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Review: Trapped


Trapped by Michael Northrop
Out now, Goodreads
Review copy from Star Book Tours (I love these guys)
4/5 Stars

While this would have been the perfect read during the crazy storms of Jan. 2011 I enjoyed it in the non-snow time too. I am forever looking for books to recommend to teen and pre-teen boys and this one is now tops on my list.
To sum it up: During a freak (18 feet!) snow storm, 7 teens are trapped in their high school. The power goes out the first night, the water pipes burst, and the school bully is one of the seven.

I thought Trapped was very successful. The sense of isolation was well done, the characters were realistic (I especially loved Scot's voice), the dangers were real and the plot was fast moving.
That said, a reader will find themselves screaming at the book "Why don't you try this?"
Safe to say that the characters in this book have not read as many survival novels I have, so they are a little clueless.
I would have holed up in the library, created a stove in the shop that vented out a window with a pipe, and tried a land line. I also would have raided the teacher's lounge the first night.
The ending is a little coincidental, but satisfying. I would have appreciated an epilogue.
Still, a great read for a snowy winter night. Highly recommended for fans of survival fiction (a la Hatchet or The Girl Who Owned a City), but kids who loved City of Ember or Incarceron should also dig it (for the survival aspect).
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Comments

Christi the Teen Libarian said…
Great review! I'm glad you enjoyed Trapped, too. I was thinking about this book during our freaky storms, but I'm kind of glad I didn't get the chance to read it then--I think it would've freaked me out too much!
February 25, 2011 at 4:49 PM
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