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The Antidote
Kirkus Reviews "Impressively timely and resonant. A high-stakes and exciting tale of good versus evil that thoughtfully reflects on modern maladies." Midwest Book Reviews calls it "a page-ripping suspenseful tale of good and evil." Can a curse become a gift? Twelve-year-old Alex Revelstoke is different. He can see disease. Also injury, illness, and anything else wrong with the body. This comes in handy when a classmate chokes on a hot dog or when the janitor suffers a heart attack unclogging a gooey science experiment gone awry. But Alex soon learns his new ability puts him and an unsuspecting world in peril. Throughout time, Revelstokes have waged a battle against ancient evil itself. A man, a being, an essence--the creator of disease. Alex has seen its darkness. He has felt its strength. He does not want to fight. But Alex is the last Revelstoke. The war has just begun.With her unique perspective as a doctor, mother, and writer, McCormick combines her knowledge of medicine and her storytelling skills to craft a one-of-a-kind adventure about disease, darkness, and deception -- one readers won't be able to put down.
- GenresFantasy
300 pages, Paperback
Published May 5, 2021
18 people are currently reading
32 people want to read
About the author
Susan McCormick
8 books314 followersSusan McCormick is a writer and doctor in Seattle, author of The Fog Ladies cozy murder mystery series, The Antidote, a medical STEM middle grade fantasy, and Granny Can't Remember Me, a lighthearted picture book about Alzheimer's disease and dementia.
She graduated from Smith College and George Washington University School of Medicine, with additional training in San Francisco and Washington, DC. She served as a military doctor for nine years before settling in the Pacific Northwest and civilian practice. She is married and has two boys. She loves giant dogs and has loved an English mastiff and two Newfoundlands.
She graduated from Smith College and George Washington University School of Medicine, with additional training in San Francisco and Washington, DC. She served as a military doctor for nine years before settling in the Pacific Northwest and civilian practice. She is married and has two boys. She loves giant dogs and has loved an English mastiff and two Newfoundlands.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
June 12, 2021
What an amazing story! Really enjoyed this! Alex Revelstoke is different. He can see disease. Also injury, illness, & anything else wrong w/the body. This comes in handy when a classmate chokes on a hot dog or when the janitor suffers a heart attack unclogging a gooey science experiment gone awry. But Alex soon learns his new ability puts him & an unsuspecting world in peril. Throughout time, Revelstokes have waged a battle against ancient evil itself. A man, a being, an essence--the creator of disease. Alex has seen its darkness. He has felt its strength. He does not want to fight. But Alex is the last Revelstoke. The war has just begun.
So Alex has to fight ILL- a very old “being”..he used to be a living man, but then he became ILL-creator of not all, but most illnesses & disease out there. Some chapters are short little insights from his POV-both from the past each time he created a disease, up til current time. Loved that. Alex’s parents are both doctors(as are all the males on his dads side for generations going way back), so he already has an impressive knowledge of the human body, & what can go wrong. In the beginning of the book I did get a little confused w/so many medical terms that I knew zip about lol but that lessens up quickly, & the story is very gripping & engrossing.
The idea for this story is so creative! Especially the way Alex is able to “see illness”, & the whole backstory of past members of his family, & of Ill. All fascinating! & it’s not only an amazing storyline, but you feel I like you’re learning at the same time. There are many diseases/illnesses mentioned, & the author even puts a glossary of sorts in the back w/a whole bunch of info on many! I loved that! Alex was a great MC, & I absolutely loved Penelope & their friendship dynamic. They were amazing together. My heart belongs to Valentine & his stinky breath though lol So good!
