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Charlie Thorne #1
Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation
From New York Times bestselling author Stuart Gibbs comes the first novel in a thrilling new series about the world’s youngest and smartest genius who’s forced to use her unbelievable code-breaking skills to outsmart Einstein.
Charlie Thorne is a genius.
Charlie Thorne is a thief.
Charlie Thorne isn’t old enough to drive.
And now it’s up to her to save the world…
Decades ago, Albert Einstein devised an equation that could benefit all life on earth—or destroy it. Fearing what would happen if the equation fell into the wrong hands, he hid it.
But now, a diabolical group known as the Furies are closing in on its location. In desperation, a team of CIA agents drags Charlie into the hunt, needing her brilliance to find it first—even though this means placing her life in grave danger.
In a breakneck adventure that spans the globe, Charlie must crack a complex code created by Einstein himself, struggle to survive in a world where no one can be trusted, and fight to keep the last equation safe once and for all.
Charlie Thorne is a genius.
Charlie Thorne is a thief.
Charlie Thorne isn’t old enough to drive.
And now it’s up to her to save the world…
Decades ago, Albert Einstein devised an equation that could benefit all life on earth—or destroy it. Fearing what would happen if the equation fell into the wrong hands, he hid it.
But now, a diabolical group known as the Furies are closing in on its location. In desperation, a team of CIA agents drags Charlie into the hunt, needing her brilliance to find it first—even though this means placing her life in grave danger.
In a breakneck adventure that spans the globe, Charlie must crack a complex code created by Einstein himself, struggle to survive in a world where no one can be trusted, and fight to keep the last equation safe once and for all.
401 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 17, 2019
577 people are currently reading
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 729 reviews
November 21, 2019
I am quite surprised by how much I liked this! A middle grade spy thriller? Very off-brand for me. I wanted a book I could suggest to boys (and mothers of boys who obviously have internalized misogyny) that had a girl protag. Plus, I do surprisingly like a lot of spy stories -- Alias, Harriet, Homeland (problematic guilty pleasure?), American Spy, D.E.B.S., Code Named Verity, etc. Maybe I should start reading more spy books?! There's that non-fiction one right now by Amarylis Fox hmmm.
ANYWAY. I really liked this and was honestly hard-pressed to differentiate it between an action-packed spy book for adults. I mean, maybe no cursing, no sex? No actual gore? But there's quite a lot of violence which I was surprised about! And honestly, I really liked that about it. It's very much something a 12 year old (or in that range) could appreciate for it's realistic depiction of espionage and manhunts -- not anything worse than a movie or video game. I mean, it is definitely NOT realistic, but I think it takes its ridiculous 12=year-old-genius-recruited-by-the-CIA premise and shows a world that is still somehow based in reality. The bad guys are white supremacists motivated by their hatred of refugees and the CIA is not to be trusted because of their allegiance to a government who would take Einstein's last equation and use it for nefarious purposes (as that govt did in the past with Einstein's former work). This is a gritty kids book, it's gripping, and I could hardly put it down once I started it. Also, Charlie is the only kid character (weird!) and she's sassy and rebellious af! YES. But she also has her own personal morality that makes sense and spending time in her brain made me, a 33 year old lady (*jenna marbles voice*), feel smarter.
ANYWAY. I really liked this and was honestly hard-pressed to differentiate it between an action-packed spy book for adults. I mean, maybe no cursing, no sex? No actual gore? But there's quite a lot of violence which I was surprised about! And honestly, I really liked that about it. It's very much something a 12 year old (or in that range) could appreciate for it's realistic depiction of espionage and manhunts -- not anything worse than a movie or video game. I mean, it is definitely NOT realistic, but I think it takes its ridiculous 12=year-old-genius-recruited-by-the-CIA premise and shows a world that is still somehow based in reality. The bad guys are white supremacists motivated by their hatred of refugees and the CIA is not to be trusted because of their allegiance to a government who would take Einstein's last equation and use it for nefarious purposes (as that govt did in the past with Einstein's former work). This is a gritty kids book, it's gripping, and I could hardly put it down once I started it. Also, Charlie is the only kid character (weird!) and she's sassy and rebellious af! YES. But she also has her own personal morality that makes sense and spending time in her brain made me, a 33 year old lady (*jenna marbles voice*), feel smarter.
