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Beast
by
Ally Kennen
Stephen hasn't had it easy. He's now in foster care because his mom is crazy and his dad is an ex-con. He's always in trouble or on his way to trouble. But none of these problems compare to the problem of The Beast.
Stephen has been taking care of The Beast for years. It is his biggest secret -- and also his biggest challenge. If it could, The Beast would eat Stephen alive...more
Hardcover, 217 pages
Published
September 1st 2006
by Push
(first published January 1st 2006)
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281)
Oct 02, 2011
Cameron12
added it
I wish I'd read this book a while ago. Beast has lots to offer those boys who dont like to read read. There's a lot of action, powerful description of really weird, gross situations (within the first couple of chapters, the main character cuts up a pig and is discovered with the partially dismembered corpse and a saw in his hands), and a feeling of alone that I believe is common to the experience of many young people today. Stephen, the main character, starts the book with a list of the worst th...more
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I only discovered Ally Kennen's books when the superb 'Bullet Boys' was released in January 2012. I immediately fell in love with her fantastic characters - she writes the most fun 'troubled teenage boy' stories I have come across - and having ripped through Bullet Boys I ordered her earlier books 'Beast', 'Beserk' and 'Bedlam'.
In Beast, Stephen is a seriously TROUBLED teenage boy, but as with Max in Bullet Boys, we love him from the off. In the first page he sets his stall out pretty clearly, w...more
In Beast, Stephen is a seriously TROUBLED teenage boy, but as with Max in Bullet Boys, we love him from the off. In the first page he sets his stall out pretty clearly, w...more
Aug 09, 2008
Sara
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
reluctant male readers
Shelves:
ya-guy,
anyone-fiction
I wish I'd read this excellent book a year ago! Beast has lots to offer those boys who just WON'T read. There's a lot of action, powerful description of really weird, gross situations (within the first couple of chapters, the main character cuts up a pig and is discovered with the partially dismembered corpse and a saw in his hands...), and a feeling of isolation and loneliness that I believe is common to the experience of many young people today. Stephen, the main character, starts the book wit...more
Nov 14, 2012
Jennifer Wardrip
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
trt-posted-reviews
Reviewed by Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com
If you like the Sci-fi channel offered by your local cable company, you will want to read BEAST by Ally Kennen. Its mysterious beginning will grab your attention, and the rest of the book will have you on the edge of your seat.
Stephen has been living in foster homes for years. The family he has been with the past four years hasn't been half bad, but he's reached the age limit for foster care and is about to be sent packing. He's g...more
If you like the Sci-fi channel offered by your local cable company, you will want to read BEAST by Ally Kennen. Its mysterious beginning will grab your attention, and the rest of the book will have you on the edge of your seat.
Stephen has been living in foster homes for years. The family he has been with the past four years hasn't been half bad, but he's reached the age limit for foster care and is about to be sent packing. He's g...more
Stephen is a 17-year-old foster child with a shady past who’s got a large problem. I've seen this book on the shelves a couple of times, but for some reason I assumed that the beast it was referring to was a metaphor for child abuse in his past, or something like that.
It's not. The beast is a huge crocodile that his father gave him, and it's big and hungry and dangerous and he has to figure out what to do with it.
A real crocodile. That's freaking awesome.
And it is. Stephen is trying to deal with...more
It's not. The beast is a huge crocodile that his father gave him, and it's big and hungry and dangerous and he has to figure out what to do with it.
A real crocodile. That's freaking awesome.
And it is. Stephen is trying to deal with...more
This book is fantastic !! I recommend everyone to read it. Beast is a wonderful, well-written, and realistic story which combines tension and suspense. It is narrated by Stephen, a seventeen year old boy, who is also the protagonist of this novel. Despite his law breaking, he is very likable. Throughout the novel, the beast’s true nature is revealed little by little as the tone changes to a frantic, desperate tone. However, the language used is simple, but lovely at the same time.
I don't know what to even rate this book.
I would say one star, or maybe half a star, or maybe no stars at all, but I know that I'm being unfair.
Why? Well let's say that I read this book in the waiting room of a hospital. Not the most pleasant surroundings, if you hadn't noticed.