Big focus on how we are now doing much of the damage to ourselves w/temptations & addictions. Cigarettes, fast food, bigger sizes of soft drinks, sweets, etc. You see billboards everywhere. It all can lead to diabetes, obesity, heart problems, & so much more. With all of the danger, action, suspense, adventure, & high stakes-this was a very fast-paced read! Also, very detailed descriptions too. I’ve never been to Seattle or anywhere near, but I felt like I was seeing it in this book. Highly recommend! Amazing cover by Jennifer Greeff too!💜
So Alex has to fight ILL- a very old “being”..he used to be a living man, but then he became ILL-creator of not all, but most illnesses & disease out there. Some chapters are short little insights from his POV-both from the past each time he created a disease, up til current time. Loved that. Alex’s parents are both doctors(as are all the males on his dads side for generations going way back), so he already has an impressive knowledge of the human body, & what can go wrong. In the beginning of the book I did get a little confused w/so many medical terms that I knew zip about lol but that lessens up quickly, & the story is very gripping & engrossing.
The idea for this story is so creative! Especially the way Alex is able to “see illness”, & the whole backstory of past members of his family, & of Ill. All fascinating! & it’s not only an amazing storyline, but you feel I like you’re learning at the same time. There are many diseases/illnesses mentioned, & the author even puts a glossary of sorts in the back w/a whole bunch of info on many! I loved that! Alex was a great MC, & I absolutely loved Penelope & their friendship dynamic. They were amazing together. My heart belongs to Valentine & his stinky breath though lol So good!
Big focus on how we are now doing much of the damage to ourselves w/temptations & addictions. Cigarettes, fast food, bigger sizes of soft drinks, sweets, etc. You see billboards everywhere. It all can lead to diabetes, obesity, heart problems, & so much more. With all of the danger, action, suspense, adventure, & high stakes-this was a very fast-paced read! Also, very detailed descriptions too. I’ve never been to Seattle or anywhere near, but I felt like I was seeing it in this book. Highly recommend! Amazing cover by Jennifer Greeff too!💜
May 11, 2021
You don’t have to tell twelve-year-old Alex Revelstoke he’s different. Classmates shun him and he’s bullied relentlessly. No, Alex doesn’t see dead people. Alex’s gift is the ability to see illness, disease, injuries, and more in other people. It can come in handy sometimes but most of the time it leads t0 disbelief and ridicule. He tries to act normal but soon learns he comes from a long line of Revelstokes who have the same power as him, and he’s being hunted. Alex is the last Revelstoke and an ancient evil is determined to snuff him out. In a fight for survival, will Alex embrace his heritage and defeat the dark entity, or will he crumble under the burden?
The Antidote is a middle-grade fantasy adventure sure to please any reader. Alex is an endearing yet flawed character with an inquisitive mind and realistic thoughts for a boy his age. His inner dialogue and feelings connected me to him right away. Children will relate to him, even when his world shifts to the fantasy realm. The story unfolds in the present day and through a series of historical flashbacks. It took me a little while to connect the flashbacks with Alex’s story but once I did, everything fell into place. I liked the world-building and the sphere through Alex’s eyes. What I didn’t like was the intense bullying Alex goes through. At times, it detracted from the overall enjoyment of the story. The Antidote has several themes interlaced within the story which are teaching moments for kids. Very well done, Susan McCormick. If you’re a fan of classic wrinkle tales, you’ll love The Antidote. A fantasy adventure kids will love. Highly recommend!
Disclaimer: I received a copy from the author in the hopes I'd review it.
My Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by: Mrs. N
This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/po...
The Antidote is a middle-grade fantasy adventure sure to please any reader. Alex is an endearing yet flawed character with an inquisitive mind and realistic thoughts for a boy his age. His inner dialogue and feelings connected me to him right away. Children will relate to him, even when his world shifts to the fantasy realm. The story unfolds in the present day and through a series of historical flashbacks. It took me a little while to connect the flashbacks with Alex’s story but once I did, everything fell into place. I liked the world-building and the sphere through Alex’s eyes. What I didn’t like was the intense bullying Alex goes through. At times, it detracted from the overall enjoyment of the story. The Antidote has several themes interlaced within the story which are teaching moments for kids. Very well done, Susan McCormick. If you’re a fan of classic wrinkle tales, you’ll love The Antidote. A fantasy adventure kids will love. Highly recommend!