September 18, 2019
I grabbed this ARC because of the author. I figured that I would just read it during my breaks at work. I couldn't do it. I started reading it and couldn't put it down.
Charlie is a 12 year old girl. Not just any 12 year old girl but one with an IQ just shy of Einstein's. Her older half brother is an agent for the CIA. When he convinces his superior to bring his sister in on finding Einstein's greatest accomplishment, things get a little out of hand. With their lives in jeopardy at almost every turn, Charlie, her brother Dante and CIA agent Milana Moon rely on their training and Charlie's intelligence to save them.
This is an edge of your seat, can't put down thriller.
This book can easily be compared to books by Child, Baldacci, Connelly, Brown and many other popular authors, except for the fact that this was written for a little younger crowd.
What I like most about Gibbs' writing is that he understands that the people he is writing for are sophisticated and intelligent. The writing is not "dummied" down. The protagonist is also female AND extremely intelligent. She blows math away. But there is no pointing out that she is a girl doing these things. Simply that she is a kid.
Some young children might have trouble with the contents. There is the CIA, Mossad and some bad guys so there are guns. There are ruthless killers. I would recommend this for people 10-up. When I say "up", I think this is a quick read many adults would enjoy.
The only thing I didn't like about this book was that it ended. Now I have to wait until the next.
Charlie is a 12 year old girl. Not just any 12 year old girl but one with an IQ just shy of Einstein's. Her older half brother is an agent for the CIA. When he convinces his superior to bring his sister in on finding Einstein's greatest accomplishment, things get a little out of hand. With their lives in jeopardy at almost every turn, Charlie, her brother Dante and CIA agent Milana Moon rely on their training and Charlie's intelligence to save them.
This is an edge of your seat, can't put down thriller.
This book can easily be compared to books by Child, Baldacci, Connelly, Brown and many other popular authors, except for the fact that this was written for a little younger crowd.
What I like most about Gibbs' writing is that he understands that the people he is writing for are sophisticated and intelligent. The writing is not "dummied" down. The protagonist is also female AND extremely intelligent. She blows math away. But there is no pointing out that she is a girl doing these things. Simply that she is a kid.
Some young children might have trouble with the contents. There is the CIA, Mossad and some bad guys so there are guns. There are ruthless killers. I would recommend this for people 10-up. When I say "up", I think this is a quick read many adults would enjoy.
The only thing I didn't like about this book was that it ended. Now I have to wait until the next.
August 16, 2019
I received a copy of this book from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.
Trigger warning: murder
5 ⭐️
Think Alex Rider with the mind of Sherlock Holmes, in the body of an American girl. Are excited yet? Because this book is goooooooood!
The Alex Rider series was one of my favourite when I was a teen. It has a lot of action, and just enough character development and backstory in each book to keep you interested in the series as a whole. Well, Charlie Thorne is the same, except she'd a thousand times smarter than Alex Rider will ever be.
Charlie Thorne is a genius, which gives her an edge whenever something happens. She's as smart as Einstein and as calculating as Sherlock Holmes, except with a lot better grasp of social rules. Frankly, I find it refreshing to read about a super intelligent teenage girl who isn't autistic nor socially inept. Not that there's anything wrong with either (and I wish there were more stories with autistic MCs), but they're frequently used as a synonym for high intelligence, and it's nice to see a smart character that does not display those stereotypical characteristics.
In addition to being brilliant, Charlie is funny and sometimes reckless, which makes this story a really interesting read. It's action packed and you fly through it without realizing. It only took me about 6 hours to finish it, so a good reader tween (as this is MG) should take a week or so.
