The Paradise Trap

by Catherine Jinks

An exuberant, roller-coaster family adventure with a mad-cap cast of all-too-believable characters experiencing their dream holidays and worst nightmares.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Fiction, Young Adult, Adventure, Childrens, Audiobook

321 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Catherine Jinks is the Australian author of more than thirty books for all ages. She has garnered many awards, including the Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Award(three times), the Victorian Premier’s Award, the Aurealis Award for Science Fiction, the Australian Ibby Award, and the Davitt Award for Crime Fiction. Her work has been published in Australia, New Zealand, Britain, the United States, Germany, Spain, France, Portugal, Poland, Russia, the Czech Republic and Thailand.

Catherine was born in Brisbane, Queensland, in 1963. She grew up in Papua New Guinea, where her father worked as a patrol officer. Her high-school years were spent in Sydney, NSW; in 2006, her alma mater, Ku-ring-gai High School, named its library after her.

From 1982 to 1986, Catherine studied at the University of Sydney, graduating with an honours degree in medieval history. She then worked on Westpac Banking Corporation’s staff magazine for approximately seven years. In 1992 she married Peter Dockrill, a Canadian journalist; in 1993 she and her husband left Australia for a brief spell in Nova Scotia, where she began to write full time. They returned to Australia in 1994, and Catherine gave birth to her daughter Hannah in 1997. Since 1998, she and her family have been living in Leura, NSW.

She has two brothers, and two pet rats. Like most people in Leura, she has become a slave to her garden, but not to the extent that she’ll buy rooting powder.

Catherine has been writing books since she was eight years old. She doesn’t expect to stop writing them any time soon.

Author photo: Catherine Jinks in front of 'Conceptual Networks', by artist Paul du Moulin.
Photo by Paul du Moulin

Reviews

[Sina & Ilona Glimmerfee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inhalt: Anstatt seine Sommerferien mit Videospielen zu verbringen, muss Marcus mit seiner Mutter zum Diamond Beach fahren. Als wäre dies nicht schon schlimm genug, fahren sie mit einem uralten muffeligen Wohnwagen. Doch das von der Mutter so geliebte Urlaubsziel ist nicht mehr das, was es einmal war. Unter der Sitzbank verbirgt sich eine Treppe, die nicht nur Marcus in gefährliche Wohlfühlträume entführt.

Art des Buches: Spannendes Abenteuerbuch mit Fantasyelementen

Wie fand ich das Buch? Das Buch konnte mich ganz schnell begeistern. Die Handlung geht flott voran und bei mir kam keinerlei Langeweile auf. Catherine Jinx konnte mich schon mit 'Teuflisches Genie' begeistern, ihre Ideen sind interessant und gut überlegt.

Gab es etwas zum Nachdenken und/oder Nachforschen? Wann wird aus einem Wunschtraum ein Albtraum? Ist der perfekte Urlaub oder der perfekte Tag ohne Missgeschicke, ein Grund misstrauisch zu werden?

3 passende Wörter zum Buch? Wunschvorstellung - Urlaub - Abenteuer

Wem empfehlen? Ein großer Trost für alle, deren Urlaub eher ein Reinfall als ein Glücksfall war. Ich würde es allen Kids empfehlen, die Geschichten lieben, in denen es turbulent, ein wenig gruselig und spannend zu geht.

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was für ein niedliches Kinderbuch - aber man sollte sich nicht von dem putzigen Cover täuschen lassen, für jemanden im Alter von 9-12 Jahren kann es richtig gruselig werden. Als Kind wäre es definitiv zu meinem Lieblingsbuch geworden, so schön spannend.

[Eva Townsend · Rating 3 out of 5]

The one thing that I really liked about this book was that it included the adults in the story. Most books in this genre have the kids on their own trying to figure everything out. It was a nice change to see the adults working together with the kids. Character development was a bit weak but the concept of the book was interesting.

[Falina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was a bit bored at the beginning of this book and almost gave up. I'm glad I didn't, because it turned out to be a fun read with an interesting moral. Jinks wrote the kind of book I like best -- simple with a surprisingly deep intent. The use of simplicity to illuminate complex material is a fine art, and the children's section is a great place to find books like these.

[Shaheen Vadpey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great fictional book that is surprisingly not very complex, yet gives you the current emotions being expressed in the story. Pretty good book, I would ONLY recommend it to those that enjoy long, fictional stories.

[Tucker Almengor · Rating 3 out of 5]

~3.5 stars~

Similar to Katherine Arden’s style, Paradise Trap is a creepy, unsettling ride of mystery and fantasy. Although a little more simple than I remember, this book was just as enjoyable this time as when I read it in elementary school.