Disclaimer: I received a copy from the author in the hopes I'd review it.
My Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by: Mrs. N
This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/po...
dnf
September 1, 2021DNF at page 100
Thank you to Simone Jung from Books Forward for the review copy in exchange for an honest review. This does not change my opinion in anyway.
When I got offered The Antidote to read I was excited for a medial fantasy MG. I thougt it would be a lot of fun. I really like the idea of this book where the character can see diseases and there is someone who has influence on diseases. And I overal liked the voice of Alex. Having been raised in a home of doctors who freely talked about their profession he also had an interest. It has made him knowledgable.
So why did I dnf this book? The message. Initially this book started off with the message, eat sugar, fat and red meat in moderation, with a quirck of his father who would still let Alex eat it despite his mom not wanting it. But about where i stopped the message became quit clear. All sugar, all fat and all red meat is bad for you. It might not have mentioned weight but it would have fit in nice with the belittling tone the book had at that point. And I wouldn't be surprised if that was something that got cut from the original version either. There was also a paragraph on diabetics that didn't really feel right. It really didn't need to go there but it did because that was the message the author wanted to put out there. And I'm an adult, I can roll my eyes. But kids are going to be easily influenced. A little sugar, a little fat are not bad. We actually need it. And if you are going to go there then at least put in alternative instead of just a belittling finger.
The more I thought about it the more that it irritated me and I realized I just needed to stop reading here.
Thank you to Simone Jung from Books Forward for the review copy in exchange for an honest review. This does not change my opinion in anyway.
When I got offered The Antidote to read I was excited for a medial fantasy MG. I thougt it would be a lot of fun. I really like the idea of this book where the character can see diseases and there is someone who has influence on diseases. And I overal liked the voice of Alex. Having been raised in a home of doctors who freely talked about their profession he also had an interest. It has made him knowledgable.
So why did I dnf this book? The message. Initially this book started off with the message, eat sugar, fat and red meat in moderation, with a quirck of his father who would still let Alex eat it despite his mom not wanting it. But about where i stopped the message became quit clear. All sugar, all fat and all red meat is bad for you. It might not have mentioned weight but it would have fit in nice with the belittling tone the book had at that point. And I wouldn't be surprised if that was something that got cut from the original version either. There was also a paragraph on diabetics that didn't really feel right. It really didn't need to go there but it did because that was the message the author wanted to put out there. And I'm an adult, I can roll my eyes. But kids are going to be easily influenced. A little sugar, a little fat are not bad. We actually need it. And if you are going to go there then at least put in alternative instead of just a belittling finger.
The more I thought about it the more that it irritated me and I realized I just needed to stop reading here.
June 8, 2021
Book sent to me by BooksForward.
The Antidote by Susan McCormick follows twelve-year-old Alex as he discovers that he can see disease, as could many of his male relatives since the days of Ancient Greece. From here, Alex and his friends go on a journey to defeat the villain who goes by the name ILL.
I found this book almost unreadable. I want to state that obviously, everything I state within this review is my opinion, and your experience of this book could vary greatly. But I enjoyed nothing about this book and found a few elements problematic. Also, though I am clearly outside of the target age range for a middle-grade novel, I do love reading the age group when I am in the mood for an adventure.
What made this book almost unreadable for me was McCormick's writing style. I found it unengaging and repetitive. You could skip whole swaths of the text due to the information having already been delivered multiple times. I found myself questioning if this book had an editor many times while reading. It was heavy-handed, even keeping in mind that it is for children; the author assumes that children need everything laid out for them multiple times to understand. I assume this was part of the reason that this book took about a quarter of its length to get to the central conflict being actually introduced to the main character. Even with all of the over-explanation, I did also find much of this book genuinely confusing.