Stuart Gibbs clearly knows what he's doing. I haven't read his other books, but this definitely put him on my rec' list for MG action-packed novels with a spy twist!
Trigger warning: murder
5 ⭐️
Think Alex Rider with the mind of Sherlock Holmes, in the body of an American girl. Are excited yet? Because this book is goooooooood!
The Alex Rider series was one of my favourite when I was a teen. It has a lot of action, and just enough character development and backstory in each book to keep you interested in the series as a whole. Well, Charlie Thorne is the same, except she'd a thousand times smarter than Alex Rider will ever be.
Charlie Thorne is a genius, which gives her an edge whenever something happens. She's as smart as Einstein and as calculating as Sherlock Holmes, except with a lot better grasp of social rules. Frankly, I find it refreshing to read about a super intelligent teenage girl who isn't autistic nor socially inept. Not that there's anything wrong with either (and I wish there were more stories with autistic MCs), but they're frequently used as a synonym for high intelligence, and it's nice to see a smart character that does not display those stereotypical characteristics.
In addition to being brilliant, Charlie is funny and sometimes reckless, which makes this story a really interesting read. It's action packed and you fly through it without realizing. It only took me about 6 hours to finish it, so a good reader tween (as this is MG) should take a week or so.
Stuart Gibbs clearly knows what he's doing. I haven't read his other books, but this definitely put him on my rec' list for MG action-packed novels with a spy twist!
April 26, 2021
An engaging, action-packed story about a 12-year-old girl (with an Einstein level IQ) who helps the CIA track down the mysterious and elusive Pandora. Since Pandora was developed and hidden by Einstein, it has been sought after by bad guys and good guys due to its potential to be more destructive than the atomic bomb. Charlie Thorne and her CIA handlers meet on the slopes of Colorado, make a pit stop in Greenland, travel to Jerusalem and then back to LA. The audiobook is very well done and will have you on the edge of your seat. Pop it in for a road trip this summer.
August 21, 2024
Why did I actually love this book
April 27, 2019
Love everything Stu Gibbs writes and this no exception. He's at the top of his game, and his books are impossible to put down. My kid is obsessed.
Read
April 27, 2021An engaging, action-packed story about a 12-year-old girl (with an Einstein level IQ) who helps the CIA track down the mysterious and elusive Pandora. Since Pandora was developed and hidden by Einstein, it has been sought after by bad guys and good guys due to its potential to be more destructive than the atomic bomb. Charlie Thorne and her CIA handlers meet on the slopes of Colorado, make a pit stop in Greenland, travel to Jerusalem and then back to LA. The audiobook is very well done and will have you on the edge of your seat. Pop it in for a road trip this summer.
*Review by Darla from Red Bridge*
*Review by Darla from Red Bridge*
October 21, 2025
This Book is pure greatness shoutout to Stuart Gibbs. So I'd just like to say how amazing this book is and how adding Charlie Thorne as the main character was a great choice and I love how great she is at well everything! I think this was a great book I recommend to all People who love a great story.
October 7, 2019
Meet Charlie Thorne. She is highly intelligent, a great athlete – and twelve-years-old. She is attending college, if you can call only showing up on test days to be attending college, just biding her time until she is legally an adult. Until the day the CIA shows up and strong arms her into helping them on a mission of critical importance. It is believed that Albert Einstein developed an equation in the 1930’s that rivals his theory of relativity in importance, but he hid it to keep it from falling into the wrong hands. While people all over the world have been looking for it for decades, the race to find it has heated up, with the fate of the world potentially in the balance. Because Charlie is so smart, they think she can more easily decode the clues that Einstein left behind. Will Charlie be able to follow the clues to find it?