Now, just thinking about the book and not about my personal problems--2/3 stars. It's been a couple years. I don't remember that much so it couldn't have been too good, but I remember the title and plot so it couldn't hav...more
I would say one star, or maybe half a star, or maybe no stars at all, but I know that I'm being unfair.
Why? Well let's say that I read this book in the waiting room of a hospital. Not the most pleasant surroundings, if you hadn't noticed.
Now, just thinking about the book and not about my personal problems--2/3 stars. It's been a couple years. I don't remember that much so it couldn't have been too good, but I remember the title and plot so it couldn't hav...more
I thought that the beast by Ally Kennen was weriod and intresting at the same time. I thought this because you dint know if the beast was gona escape the rusty cage or not. I thought the beast was gona be some thing bigger like bigfoot but it was a huge alligator. But i guss it would of been pretty scary knowing that a alligtor lives by you. Stephen dint have a easy life he was in foster care and his mom was crazy. I thought it was kinda sad how his life was had to be in a foster care his whole...more
Pretty bizarre story about a Stephen, teenage boy in foster care in England. who is given a baby crocodile by his father. When it grows too big to keep he takes it to a reservoir where he is able to imprison it in a large cage. When the crocodile grows to 12 feet long Stephen doesn't know what to do about it. He has nightmares that it will escape from its cage and come hunting him.
I was pleasantly surprised when I finished this one. The main character Stephen is someone i found very likable even if he is somewhat of a troublemaker. I would recommend Beast to anyone who like a little (okey a lot of ) suspense served with a down right gripping story about the young life of a boy who messes up but tries to make the best of it.
I wish you a good read
I wish you a good read
Second time I've read it. Wanted to see if it was as good as I remembered the first time. YES! Tense, short read, "stream of consciousness" style of teen boy with a troubled past. His thoughts are up and down; he is trying to fight against becoming like his dad. Excellent.
Ally Kennen manages to pull off works of literature that you will never have read before. "Beast" is a realistic, natural story that still manages to encapsulate the "gripping" effect...
This one will be fun to talk about with my students--hero complex, abandonment, a touch of romance, and a scary critter--all the elements for a popular teen read!
it was alright finding out what the beast was was weird but what happens to get rid of it is shocking you won't want to put the book down guarenteed
i felt it very boring. no sense in the book! no story adventure just a boy wanting to get rid of a crocodile! how stupid. I hated it
May 07, 2009
Bolivar ''Jeff'' Reyes
added it
its a good book like the main character is like um... very careful of who to trust.
Very cool, but at times, boring.
Feb 06, 2008
Sharon
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
ya,
realistic-fiction
This bleak but gripping story paints teenager Stephen as an ultimate hard-luck case; he's been shuffled around foster families and has a criminal record and an alcoholic father who lives in the woods. His current foster sister delights in making him look terrible, he works in the meat-packing industry, and...he's trying to kill his secret monstrous crocodile. All these elements brew together to create a somewhat gruesome but still compelling metaphorical story, sort of like a train wreck you can...more
Brilliant, nail-biting teen fiction!
All I knew about this book was that it had won an award from teen readers and that was enough for me to try it. I am glad I di because this book is not what I expected - it had substance, depth, and a twisted mix of adrenaline and drama. A highly recommended book for teenage boys and anyone who wants a book that will keep them absorbed from start to finish.
I am a big fan of Ally Kennen, and she usually writes really good books, I loved Bedlam, Quarry and Berserk, but I found Beast wasn't as interesting as the others - it was still good but it didn't have the stay-uptil-midnight-to-finish-it factor.
Première partie très sympa, on se demande ce qu'est cette "bête", on imagine des scénarios bien gores vu la personnalite du "héros" et ses relations avec sa "soeur", et puis.... ben après c'est mou et bien conventionnel. Dommage.
teen fiction; crocodile-loose-in-the-city-reservoir. The idea is one that's been kicked around quite a bit, but this was actually an enjoyable telling of it. Short, fast-paced, interesting characters.
an excellent gripping book with surprises around every corner!!!
May 15, 2013
Kevinlee2212
marked it as to-read
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