One of the biggest problems with this book was the voice of Alex, the main character. I could never believe him as a child. My mind was always hyper-aware of the adult writing him and not being absorbed into the story and believing him to be a twelve-year-old. None of these middle school children felt authentic to how children currently act, nor were they a match to my experience of childhood. I found many of the elements of the book that I assume we're meant to be fun to children to be cringy at best and confusing at worst. Capitalizing the villain's name as ILL to 'emphasize his villainy,' calling all the teachers Mr/Mrs. a word relating to their job, the words the children chose to use, and quite a few other elements just completely did not hit for me.
McCormick is a doctor in addition to being a writer. This explains her knowledge base for the diseases mentioned in this story. Still, I do not think having doctor parents is enough justification for Alex to actually be able to understand the human body quite as well as he does. That might just be a petty gripe because I did not enjoy the story enough to be able to suspend my disbelief. But I did find the way the author presented medical knowledge to be just as boring as the rest of the prose.
I also found the single mention of AIDS to be incredibly bizarre because it was given no further explanation as an illness when every other disease mentioned was (maybe with the exception of ebola, which was in the same sentence as AIDS). The line about it seemed to just be inserted to cover the author because not including it would seem crass to adults reading.
I also thought the way the author talked about food to be wildly inconsistent. She would go from 'healthy in moderation' talk straight to rhetoric that would seem to imply, especially to a child who lacks broader context, that eating anything that contains sugar or fat will ensure you get a fatal disease. This is particularly dangerous as the middle school years are rife for the development of eating disorders. I was also genuinely upset by how this author talked about folks with diabetes. I read a few of the passages to adult friends who have it, and they were also horrified by the portrayal. I would in no way want a child with diabetes to read this book and then feel bad about themselves.
Some of my above feelings would have been mitigated if I had found this book fun or engaging, but I did not. So many of the characters relied on stereotypes and very overused character archetypes that I just wasn't invested in them. These occasionally made me uncomfortable but certainly did not promote any emotional attachment to form. I am so easy to make form attachments in books; I actively try to be as receptive as possible to books working on my emotions. I could not connect to these characters or this story at all. It was a very disappointing experience overall. I am sad to not be able to find redeeming qualities to this book, but I am displaying my honest thoughts about the book just as I have don't with any review previous.
I really wanted to like this book, the idea seemed fun, and I genuinely love this genre. I also just hate giving books one star; I probably would have DNFed the book if it weren't for me being outside of my house when I read it and thus unable to access my other unread books. I hope if you read this book you loved it, I am sure every book has its readers, but I am certainly not the correct reader for this book.
My Blog Post - Goodreads - The StoryGraph
The Antidote by Susan McCormick follows twelve-year-old Alex as he discovers that he can see disease, as could many of his male relatives since the days of Ancient Greece. From here, Alex and his friends go on a journey to defeat the villain who goes by the name ILL.
I found this book almost unreadable. I want to state that obviously, everything I state within this review is my opinion, and your experience of this book could vary greatly. But I enjoyed nothing about this book and found a few elements problematic. Also, though I am clearly outside of the target age range for a middle-grade novel, I do love reading the age group when I am in the mood for an adventure.
What made this book almost unreadable for me was McCormick's writing style. I found it unengaging and repetitive. You could skip whole swaths of the text due to the information having already been delivered multiple times. I found myself questioning if this book had an editor many times while reading. It was heavy-handed, even keeping in mind that it is for children; the author assumes that children need everything laid out for them multiple times to understand. I assume this was part of the reason that this book took about a quarter of its length to get to the central conflict being actually introduced to the main character. Even with all of the over-explanation, I did also find much of this book genuinely confusing.
One of the biggest problems with this book was the voice of Alex, the main character. I could never believe him as a child. My mind was always hyper-aware of the adult writing him and not being absorbed into the story and believing him to be a twelve-year-old. None of these middle school children felt authentic to how children currently act, nor were they a match to my experience of childhood. I found many of the elements of the book that I assume we're meant to be fun to children to be cringy at best and confusing at worst. Capitalizing the villain's name as ILL to 'emphasize his villainy,' calling all the teachers Mr/Mrs. a word relating to their job, the words the children chose to use, and quite a few other elements just completely did not hit for me.