I was excited to dive into a new series from middle grade author Stuart Gibbs. It takes a little time to set up the characters and the story in the first half, but the second half is packed with action. When I got here, it was nearly impossible to put down. The main characters got some nice character growth over the course of the book. The rest of the characters aren’t quite as sharp, but they are developed enough to keep us engaged in the book. This doesn’t have quite as much humor as some of Stuart Gibbs’s other books, although I did laugh some. The more serious tone is reflected in the more serious nature of the story. There isn’t anything that isn’t appropriate for the intended audience, but there is more violence off the page than in his previous books. Only the most sensitive kids will be bothered by what happens here, however. The ending of this book will leave you ready for Charlie’s next adventure. I know I’m anxious for it.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
I was excited to dive into a new series from middle grade author Stuart Gibbs. It takes a little time to set up the characters and the story in the first half, but the second half is packed with action. When I got here, it was nearly impossible to put down. The main characters got some nice character growth over the course of the book. The rest of the characters aren’t quite as sharp, but they are developed enough to keep us engaged in the book. This doesn’t have quite as much humor as some of Stuart Gibbs’s other books, although I did laugh some. The more serious tone is reflected in the more serious nature of the story. There isn’t anything that isn’t appropriate for the intended audience, but there is more violence off the page than in his previous books. Only the most sensitive kids will be bothered by what happens here, however. The ending of this book will leave you ready for Charlie’s next adventure. I know I’m anxious for it.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
January 28, 2021
One of his best books by far!
----------------
Nearly two years later... that is what I called a good review. Well, Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation is the start of a new series by Stuart Gibbs! That makes it an automatic favorite.
It did not disappoint!
Gibbs checklist:
Unpredictable: Check!
Likable good guys: Check!
Dislikable bad guys: Check!
Humor: Check!
Action: Check!
All of Stuart Gibbs' books have the essentials in a book! I love the way he writes mysteries, the main focus + a side mystery(or two!). This book was very different from his other books! I could still tell that Gibbs was the author but he was using a new style that I love! The plot was the main difference. I am not saying that all of his plots are the same, THAT IS NOT THE CASE. Charlie Thorne just felt like a new, good experience. This book was focused on our rebellious Charlie Thorne, the genius. Charlie's perspective felt very different from Ben, Teddy, and Stuart Gibbs' other protagonist perspectives. I liked that the main focus was on a female this time! Stuart Gibbs does a just amazing job of keeping everything in line and having everything come together! His characters are funny and relatable! His books are an incredible experience that I would recommend to everyone!
----------------
Nearly two years later... that is what I called a good review. Well, Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation is the start of a new series by Stuart Gibbs! That makes it an automatic favorite.
It did not disappoint!
Gibbs checklist:
Unpredictable: Check!
Likable good guys: Check!
Dislikable bad guys: Check!
Humor: Check!
Action: Check!
All of Stuart Gibbs' books have the essentials in a book! I love the way he writes mysteries, the main focus + a side mystery(or two!). This book was very different from his other books! I could still tell that Gibbs was the author but he was using a new style that I love! The plot was the main difference. I am not saying that all of his plots are the same, THAT IS NOT THE CASE. Charlie Thorne just felt like a new, good experience. This book was focused on our rebellious Charlie Thorne, the genius. Charlie's perspective felt very different from Ben, Teddy, and Stuart Gibbs' other protagonist perspectives. I liked that the main focus was on a female this time! Stuart Gibbs does a just amazing job of keeping everything in line and having everything come together! His characters are funny and relatable! His books are an incredible experience that I would recommend to everyone!
June 12, 2020
Fun middle school spy adventure with lots of action, BUT when the 12 year old protagonist outwits the Israeli Mossad???????
April 22, 2021
I lot of violence and killing, not for every kid. Spy book with lots of adventure.
I don't think Charlie is really nailed down as a character. Hopefully over the series that will improve.
I don't think Charlie is really nailed down as a character. Hopefully over the series that will improve.
