the way he does. He's worried about his dad—the only family Marco has left. And if anything happens to him, his father will be all alone.

But something is about to change Marco's mind. It seems the Yeerks have a little surprise waiting for him. And it's definitely not nice.

Now Marco has a reason to fight

RATING : 3.75

REVIEW UNDER THE CUT

This book salvaged itself at the very end but it was a bit off since the beginning. There are two scene in particular that annoy me, mostly because they resulted in no consequences!

When Marco turns in to a gorilla to help the old man and when Axe morphs back in to an Animorphs in the middle of the mal.

Both of these scene become pretty inconsequential despite the number of testimonies. There are no news of a gorilla running rampant in the city and no reports of a weird situation in the mall.

The group doesn't even scold Axe for putting them all at risk which i think should have been an important scene to implement, where Axe realizes that if he wants to become a great warrior like his brother, he doesn't need just courage but integrity as well.

Axe is a bit annoying, i don't know if i like him, he behave much more childishly than i would expect a kid that grew up in the middle of an intergalactic conflict would be.

Marco however was a great pov, through him it's very apparent how hard this life is hitting these kids and the amount of ptsd they are accumulating from essentially becoming child soldiers in a war that they never knew existed.

The descriptions of body horror are getting more and more upsetting, the whole ant battle was honestly disturbing.

The relationship between Marco and his father is so real.

Honestly I'm surprised that Jake is the one in charge, considering that most of the other live in much more complicated situations, and do know how life can be unfair. Cassy has a lot of responsibilities in her parents eyes with her job at the farm, forcing her to take care of a bunch of wildlife. Rachel has divorced parents and was forced to grow up quickly to help her mother care for her younger sisters.

Tobias is an orphan who was neglected by his extended family, and Marco deals with a depressed father and grief.

Speaking off. I really need to know what the hell is happening with Marco's mother. I expected Visser 1 to be controlling the president of the USA, not a random human woman. Why her? What brought to this specific selection?

Also i really need Applegate to expand on Animorphs anatomy because I'm yet to understand how Axe sustains himself without eating from a mouth.

[if-you-are-tired-clap-your-hands]

By any chance, do animorphs fans know if there is any french translation of the whole series online ? As much as I love English, I'd much prefer to read the series in my native tongue to understand the story better

Otherwise I'll have to scavenge second hand websites to see if I can buy every book