McCormick is a doctor in addition to being a writer. This explains her knowledge base for the diseases mentioned in this story. Still, I do not think having doctor parents is enough justification for Alex to actually be able to understand the human body quite as well as he does. That might just be a petty gripe because I did not enjoy the story enough to be able to suspend my disbelief. But I did find the way the author presented medical knowledge to be just as boring as the rest of the prose.
I also found the single mention of AIDS to be incredibly bizarre because it was given no further explanation as an illness when every other disease mentioned was (maybe with the exception of ebola, which was in the same sentence as AIDS). The line about it seemed to just be inserted to cover the author because not including it would seem crass to adults reading.
I also thought the way the author talked about food to be wildly inconsistent. She would go from 'healthy in moderation' talk straight to rhetoric that would seem to imply, especially to a child who lacks broader context, that eating anything that contains sugar or fat will ensure you get a fatal disease. This is particularly dangerous as the middle school years are rife for the development of eating disorders. I was also genuinely upset by how this author talked about folks with diabetes. I read a few of the passages to adult friends who have it, and they were also horrified by the portrayal. I would in no way want a child with diabetes to read this book and then feel bad about themselves.
Some of my above feelings would have been mitigated if I had found this book fun or engaging, but I did not. So many of the characters relied on stereotypes and very overused character archetypes that I just wasn't invested in them. These occasionally made me uncomfortable but certainly did not promote any emotional attachment to form. I am so easy to make form attachments in books; I actively try to be as receptive as possible to books working on my emotions. I could not connect to these characters or this story at all. It was a very disappointing experience overall. I am sad to not be able to find redeeming qualities to this book, but I am displaying my honest thoughts about the book just as I have don't with any review previous.
I really wanted to like this book, the idea seemed fun, and I genuinely love this genre. I also just hate giving books one star; I probably would have DNFed the book if it weren't for me being outside of my house when I read it and thus unable to access my other unread books. I hope if you read this book you loved it, I am sure every book has its readers, but I am certainly not the correct reader for this book.
My Blog Post - Goodreads - The StoryGraph
May 19, 2021
The Antidote begins in England in 1348 with the black plague and then moves to present day Seattle. Twelve-year-old Alex Revelstoke has always thought of himself as a little different, but today, things really are more different than usual for him. Sure he can sense people's illness, disease or injury, pretty much know what's wrong with someone else just by looking at them, but this is the first time that he's actually experienced someone's body just melting away to reveal what their ailment is to him. Did he imagine it? But how else can he explain knowing about the hotdog that Sam was choking on if he didn't see it lodged in Sam's windpipe? At first, Alex tries to rationalize his new found ability as heightened senses, but when it keeps happening to him over and over, and then he even starts to feel the person's ailments, he knows it's time to get some answers from his dad. Alex's father and grandfather then explain the history of the Revelstoke's and how the family has been battling against an ancient evil for centuries, an evil being who has created diseases, plagues and infections and who has now set his sights on destroying the last Revelstoke, Alex.