September 23, 2019
Charlie Thorne is the latest middle grades hero created by Stuart Gibbs. She is highly intelligent, athletic, able to solve crimes that baffle the adults in her life, and all before celebrating her 13th birthday! In this series opener, genius Charlie is manipulated into helping the CIA locate a formula created by Albert Einstein that has been hidden since the 1930s. Clues have recently come to light and world powers and various criminals are all in a race to solve the intricate puzzles and find the answer to the world's energy needs...or the ability to create a weapon of mass destruction. Readers of action-adventure novels will not be disappointed and the adults who buy books for them will be thrilled to be able to offer a choice that is not filled with gratuitous blood and gore, sex or profanity. And, as always, Gibbs surrounds his young hot shot with a host of interesting sidekicks and enemies and fills the pages with chases, near death experiences, major globe-trotting and a myriad of vocabulary like "ungulate," "vertiginously" (which has appeared in several other Gibbs works so it must be a particular favorite of his), and "bon mots."
Side bar comment: I recently asked two of my avid Gibbs readers if they noticed many unfamiliar words in his books and both nodded vigorously. When I asked if they knew what they meant and if they looked them up, both shook their heads and said that they just skipped them. BUT, there is usually pretty good context for the 20 cent words so maybe some of them are sinking into those young minds.
I predict more Charlie Thorne to come, and while I remain a stalwart fan of Ben and Erica in his Spy School series, my 4th and 5th graders will be thrilled to have more Gibbs titles on my library shelves. Highly recommended for grades 4-8 without any notes about potentially problematic content. Thanks for the dARC, Edelweiss.
Side bar comment: I recently asked two of my avid Gibbs readers if they noticed many unfamiliar words in his books and both nodded vigorously. When I asked if they knew what they meant and if they looked them up, both shook their heads and said that they just skipped them. BUT, there is usually pretty good context for the 20 cent words so maybe some of them are sinking into those young minds.
I predict more Charlie Thorne to come, and while I remain a stalwart fan of Ben and Erica in his Spy School series, my 4th and 5th graders will be thrilled to have more Gibbs titles on my library shelves. Highly recommended for grades 4-8 without any notes about potentially problematic content. Thanks for the dARC, Edelweiss.
February 24, 2020
Probably the most exciting middle grade book I have ever read. Sooo much fun!
November 30, 2020
Probably one of the most intense books I have ever read.
March 18, 2020
In this new Stuart Gibbs book, the story follows a girl named Charlie Thorne. She is a rebel, a thief, and an absolute genius. She is 12, in college, and now, she is on a secret CIA mission. 70 years ago Albert Einstein hid the 'Pandora' equation. The equation reveals how to create a nuclear bomb. The CIA is on the hunt for it, so that they can find it before a terrorist group finds it first. The Furies (terrorist group) have one special addition to their team though, which could give them the big advantage they need. Will Charlie and the agents find the equation first? Or will it fall into the wrong hands?
This book was intriguing with many twists that I never would've imagined. I was stuck to it, and it was one of those books that you cannot put down. I would definitely recommend this book.
This book was intriguing with many twists that I never would've imagined. I was stuck to it, and it was one of those books that you cannot put down. I would definitely recommend this book.
May 19, 2022
Excellent plotting, fabulous clues and an underlying story that touches on some of the most important scientific discoveries humans have made. Charlie Thorne is a 12 year-old genius who through a combination of events gets dragged into a CIA search for Einstein’s lost equation which can unlock both the answer to all our energy dilemmas and create the possibility of planetary extinction. With unscrupulous spies and double agents aplenty can Charlie outwit them all, unravel Einstein’s clues and keep his discovery safe?
July 16, 2021
Charlie Thorne, a 12 year old girl, is not only as smart as Einstein, but she's a multi-millionaire (the legality of that is shady, but understandable). Both of those come to her aid when the CIA learns that Einstein left an equation he called Pandora, which could either fix all the world's energy problems or destroy the world altogether--either way, whichever government has it will rule the world, so of course the CIA is determined to get it. So they kidnap Charlie, because no way would she help on her own--not even though her half-brother Dante is an agent. And the chase is on, with gunfights, narrow escapes, foreign countries, a white supremacist group called The Furies always a step ahead, and Charlie always having to save the day...and maybe the world.
