Really great premise for a book and I liked how Jinks didn't pull any punches when it came to having villains act like real bad guys. ( )

I listened to the audiobook version of Evil Genius. It was almost halfway through this long book before things got to be really interesting to me. Were I doing a regular read, I'm not sure I would have stuck it through that long. I say that by way of encouraging others to keep on plugging.
The whole book seemed to be built on a premise like "what if Harry Potter had a much more ambiguous moral compass?" I did find myself frequently thinking, "would I really want young teens reading this?" It wasn't a question of sex or inappropriate language (there is none). Rather, it was just the fairly casual way that the lead character accepted and/or participated in hurtful, illegal actions with almost no qualms or reflection. When he does eventually come around to the "good" side, it isn't because of any great moral conviction but rather out of pique at his erstwhile companions. Not exactly the sort of reinforcement one hopes that young readers are receiving.
I will say that I appreciated the fact that the ending wasn't exactly a complete success for Cadel. Real life rarely has a neat wrap-up, and this story reflects that fact. ( )

I was under the impression that this was a whimsical, quirky book, but it turned out to be a dark thriller. I didn't care for it, and that's probably a big factor. ( )

This book is an old favorite but it definitely has some aspects that aren't handled great. The depiction of autism is problematic, not maliciously I think but still not great. As far as I know its decent rep for cerebral palsy though a bit cliche. ( )

i decided to pick this up after i remembered i’d had to abandon it years ago (due to moving away from the library i’d checked it out of), and i’m so glad i did! i love the unique characters and plot line so much. so excited to pick the next book up! ( )