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349th out of 816 books
—
2,046 voters
The Order of Odd-Fish
by
James Kennedy (Goodreads Author)
JO LAROUCHE HAS lived her 13 years in the California desert with her Aunt Lily, ever since she was dropped on Lily’s doorstep with this note: This is Jo. Please take care of her. But beware. This is a dangerous baby. At Lily’s annual Christmas costume party, a variety of strange events take place that lead Jo and Lily out of California forever—and into the mysterious, stra...more
416 pages
Published
August 12th 2008
by Delacorte Books for Young Readers
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I’ll be honest with you: the entire young adult fantasy genre excites me about a much as a pile of old, dry, stale oats. I have never watched an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and I’ve never read a line of Harry Potter.
So, you can imagine my trepidation at the very sight of James Kennedy’s The Order of The Odd-Fish, which clocks in at a generous 400-plus pages. I reckoned I’d get 30 pages in, decipher just enough of a gist to be able to discuss it intelligently (young girl, fantastical la...more
So, you can imagine my trepidation at the very sight of James Kennedy’s The Order of The Odd-Fish, which clocks in at a generous 400-plus pages. I reckoned I’d get 30 pages in, decipher just enough of a gist to be able to discuss it intelligently (young girl, fantastical la...more
Nov 14, 2012
Jennifer Wardrip
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
trt-posted-reviews
Reviewed by Rebecca Wells for TeensReadToo.com
Jo Larouche has always been ordinary - or as ordinary as you can be when you live in a ruby palace with a highly eccentric retired movie star for an aunt. Though she was found in her aunt Lily's laundry room with a note detailing her as a dangerous baby, Jo has been for all of her thirteen years just about as dangerous as a glass of milk.
Things begin to change when strange events at Lily's Christmas party contrive to send Jo and Lily out of Californ...more
Jo Larouche has always been ordinary - or as ordinary as you can be when you live in a ruby palace with a highly eccentric retired movie star for an aunt. Though she was found in her aunt Lily's laundry room with a note detailing her as a dangerous baby, Jo has been for all of her thirteen years just about as dangerous as a glass of milk.
Things begin to change when strange events at Lily's Christmas party contrive to send Jo and Lily out of Californ...more
In the first few chapters of The Order of Odd-Fish, our young hero finds herself torn from everyday existence and plunged into a magical world with magical people and magical items. Anyone who read only so far might think it conventional--even formulaic.
That poor soul would miss the magic, because it's then--just as we get our bearings and settle in for yet another fantasy novel--that Kennedy pushes the reset button again. And again. And again.
Like the story's arch-villain--who at one point st...more
That poor soul would miss the magic, because it's then--just as we get our bearings and settle in for yet another fantasy novel--that Kennedy pushes the reset button again. And again. And again.
Like the story's arch-villain--who at one point st...more
When I told James Kennedy I'm not yet (still trying) a fan of Neil Gaiman because the books are so layered, thick with prose which slows down the pace, he said, "oh, you won't like mine, then."
Well, James wasn't right. Yes, there were long, rambling descriptions. Yes, it was a deep slow-developing plot. and no, it wasn't one of the roller-coaster mile a minute paces I enjoy. But the same things I typically don't like in a book were the things I enjoyed about this.
I loved the where-did-he-come-up...more
Well, James wasn't right. Yes, there were long, rambling descriptions. Yes, it was a deep slow-developing plot. and no, it wasn't one of the roller-coaster mile a minute paces I enjoy. But the same things I typically don't like in a book were the things I enjoyed about this.
I loved the where-did-he-come-up...more
I picked up this book because it just looked like it was made for me. I got to reading it and it freakin' rocked my socks. Kennedy's style of humor is so hilarious and random and it was just the sort of book I needed at that time. Since this is sort of an adventure fantasy not everything can be hilarious at every moment and the serious parts of the book were done very well. By page 120 I was so thoroughly pulled into the story that I didn't want to stop reading.
And also may I add that I have ne...more
And also may I add that I have ne...more
Nov 25, 2008
Kricket
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
elli in particular, and also everyone.
one of my co-workers arranged for james kennedy to visit our library in january. somehow the book had escaped my radar, perhaps because we had it in the 'youth middle school' section, but when i found out kennedy would be coming, i grudgingly decided to read his book. and i am so glad i did, FOR IT IS SCRUMPTIOUS!!
jo is 13, living with her batty aunt lily in a red palace in the desert outside los angeles. at aunt lily's christmas costume party, many mysterious occurrences occur, and the next day...more
jo is 13, living with her batty aunt lily in a red palace in the desert outside los angeles. at aunt lily's christmas costume party, many mysterious occurrences occur, and the next day...more
Feb 03, 2011
Kate
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Those who enjoy odd and quirky reads
Recommended to Kate by:
James Kennedy
I wasn't quite sure what I was getting into with this one, but I ended up throughly enjoying it, and now I want to meet other people who enjoyed this odd, quirky story as much as I did.