This is so not my genre--I really don't like spy books--so I'll only say that it's jam-packed with spy action, and will definitely appeal to kids who like Alex Rider. It has some softer content in Charlie's relationship with her half-brother, but not a lot. I do think the author over-used the words, "But Charlie was a 12 year old girl" whenever Charlie's lack of experience or lack of emotional toughness got in her way. She's a fun character, though--brilliant, athletic, pragmatic, creative, and snappy--she kicks a lot of butt.
This is so not my genre--I really don't like spy books--so I'll only say that it's jam-packed with spy action, and will definitely appeal to kids who like Alex Rider. It has some softer content in Charlie's relationship with her half-brother, but not a lot. I do think the author over-used the words, "But Charlie was a 12 year old girl" whenever Charlie's lack of experience or lack of emotional toughness got in her way. She's a fun character, though--brilliant, athletic, pragmatic, creative, and snappy--she kicks a lot of butt.
November 13, 2021
Escape room fanatics will love this! Each year I have a few students who want all the genius books in the library, and this is one I'll add to the list for sure. Think Mr. Lemoncello's Library but with life-or-death stakes, CIA, villains, and a plot to save the world from evil. Exciting action from start to finish!
Compare to:
-Chasing Vermeer
-Mr. Lemoncello's Library for a bit older kids
-39 Clues
-National Treasures (the movie)
-The Davinci Code (for kids)
Compare to:
-Chasing Vermeer
-Mr. Lemoncello's Library for a bit older kids
-39 Clues
-National Treasures (the movie)
-The Davinci Code (for kids)
June 21, 2023
Great book for my elementary/middle school friends. Interesting plot; cool main character. I read this for book club with some of my mom’s students and I liked it. I would say a solid 3.5/5.
July 17, 2021
A powerhouse of a spy novel! I learned a lot about Einstein, relativity, Israel, and how to write an action-packed book for young readers that is also appealing to adults. Charlie Thorne is a well-crafted three-dimensional character, and I will definitely be reading the next book in this adventure series.
April 13, 2023
This was a great book that had great characters and action. The book was never boring and was very fast paced. Overall, it was a great read.
December 26, 2023
Hello middle grades spy thriller! Movement, clues, and twists in every chapter. Promises to be an excellent series.
October 12, 2019
I find myself listening to more and more audio books. And I also find that I'm (happily) listening outside of my normal choices.
Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation is new from Stuart Gibbs and was my latest listen.
Charlie Thorne is actually a twelve year old girl. A brilliant (and wealthy) twelve year old who is already in college. But her studies are cut short (well honestly she hardly ever went anyway) when the CIA comes calling. They need her help to find a 'last equation' from Albert Einstein - one that some 'baddies' also want. If it falls into the wrong hands, the fate of the world is at stake.
Gibbs has penned a fun read that anyone around that twelve year old mark is going to love. (and especially girls) Charlie has an incredible quick mind. Listeners will enjoy her leaps - both physically and mentally. She thwarts the adults in her path time and time again. I must admit, I was impressed with Gibbs' clues - they're well thought out, believable and fairly intricate. I quite enjoyed following along to the final reveal. The action is constant, keeping the book moving forward at a fast pace.
The two adult agents paired with Charlie are (thankfully) not buffoons. They're very capable as well. Gibbs does some relationship exploration between both agents and Charlie. This is done thoughtfully - after all, she may be brilliant, but she's still a twelve year old.
Emily Woo Zeller was the reader and she did a great job. She provided a perfectly suited voice for Charlie, youngish sounding but full of sass. She lowers and slows down the tone and pace for the adult characters. The male voices were believable. And all the characters were easily differentiated. Zeller's voice is clear and easy to understand and she enunciates well. She captured the action and tension of the plotting easily with her inflection and speed.