The first thing that caught my eye about The Antidote was that premise, a boy battles an ancient disease creating being. It had this sort of good versus evil vibe going for it. Plus as a bonus the author is a physician, who better than a doctor to give those hard core medicine and science facts? And I couldn't help wondering how she was going to blend medicine with fantasy. It just sounded like a book that was right up my alley. Alex is an interesting character, he's conflicted about his abilities. On the one hand he's really knowledgeable about medicine and science, probably because both of his parents are also doctors, but he's also concerned about his new found ability. It would be kind of unsettling being able to diagnosis someone just by looking at them, or seeing them as if their body was a transparent manikin where all the skin is gone and you're seeing the blood vessels and bones inside. At the same time it's pretty cool how he can quickly assess a medical problem and be able to react in time to save someone. I liked how the story was so factually based, but didn't become bogged down in the details. Alex seems like a pretty level headed kid, he took the news about his family history of fighting evil in stride. It's not a fight that he really wanted to fight, but one that he's forced to fight in order to protect those around him. I was actually surprised that I also enjoyed the evil being/man's story line in between Alex's. He created many of the diseases across time and was especially adept at avoiding being detected for sometime. Given the story involves diseases, and illnesses, I should caution that there are some tense moments where various people are put into life and death situations, i.e., one person has a heart attack and someone suffers an allergic reaction to name a few. While they both are caught in time, it still could be a little scary for a younger reader. Now if you're into medicine, science, infectious diseases or a STEM book that highlights the human body this certainly will capture your attention. As an extra bonus there's a short description of all the infectious diseases listed in the story at the back of the book. There's also a free curriculum guide on the author's website, susanmccormickbooks.com. **A huge thank you to Jennifer Vance at Books Forward for the review copy**
The first thing that caught my eye about The Antidote was that premise, a boy battles an ancient disease creating being. It had this sort of good versus evil vibe going for it. Plus as a bonus the author is a physician, who better than a doctor to give those hard core medicine and science facts? And I couldn't help wondering how she was going to blend medicine with fantasy. It just sounded like a book that was right up my alley. Alex is an interesting character, he's conflicted about his abilities. On the one hand he's really knowledgeable about medicine and science, probably because both of his parents are also doctors, but he's also concerned about his new found ability. It would be kind of unsettling being able to diagnosis someone just by looking at them, or seeing them as if their body was a transparent manikin where all the skin is gone and you're seeing the blood vessels and bones inside. At the same time it's pretty cool how he can quickly assess a medical problem and be able to react in time to save someone. I liked how the story was so factually based, but didn't become bogged down in the details. Alex seems like a pretty level headed kid, he took the news about his family history of fighting evil in stride. It's not a fight that he really wanted to fight, but one that he's forced to fight in order to protect those around him. I was actually surprised that I also enjoyed the evil being/man's story line in between Alex's. He created many of the diseases across time and was especially adept at avoiding being detected for sometime. Given the story involves diseases, and illnesses, I should caution that there are some tense moments where various people are put into life and death situations, i.e., one person has a heart attack and someone suffers an allergic reaction to name a few. While they both are caught in time, it still could be a little scary for a younger reader. Now if you're into medicine, science, infectious diseases or a STEM book that highlights the human body this certainly will capture your attention. As an extra bonus there's a short description of all the infectious diseases listed in the story at the back of the book. There's also a free curriculum guide on the author's website, susanmccormickbooks.com. **A huge thank you to Jennifer Vance at Books Forward for the review copy**
May 5, 2021
This adventure book is further proof of how fun STEM information can be, and how important to have that knowledge when you wage battle against an evil paranormal being. Alex discovers that he's different than the other kids at school. He has powers that he doesn't completely understand. One thing appears certain, he has a growing sense of imminent danger, and it's a threat greater than Alex or those around him have ever known. These are scientific ills the world hasn't seen in some time. What Alex faces threatens the world's population. Will The Antidote deliver what it promises? Can Alex use his knowledge and savvy instincts to stop this dark force in time, or will evil win?
Alex can literally see the ills of the people of the world. He sees sickness. He is the son and grandson and great grandson of doctors who have taught him a lot about good health and about the science of sickness, disease, and injury. Sometimes this puts him in a position to save lives. Sometimes he cannot. He watches people face everyday decisions that affect their health. Alex's unwelcome power compels him to see the sad, stealthy sickness within a person, in all its horrifying despair.
