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16th out of 135 books
—
203 voters
The Ability
by
M.M. Vaughan (Goodreads Author)
Delve into the extraordinary abilities of the twelve-year-old mind in this thrilling start to a middle-grade series that expands the possibilities of power.
No one has any confidence in twelve-year-old Christopher Lane. His teachers discount him as a liar and a thief, and his mom doesn’t have the energy to deal with him. But a mysterious visit from the Ministry of Education...more
No one has any confidence in twelve-year-old Christopher Lane. His teachers discount him as a liar and a thief, and his mom doesn’t have the energy to deal with him. But a mysterious visit from the Ministry of Education...more
Hardcover, 336 pages
Published
April 23rd 2013
by Margaret K. McElderry Books
(first published March 1st 2013)
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I am a total sucker for middle grade novels about special schools and kids with powers. Perhaps it's because I grew up reading Harry Potter, and am still on the hunt for that elusive book that will mean as much to me, though I know that will likely not happen, because I'm an adult now and less able to appreciate the magic. Still, for all that I'm not likely to find something as amazing as Harry Potter is, my middle grade choices have yet to fail me. The Ability is a darker-than-usual middle grad...more
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M.M. Vaughan's "The Ability" is the answer to the frequently asked question: "what should I read after Harry Potter?"
A book with great promise and a beautifully illustrated cover, The Ability follows the trials and tribulations of Christopher Lane, a child who, like Harry, comes from a dysfunctional home. Chris is instantly likeable and pitiable, from his bravery in dealing with his father's death and his mother's mental illness, to his willingness to step up and be more responsible than any 12-...more
A book with great promise and a beautifully illustrated cover, The Ability follows the trials and tribulations of Christopher Lane, a child who, like Harry, comes from a dysfunctional home. Chris is instantly likeable and pitiable, from his bravery in dealing with his father's death and his mother's mental illness, to his willingness to step up and be more responsible than any 12-...more
Best book ever according to my son! He got his copy a day before release and, not only did he finish it but he's already started to read it again - that's how much he loved it.
I can see how this will be a 5 star or 1 star book - 1 star from adults who are uncomfortable with the dark content (and boy is it dark at times!) and 5 stars from anybody who gets how much kids will like it for exactly that reason! It's funny too.
On a side note, from a parent point of view, it brought up some great issues...more
I can see how this will be a 5 star or 1 star book - 1 star from adults who are uncomfortable with the dark content (and boy is it dark at times!) and 5 stars from anybody who gets how much kids will like it for exactly that reason! It's funny too.
On a side note, from a parent point of view, it brought up some great issues...more
I was lent a pre-publication copy by a reviewer friend of mine who loved it, in exchange for writing a review on here. I don't normally read children's books and, no, I haven’t even read any of the Harry Potter books, so I was surprised to find I was hooked from the first paragraph.
MM Vaughn has created characters that are diverse, colorful and quirky.
What I loved the most was that, despite the core fantasy theme in the book, MM Vaughn injects a lots of realism. Bravely, she doesn’t give the twe...more
MM Vaughn has created characters that are diverse, colorful and quirky.
What I loved the most was that, despite the core fantasy theme in the book, MM Vaughn injects a lots of realism. Bravely, she doesn’t give the twe...more
I received a preview copy of The Ability at work and, while I'm not going to write a full review now, I did want to say how much I loved it. It's fast-paced, has a brilliant concept behind it and the character of Chris is very well rounded-out. I agree with the other reviewer on here that I don't know if it's a bit dark for the younger end of the recommended age group but what I will say is that I think, unusually for a middle-grade novel, it definitely has crossover appeal; I can see teenagers...more
Because I work in a bookstore and because I really enjoy reading Children's and YA literature, I read a lot of it. I am also a fan of scifi and dystopic fantasies. While I wanted to enjoyed the premise of this book and thought it was very imaginative, I thought the level of violence, both mental and physical was a bit too much for this age group. The relationship between the boy and his mother was so dysfunctional, so harsh and so abusive, it really took away from the storyline for me. And witho...more
Chris feels like a failure. No one in his life believes in him, not his teachers, not his mom, and certainly not his classmates. So when a kind representative from a mysterious school called Myers Holt Academy tells Chris he is talented and offers him a place at this prestigious school, he can hardly believe it. Little does Chris know, he possesses something powerful called The Ability which allows him and as well as his peers to manipulate objects and people using only their minds. Chris must l...more
Very enjoyable middle grade read. Protagonist Christopher Lane learns that he has very unique abilities such as mind reading and telekenesis. He along with some of his new classmates at a special school are being trained how to control their powers and eventually they all team together to foil the dastardly plans of a former student at their school.
Overall the characters and the plot were very strong. I anticipate a sequel or two based on the ending. Too bad I will have to wait a while.
Overall the characters and the plot were very strong. I anticipate a sequel or two based on the ending. Too bad I will have to wait a while.
I just finished reading this before writing a review, and while the prologue put me off a little, I found myself referring to it as I continued into the story. I don't want to say too much about it, because I will be writing a review, but the characters are good, the development of the story is good, and the end leaves the door open for another novel. I am not a reader of fantasy, but I do love mysteries, and I enjoyed this title quite a bit.
1 like · like · see review
Reminds me of "The Mysterious Benedict Society" series by Trenton Lee Stewart.
May 23, 2013
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