Book Review #21: City Spies: Mission Manhattan by James Ponti

    Another hit from Ponti! This is the fifth book in the series and despite being such a long series it just gets better and better. I think the reason I liked this book so much is because it had a focus on one of my favorite characters within the series, which for the record changes every book as the characters grow. But this character specifically has always been a favorite of mine simply because I could relate to him a lot better than the other character. That being said, this book series will always continue to be great because the characters all have relatable qualities. I'm not sure I can stress how important that is for a good book, if I don't like any of the characters why would I keep reading? It's almost funny how many books I've put down and simply not read because the characters were in no way relatable to me. However, that doesn't make any of those books terrible, it's entirely likely a different reader can relate to the characters, those books just weren't for me.

    

    I especially like the plot in this one, it is placed in a few different countries, but its brilliant how well they all tie together for the plot. Even when the group of characters split up to be in different places, I was still just as enchanted by the setting and the way the characters interacted with the setting. I felt that sometimes the characters we were following switched fairly fast, as in one moment I'm reading what one group was doing and the next it was someone else. However, it didn't have a negative effect on the story, I actually wanted to note how it told the reader who's group they were about to see in action rather than switching up without a word. It made the story a lot clearer than a few of the other books I've read. Not to mention that the plot was extremely easy to follow. I can understand why people would want to see a bit of confusion; I mean often times that makes the best plot twists. But sometimes it's just nice to know exactly what was happening without having to go back and figure out when the whole thing switched.

    Though I didn't mention it earlier, this book is written with the ages of nine to twelve in mind, which means it is a middle schoolers book, and with that are some moments which you might think are stupid. All I've to say is that, yeah it gets kind of dumb, yeah there are some jokes you're too mature to find funny, but that's part of its charm. I began collecting these books when I was twelve, and now every time I get a new one, every time I read it, I'm brought back to those years where those jokes were funny and in a way it's weirdly nostalgic. So, before you say 'these books are too childish' or 'I'm only read mature books' remember that literature isn't about the deeper meanings, it's about telling stories, and frankly I think this story is brilliant!

    Brief synopsis: 

    The City Spies head to the Big Apple when a credible threat is made to a young climate activist who is scheduled to speak in front of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly. With Rio acting as alpha and a new member in their ranks, the team's mission to protect a fellow teen takes them on an exciting adventure in, around, and even under the greatest city in the world as they follow leads to the outer boroughs, the UN Headquarters, and even the usually off-limits stacks that extend deep under the main branch of the New York Public Library.

    

    Favorite quote:

    "I don't know if 'free' is the word," he said as he sprinted down the hall. "But I am currently not in custody."

    Some themes: Fitting in, Family, Standing out, Heroism.

    Overall book rating: 10/10