The trade paperback artwork was just fabulous and if I had to pick a favorite character I would have to say it would be Ken Kiang. With sarcastically funny dialogue like: "No man calls me a boobly-boobly-boo-boo and lives!" You can't help but liking this complex character. Also, something quite intereseting and un...more
The trade paperback artwork was just fabulous and if I had to pick a favorite character I would have to say it would be Ken Kiang. With sarcastically funny dialogue like: "No man calls me a boobly-boobly-boo-boo and lives!" You can't help but liking this complex character. Also, something quite intereseting and un...more
The Order of Odd-fish is nuts, but it's a lot of fun! Jo seems like an ordinary girl, but when she was found as a baby--inside a washing machine--by flambouyant actress Lily LaRouche, the note accompanying her read: "This is Jo. Please take care of her. But beware. This is a DANGEROUS baby." The danger comes to light after Lily and Jo flee a supervillain billionaire to a place called Eldritch City. Lily turns out to be a knight of the Order of Odd-fish, whose mission is to search out useless, ob...more
Was randomly sent this book for a Book Club review and am blown away by how awesome it is. It's Lemony Snicket, Lewis Carroll, Roald Dahl, and Norton Juster all rolled into one with some Monty Python sprinkled on top. This may go down as one of my favorite reads of the year. You can read my full review here.
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Rating: 5 stars
Recommended for: Anyone ten and up who loves the absurd, the clever, the fantastic.
The Order of Odd-Fish is an absurdly funny book in which eggplants dance, giant cockroaches obsess over neckwear, wannabe villains sell their souls for barbecue-flavored potato chips, ostriches fly, and nefarious handymen adore avant-garde pies. In short, James Kennedy's debut novel is a strange and clever book, full of fantastic places and well-developed, complex characters.
The book first drew my a...more
Recommended for: Anyone ten and up who loves the absurd, the clever, the fantastic.
The Order of Odd-Fish is an absurdly funny book in which eggplants dance, giant cockroaches obsess over neckwear, wannabe villains sell their souls for barbecue-flavored potato chips, ostriches fly, and nefarious handymen adore avant-garde pies. In short, James Kennedy's debut novel is a strange and clever book, full of fantastic places and well-developed, complex characters.
The book first drew my a...more
This is Jo. Please take care of her.
But beware.
This is a DANGEROUS baby.
Lily Larouche, famous actress, life of the party, and oddball, was missing for forty years. Then, thirteen years ago, she mysteriously woke in her dusty bed in her house dubbed the "ruby palace" with no memory of the missing forty years. In her washing machine was a crying baby with the above note attached.
Jo is now thirteen and used to life with her eccentric Aunt Lily, living in the desert and hanging out with Aunt Lily's...more
But beware.
This is a DANGEROUS baby.
Lily Larouche, famous actress, life of the party, and oddball, was missing for forty years. Then, thirteen years ago, she mysteriously woke in her dusty bed in her house dubbed the "ruby palace" with no memory of the missing forty years. In her washing machine was a crying baby with the above note attached.
Jo is now thirteen and used to life with her eccentric Aunt Lily, living in the desert and hanging out with Aunt Lily's...more
Though at times it deviates from the childish Dr. Seuss fantasy it leads on to be, The Order of Odd-Fish is a quick-paced, wildly original story that I'd suggest to any Harry Potter fan looking for a bandaid now that the series is over.
Thirteen years ago, a baby was left outside the door of an eccentric elderly movie starlet, with a note reading: "This is Jo. Please take care of her. But beware - this is a dangerous baby."
Jo grows up into a young teenager and one day, is engulfed by a mad fantasy world, where she might learn who her parents were and why everyone thinks she is dangerous. Like a Phantom Tollbooth for teenagers with strains of Terry Pratchett, this is an excellent read for its clever and hilarious writing (which...more
Jo grows up into a young teenager and one day, is engulfed by a mad fantasy world, where she might learn who her parents were and why everyone thinks she is dangerous. Like a Phantom Tollbooth for teenagers with strains of Terry Pratchett, this is an excellent read for its clever and hilarious writing (which...more
Definitely an oddball book. Jo is a girl living with her dramatic and flamboyant aunt, Lily Larouche. She knows nothing about her past,except that she was left to Aunt Lily with a note: this is a dangerous baby. The normal takes a turn for the absurd and fantastical and comical when she and her aunt get flung into a different world, where giant cockroaches are butlers and knights of order of Odd Fish study useless things. But there's a giant secret lurking in Jo's past that her aunt won't let he...more
How do you write a review for this book...?
I guess, first and foremost, I enjoyed the book. The characters were delightfully strange and very certain of themselves. Silly me though, it's not until the book told me that the events had taken place over the course of one year, that I realised it may well have been that long. The story is very intriguing as well, so much seems like it should make sense but doesn't and what shouldn't make sense does. The story is also quite funny, I found myself chu...more
I guess, first and foremost, I enjoyed the book. The characters were delightfully strange and very certain of themselves. Silly me though, it's not until the book told me that the events had taken place over the course of one year, that I realised it may well have been that long. The story is very intriguing as well, so much seems like it should make sense but doesn't and what shouldn't make sense does. The story is also quite funny, I found myself chu...more
Boiling Brezhnevs! This sure is a fun book.