[Little Miss Sunshine · Rating 5 out of 5]

i am so glad i picked this book from our library shelf because this book was absolutely amazing! im not just talking about the plot, the storyline, the characters, the setting. im talking about everything this book had to offer! this book made me finish reading it in just 2 days. i loved reading every second of this book because it was just so cleverly done and so well written that it actually felt quite real. by the time i had finished the book i i thought to myself, wow. this is one of the best books i have ever read! i told my friends about this master piece which some of them had read and others not. and so since i loved this book so much i am suggesting to you please read and enjoy the time of your life because every page, every sentence, every new chapter will make you sit, stand crouch on the edge of your seat.

[Adele Broadbent · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marcus and his mum are going on holiday to the Diamond Beach Holiday Park, but soon discover it’s nothing like his Mum remembers it when she holidayed as a child.
It’s overcrowded, the water isn’t fit to swim in and the tiny caravan they’ve bought smells like smelly armpits.
When they run into his mum’s childhood friend, she introduces them to her family and their flash caravan, Marcus begins to think it might not be so bad after all – until they discover a cellar in their own little caravan. But how is that possible?
This cellar leads them to their dream holidays and as they rescue each other and try to escape – holidays of their nightmares.

A fabulous, imaginative story, that races along within the character’s imaginations and dreams – but they should have been careful what they wished for….

[Books Lucy King · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a holiday magical adventure! I devoured the whole thing in two days. The concept of the paradise trap was very interesting. I like the characters very much, even though they were super classic characters, a rich family and a poor single mom with a son who cannot find friends and only wants to play games, a dog and well.... a robot. Prot was super cute. But in the end how they were helped them to figure out the trap and it turned out to be very funny and entertaining because the idea of the main plot was original. I really enjoyed this middle grade story.

[Lyn Battersby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lyn is a judge for the Aurealis Awards. This review is the personal opinion of Lyn herself, and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of any judging panel, the judging coordinator or the Aurealis Awards management team.

Highly enjoyable book that actually includes parents in the adventure rather than pushing them out at the first opportunity. Good writing, excellent style, satisfying prose. Very good.

[Stefani · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cover on this one bothered me because it didn't match the characters.

That aside, this is a very fun book to read/listen to. It is, however, rather long. Great for those young readers who read above their grade level, or even readers who just want something fun but that you can dive into. Definitely some mind games going on, but the narrator keeps a level head and explains as he goes.

[Bayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Buzzwords:Families, dreams &nightmares, the lie of perfection, siren, robots, love

Loved that kids and adults are working together to solve the problems, that the adults are just as quirky and individual as the kids.

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the How to Catch a Bogle series to be a fun read, so I wanted to give this book a try to see what this Australian author could do with a modern setting. This book isn’t as spooky or exciting as the other three, so it’s safe for younger kids. There are still elements of danger in it that might connect with young adult readers, and there’s a flavor of nostalgia associated with the older characters’ fond recollections of their childhood vacations which leads to the book's overall message of not trying to make good times last too long and not clinging too tightly to the past. In that previous sense, the story should be at least somewhat relevant to readers of all ages. There are also a few rather funny scenes involving the most amusing characters. Among the latter, in my opinion, are the teenage girl, the upper-class mother, the oddball inventor, and the robot he created.

[Olivia Bevan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in middle school and I’m so glad I rediscovered it. The plot is super fun and I love the idea. I found that the book dragged on a bit toward the middle/end but I liked the way that the story wrapped up. I also liked that this book included the adults in the story. It’s frustrating when adults won’t believe the kids. I liked that I didn’t know how they were going to figure everything out. I also read it in one sitting which I love finding books that allow me to do that.

[Lydia Mills · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an easy read, suitable for tweens, young adult onwards. Its a fast moving adventure and the story I found to be a real page turner! This author really kept my interest the whole way through.

[Nina · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was very imaginative, and it was easy to get lost in the mazes and lands, and I felt like I was actually there experiencing the problems and seeing the people, feeling the heat or pressure, and I could never know what would happen when I turned the page. I didn’t want to put this book down.

[Amita · Rating 3 out of 5]

not at all what I was expecting, but that's not the issue I had with the book. the problem is that it just isn't a super memorable story. anyway marcus is the only real one in this whole book nobody else had a CLUE

[Riley Christian]

remember listening to this audiobook in the car when i was around 9 or 10 (??) and being scared shitless. has since been a fever dream that i was lowkey convinced I imagined until i finally found it today

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun read

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was quite interesting.

[Jeanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A twisted magic place. Different. I listened to the audio so it took a while but was worth it.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

𝓯𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓴𝔂

[Potato · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a reread -- I read this first in elementary school and it terrified me. I really enjoyed the world-building and plot as a kid

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book may be easily recommended with the disclaimer that the beginning is a little slow. Once the story gets going, it was difficult to put down. The concept of creating a basement to an trailer that contains endless dream vacations is so clever. The worlds created are rich, creepy and just absurd enough. The characters – while some are a little flat – are diverse, brave and sympathetic.