This would be a great listen for a family road trip. And I could see a sequel in the making.
Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation is new from Stuart Gibbs and was my latest listen.
Charlie Thorne is actually a twelve year old girl. A brilliant (and wealthy) twelve year old who is already in college. But her studies are cut short (well honestly she hardly ever went anyway) when the CIA comes calling. They need her help to find a 'last equation' from Albert Einstein - one that some 'baddies' also want. If it falls into the wrong hands, the fate of the world is at stake.
Gibbs has penned a fun read that anyone around that twelve year old mark is going to love. (and especially girls) Charlie has an incredible quick mind. Listeners will enjoy her leaps - both physically and mentally. She thwarts the adults in her path time and time again. I must admit, I was impressed with Gibbs' clues - they're well thought out, believable and fairly intricate. I quite enjoyed following along to the final reveal. The action is constant, keeping the book moving forward at a fast pace.
The two adult agents paired with Charlie are (thankfully) not buffoons. They're very capable as well. Gibbs does some relationship exploration between both agents and Charlie. This is done thoughtfully - after all, she may be brilliant, but she's still a twelve year old.
Emily Woo Zeller was the reader and she did a great job. She provided a perfectly suited voice for Charlie, youngish sounding but full of sass. She lowers and slows down the tone and pace for the adult characters. The male voices were believable. And all the characters were easily differentiated. Zeller's voice is clear and easy to understand and she enunciates well. She captured the action and tension of the plotting easily with her inflection and speed.
This would be a great listen for a family road trip. And I could see a sequel in the making.
July 1, 2020
Albert Einstein devised Pandora, an equation that would help solve the world's energy problems. Einstein hid the equation because he feared what would happen if the wrong people had access to it. Fifty years after his death, a white supremacist terrorist group called the Furies are close to finding the equation's location. The CIA was determined to find the equation first so they enlisted the help of Charlie Thorne, a twelve year-old whose IQ was almost as high as Einstein's, to crack the code and find the equation.
I read this book because of its appearance on the 2020 Lone Star list. Action-packed novels are not my thing, but I enjoyed the mystery and codebreaking aspects. I listened to the audiobook version of this book, but suggest reading it instead to see the math and codes written out. I also liked that the book starred a female protagonist! I believe young boys will read and enjoy this book without writing it off as a "girl book". While this book may have large middle grade appeal, it was not for me -- 2 stars.
Characters are important to me, but I did not like the main character. Charlie Thorne was reckless, selfish, and annoying. She was a criminal who was not remorseful for her actions. She was using her high IQ in unproductive ways. She was not a believable twelve year-old. I also would have liked the book better if there was less violence and bloodshed, and more library scenes. Charlie and the CIA agents are constantly in danger. Maybe the violence was age-appropriate for middle school readers, but it was excessive. Making Charlie a slightly older protagonist and categorizing this book as young adult could have helped to mitigate some of these shortcomings.
I read this book because of its appearance on the 2020 Lone Star list. Action-packed novels are not my thing, but I enjoyed the mystery and codebreaking aspects. I listened to the audiobook version of this book, but suggest reading it instead to see the math and codes written out. I also liked that the book starred a female protagonist! I believe young boys will read and enjoy this book without writing it off as a "girl book". While this book may have large middle grade appeal, it was not for me -- 2 stars.
Characters are important to me, but I did not like the main character. Charlie Thorne was reckless, selfish, and annoying. She was a criminal who was not remorseful for her actions. She was using her high IQ in unproductive ways. She was not a believable twelve year-old. I also would have liked the book better if there was less violence and bloodshed, and more library scenes. Charlie and the CIA agents are constantly in danger. Maybe the violence was age-appropriate for middle school readers, but it was excessive. Making Charlie a slightly older protagonist and categorizing this book as young adult could have helped to mitigate some of these shortcomings.
