Review: The Wrath of the Blob

I’ve spent the last week thoroughly enjoying an extended stay in Sticky Pines as I caught up with The Thing at Black Hole Lake and The Valley of the Strange last week, and have now finished The Wrath of the Blob.  What an absolutely epic, sci-fi adventure series:  action-packed, hilarious and wonderfully, joyously weird with oodles of mystery, danger and daring.  If you haven’t already treated yourself to this series, I highly recommend a reading feast of all four books.  I love going back to school in September and sharing books I’ve really enjoyed with my new class, and this is definitely a series I’m excited to talk about with them.

Lucy Sladan’s incredible friends, the Nagalons, are fighting for survival after being captured by Milo’s power-hungry father.  If that wasn’t bad enough, her friend Milo has been trapped in a huge impenetrable blob which has been exposed after the draining of Black Hole Lake.  Can Lucy rescue Milo, save the Nagalons and stop Milo’s father before others racing towards Earth wipe out life on the planet? Now, that’s a mission!

Wow!  This is an electrifying adventure that kept me utterly engrossed from the ominous opening to the heart-warming ending with a surprise I wasn’t expecting!  There is a brilliant blend of action, danger, tension and humour which had me on the edge of my seat one moment and giggling the next, and ever-so-slightly grossed out! 

I love when stories can make me laugh, but also share important messages and I think this story does this wonderfully.  The Nagalons are treated cruelly by Milo’s father and his employees when they are revealed to be different partly due to fear as he sees them as a threat, and partly as he wants to harness what they have, even if this means eradicating them.  I think there are some big questions that could be discussed in class around difference, acceptance and rights for all.

I have loved getting to know Lucy who is such an incredible protagonist.  She is curious, tenacious and courageous, someone who follows her own path and what she believes in, even when this leads to disbelief and ridicule from others.  She accepts those who are different to her and shows understanding, friendship and a determination to help, even when this places her in danger.  I really enjoyed the development of her friendship with Milo who is torn between his feelings towards Lucy and his father’s expectations of him but, in the end, has to make his own choices based on what he believes is the right thing to do.     

This is a perfect end to a terrifically thrilling sci-fi adventure series brimming with friendship, humour and mystery, a series I cannot recommend highly enough for readers of 9+.

Thank you to Future Human for a copy in exchange for my honest opinion.