I do have one reservation, though. Marcus’ mom is single – no problem there – his dad is out of the picture – plausible. The issue I take is that Marcus’ mom saves Jake, a friend that she hasn’t seen or heard from since she was a kid, and at the very end of the book they get married. This seems to be a common occurrence in kids literature and I find it really annoying. I am willing to suspend disbelief when it comes to fantasy elements, but why do so many stories have to come with a happily-ever-after and presto! your family is fixed, too, ending? Jake was trapped in an alternate reality for decades – so let’s make him your new daddy. Really? It wasn’t good enough to end the story with everyone escaping these dream worlds? Still, I really enjoyed this book.

[Prisca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is because, at first you just think its about a mom, Holly, and her son, Marcus, going to a boring summer vacation at a dirty beach. At the beach the boy realizes that there is a basement under the trailer that they are staying at. The author turned a boring vocation into a big scary adventure. It keeps the readers at the edge of there seats the whole entire time. in the basement, Each person has a room to a paradise world that they dream of. Since its your paradise, your paradise world, you don't want to get out right? Well, the paradise doesn't last forever because of a siren named Miss Molpe. Miss Molpe invented this whole paradise trap in the first place. When someone enters their paradise trap, she waits until they are completely brainwashed and think they've been living there their whole entire life. Then, she tricks the into going to her trailer and eats them. Luckily, for Holly, Marcus, and his friends, they were able to survive and destroy the paradise trap. The author, Catherine Jinks, created a lot of suspense. There is literally nothing I would change about this ok because it was really interesting.

[Susanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

The paradise trap is the interesting story of 2 families and a... Trailer. The author does an interesting job spinning the tale of false reality, mazes, and questions. Marcus is a boy who's parents are divorced. He desperately misses his father, and he has no interest in public crowded locations. His mother feels sorry that all he finds interesting are games, so she buys an old trailer! They set off to diamond beach, where Marcus' mother went to as a child. They meet friends and try to enjoy the now crowded shore. However, the trailer holds a dark secret: a cavern of desirable illusions that are nearly impossible to get out of! What keys to history does it hold? What is really going on? Will they ever get Back? I really enjoyed the author's writing style, because it captured the character's personalities very well. However, some of the chapters leave questions unanswered. Overall, this book was better than three stars, but it was rather similar to Coraline. I recommend this book to 10-12 year olds who enjoy an action packed story!

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book because my son asked me to. He is a voracious reader and usually has good taste, or, at least, he has taste the often aligns with mine. I finished this book in a matter of hours because it was an easy and enjoyable read. Don't expect too much from the writing here, but do expect a romp through a wonderful plot. Magic, mystery, and characters who come in all shapes and sizes, including dogs and robots! One thing I truly liked about this book was that Jinks included the parents on this adventure. So often, YA and MG books leave the adults out of the story - side characters who know nothing - but not here. All the adults are along for the ride, and they are not idiotic caricatures there only to make the children look brilliant. I would give this 3 1/2 stars if I could. It was truly enjoyable and worth a Sunday afternoon of reading.

[Brock Stonebraker · Rating 5 out of 5]

the book is about a boy named Marcus that is a computer geek and never does stuff outside. his mother takes him to a lake and take his electronics away to good some outdoors time and what not. they take a trailer and its really old and small. his mother meets up with an old friend and they are rich and have a big trailer and she has kids. Marcus becomes friends with one of the kids. he and the boy go to Marcus's trailer and they find and cellar and it has doors that leads to there paradise dreams that's why its called paradise trap. Marcus cant seem to get anybody that goes in the doors to come out because they are have to much of good time and are trapped. also the switch on Marcus so he doesn't know which doors is which.

[David Macpherson · Rating 2 out of 5]

My son and I listened to this in the car on the way to school and back. I am impressed my son had the same feelings I did, that the first half was great and then it continued to lose our attention as it limped to the end. The concept is kind of cool, an evil child eating siren from Greek Mythology lures children into a door in the bottom of camper and from there they are trapped in their perfect holiday. The ideas of the perfect holidays are great, but when all the characters are taken from their perfect vacations and then have to find their way back to the real world it gets to be a slog. I know that books now have to be a certain length, but it would have been much more satisfying if it was quite shorter.

[Karen Arendt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marcus and his mom, Holly, return to Diamond Beach, a place his mom visited every summer as a child. The place has changed a lot since his mom was a child. Holly buys a used camper trailer for the trip. Marcus discovers a virtual world below the trailer in the basement. He, along with his mom, and a family they befriend on the beach get stuck in this other world. They become trapped by Miss Molpe, some magical siren/witch from Holly's childhood visits to the beach. As they try to escape each virtual reality, they are thrown into another. This book reminds be a little bit of No Passengers Beyond This Point. Fun, adventure/ virtual reality story.