July 5, 2021
Sunshine State nominated book 2021-2022
Audiobook - the narrator did a great job of amping up the tension, but not going over the top.
Charlie Thorne is 12-years old and a genius near the level of Einstein. She attends college but only on test days - she'd rather be using her visual math to ski the toughest slopes. She is "recruited" (compelled because of a previous crime) to help the CIA figure out clues and puzzles to find the Pandora equation. The equation was written by Einstein and could help or hurt the world, depending on who finds it.
Charlie is feisty and determined, but she has a lot to deal with in this book. She outwits CIA agents, Mossad agents, and many bad guys in various locations around the world. There is enough action/adventure/suspense to keep any tween (and many adults) on the edge of their seats. Warning: there is a lot of killing (like most spy stories), though not violent. Keep this in mind when recommending to students. But if they like Alex Rider or the Spy School series, they will likely love Charlie Thorne and, after the cliffhanger ending, be excited to move to the next book in the series.
Audiobook - the narrator did a great job of amping up the tension, but not going over the top.
Charlie Thorne is 12-years old and a genius near the level of Einstein. She attends college but only on test days - she'd rather be using her visual math to ski the toughest slopes. She is "recruited" (compelled because of a previous crime) to help the CIA figure out clues and puzzles to find the Pandora equation. The equation was written by Einstein and could help or hurt the world, depending on who finds it.
Charlie is feisty and determined, but she has a lot to deal with in this book. She outwits CIA agents, Mossad agents, and many bad guys in various locations around the world. There is enough action/adventure/suspense to keep any tween (and many adults) on the edge of their seats. Warning: there is a lot of killing (like most spy stories), though not violent. Keep this in mind when recommending to students. But if they like Alex Rider or the Spy School series, they will likely love Charlie Thorne and, after the cliffhanger ending, be excited to move to the next book in the series.
December 29, 2020
We're currently watching the series Chuck for the third time, and this week also watched the new film "My Spy" and oh boy did this book just fit neatly right in all of that. Despite recommending the Fun Jungle and Spy School series all the time to my students, I've never actually read a Stuart Gibbs. And this was FANTASTIC! [Hand to fans of Alex Rider and vice versa.]
I loved all the details about Albert Einstein. And it was super cool to see how smart Charlie was (and her seeing the numbers allowing her to be an amazing snowboarder is very Chuck-intersect like.)
This was a very fast paced adventure and I'd say closer to Alex Rider than Fun Jungle in terms of age, just for the very fact that people are killed.
I loved all the details about Israel and the library there (and the afterward which explains how the author went there and researched.)
Would be surprised if this wasn't optioned into a film-it played like one in my head.
This was just a very fun book to read!
I loved all the details about Albert Einstein. And it was super cool to see how smart Charlie was (and her seeing the numbers allowing her to be an amazing snowboarder is very Chuck-intersect like.)
This was a very fast paced adventure and I'd say closer to Alex Rider than Fun Jungle in terms of age, just for the very fact that people are killed.
I loved all the details about Israel and the library there (and the afterward which explains how the author went there and researched.)
Would be surprised if this wasn't optioned into a film-it played like one in my head.
This was just a very fun book to read!
April 23, 2023
I love this book! The feminism was wonderful, and that ending was so good oh my gosh! At times I felt like it was a little slow but that may have just been me, not the book. I love this new series of Stuart Gibbs’ and I think it will do well. I highly recommend this book.
January 22, 2025
One of the absolute BEST teen books I've ever read! It's super refreshing to have an exciting book written for YA that is #1: not about romance! There is very limited swearing and overall, a clean book.
I would rate it a 12+ age wise.
I would rate it a 12+ age wise.
June 13, 2020
So much action and adventure! Love how Gibbs includes factual information and some Greek mythology. Charlie Thorne reminds me of Alex Rider in so many ways! Definitely a 4.5!
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