Well, it was more fun at the beginning of the story, which I particularly enjoyed. Once they got to Eldritch City, there were too many characters. Okay, basically, I wish there was more Sefino, the dandy cockroach butler.
Well, it was more fun at the beginning of the story, which I particularly enjoyed. Once they got to Eldritch City, there were too many characters. Okay, basically, I wish there was more Sefino, the dandy cockroach butler.
When I first started Odd-Fish, all I wanted was to do was drink the blood of a kitten, but by the end this book had me feeling as coy and cute as The Silver Kitten of Deceit.
Jun 30, 2009
Meg
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Joy Ziegler
Shelves:
childrens-young-adult
Truly one of the best books I've read in a long time! A must read for any Harry Potter fan. You'll quickly get engrossed in this twisted and seriously fun world.
Best book I read all of last year. I laughed out loud on the subway several times reading this book. The plot and the writing are utter perfection.
This book made me laugh until I cried a cup full of tears, which I then used to make a salty, bitter cup of tea to drink in the moonlight.
This is one of the nuttiest books I've read in my life, and I absolutley adored it. Bravo, James Kennedy!
One of my absolute favorite books now! Its hilarious, edgy, witty, well-written, well-constructed, intricate, surprising, and the ending was a great success! Lately, I've been very bored with the whole 'teen fantasy' genre, since most of the books hold the same plot, story, and characters as well as mostly being directed toward teen girls (although i am one...). But this book had a strange, bizarre plot with wonderful scenes of complete irony and hilarity. I really couldn't put it down, and I ac...more
THE YA book of the year-- hands down!
place your order now!
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If you loved Roald Dahl (Matilda, James and the Giant Peach) as a kid, you'll probably love James Kennedy's The Order of Odd-Fish. Jo has grown up in the desert with her eccentric and forgetful Aunt Lily. Jo showed up in Aunt Lily's laundry room with a note declaring her "dangerous." On Christmas Day a Russian colonel and a large cockroach (he walks on his hind legs) show up and Jo's ordinary life becomes bizarre. Soon they are all on the shores of Eldritch City, where fantastic creatures roam t...more
I loved this book. It was the kind of YA novel that wasn't fluff and it felt like something kids would read and then grow up and stumble upon once again.
It reminded me a lot of Terry Gilliam, in terms of darkness and strangeness. If they ever made a film adaptation I could see him directing it. I really liked Eldritch City, and I hope someday to know more about the people / things that inhabit it. Ken Kiang was hilarious a secondary villain, again if they ever made a film I swear Ken Jeong woul...more
It reminded me a lot of Terry Gilliam, in terms of darkness and strangeness. If they ever made a film adaptation I could see him directing it. I really liked Eldritch City, and I hope someday to know more about the people / things that inhabit it. Ken Kiang was hilarious a secondary villain, again if they ever made a film I swear Ken Jeong woul...more
I really enjoyed the whimsy and the fun of this fantastical book. I picked it up because the writer went to Japan through the same program I did and I was curious to see if there was any Japanese influence could be noticed in his writing and there was. But I enjoyed the book for its story and its main character, Jo, who is a very well-written 13 year old who is thrown into a fantastical world into which she is trying to fit in but can't because of a terrible secret she carries inside of her. It'...more
. This is Kennedy's first novel, and it is a good omen for the future of this author. The most important part of an author's repertoire, and the one thing that cannot be taught, is creativity, and this man has it in spades.
The basic plot: Jo, a young girl, finds out it is her destiny to destroy the universe and sets out to hide this fact. She moves with her knight-aunt Lily to the superbly imagined world of Eldritch City. Jo becomes a squire of the Order of Odd Fish, whose knights specialize in...more
The basic plot: Jo, a young girl, finds out it is her destiny to destroy the universe and sets out to hide this fact. She moves with her knight-aunt Lily to the superbly imagined world of Eldritch City. Jo becomes a squire of the Order of Odd Fish, whose knights specialize in...more
Decided I had to read this after I (along with most of the rest of the bloggie world) discovered this mind-blowingly wacky post.
13/5 update: This is seriously funny! And I'm getting more and more impressed with the narrator, which is something I don't say all that often.
Finished this yesterday - the length of time the I spent listening to the audiobook should not be taken as evidence of lack of interest. Loved it. Every time it seemed as if the exuberant whimsy might head towards being twee, th...more
13/5 update: This is seriously funny! And I'm getting more and more impressed with the narrator, which is something I don't say all that often.
Finished this yesterday - the length of time the I spent listening to the audiobook should not be taken as evidence of lack of interest. Loved it. Every time it seemed as if the exuberant whimsy might head towards being twee, th...more
James Kennedy's debut young-adult fantasy novel about a 13 year-old girl from southern California that discovers she's the center of an ancient prophecy from Eldritch City (a city that exists in a tangent dimension to ours, or something like that) is insane, fun goodness from start to finish. Talking cockroaches, blubbering knights, Dome of Doom battles, insult guns, all-devouring Gods, and metaphysics. Yes.
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Oct 03, 2011 08:37pm