Sometimes friendship and love arrive at the most unexpected times and in the most unexpected shapes, like a four pawed, wet nosed, tail wagging, dear dog. Just about at that time a mysterious girl strikes up a friendship with Alex. In the meantime, he is meeting other fascinating characters at school and around the town, including a stranger with the darkest, evil within. It's beyond imagination. The creator of disease of global proportion. He must be stopped, somehow. Alex investigates and finds out his own family has kept a deep and ancient secret from him. When they tell all, it changes his life.
With her unique perspective as a doctor, mother, and author, Susan McCormick combines her knowledge of medicine and her storytelling skills to craft a one-of-a-kind adventure about disease, darkness, and deception. Can Alex use The Antidote for good? Will it overcome an ancient being determined to destroy life on this planet? The tension and the adventure are ongoing throughout, building to a breathtaking confrontation between good and evil that is more than worthy of a final battle to save the world's population from annihilation. Readers won't be able to put this down.
Alex can literally see the ills of the people of the world. He sees sickness. He is the son and grandson and great grandson of doctors who have taught him a lot about good health and about the science of sickness, disease, and injury. Sometimes this puts him in a position to save lives. Sometimes he cannot. He watches people face everyday decisions that affect their health. Alex's unwelcome power compels him to see the sad, stealthy sickness within a person, in all its horrifying despair.
Sometimes friendship and love arrive at the most unexpected times and in the most unexpected shapes, like a four pawed, wet nosed, tail wagging, dear dog. Just about at that time a mysterious girl strikes up a friendship with Alex. In the meantime, he is meeting other fascinating characters at school and around the town, including a stranger with the darkest, evil within. It's beyond imagination. The creator of disease of global proportion. He must be stopped, somehow. Alex investigates and finds out his own family has kept a deep and ancient secret from him. When they tell all, it changes his life.
With her unique perspective as a doctor, mother, and author, Susan McCormick combines her knowledge of medicine and her storytelling skills to craft a one-of-a-kind adventure about disease, darkness, and deception. Can Alex use The Antidote for good? Will it overcome an ancient being determined to destroy life on this planet? The tension and the adventure are ongoing throughout, building to a breathtaking confrontation between good and evil that is more than worthy of a final battle to save the world's population from annihilation. Readers won't be able to put this down.
May 6, 2021
I don’t typically read middle grade, but when I saw this one, I thought I’d give it a shot. If you have an advanced middle grader who is interested in medicine and illnesses, this one would be right up their alley! Because Alex Revelstroke has a gift – he can see illness. It’s like he can see inside someone’s body to see what’s causing their pain. It doesn’t hurt that his doctor parents have taught him so much about medicine either. But he’s also a Revelstroke, the last of the Revelstrokes actually, and this gift means he’s a real threat to an evil creature called ILL who creates deadly illnesses (like polio or smallpox) to hurt as many people as possible. Being the last Revelstroke means it’s up to Alex to defeat ILL and save humanity! Quite a lot of responsibility to put on a young 12-year-old boy. Along the way, he finds a lonely girl and a lost dog who help him keep his focus on friendship and the importance of saving others in need. I really didn’t know what to expect with this one, but it was a fun read about all kind of evils like illness, fatty foods, and cigarettes. Thank you so much to BooksForward for sending me this one and giving me that extra little push I needed to read a Middle Grade book.
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#bookstagram #RebeccaReviewedIt
May 21, 2021
Alex Revelstoke’s peers shun him because he’s different. If they only knew just how different he is! Alex can see the diseases and injuries that lurk inside people’s bodies. And as if that wasn’t enough for a twelve-year-old to contend with, a powerful evil is threatening humanity, and Alex is the only one who can stop it.
The Antidote starts with a bang, and the action never lets up. Some of the scenes are so harrowing that I actually yelled, “Oh no!” a couple of times. The author has created a strong sense of place (I now feel as though I’ve visited Seattle), and her writing sparkles with rich descriptions and sensory details. The medical details sprinkled throughout the story are sure to both educate and entertain—middle-graders will find some of the descriptions deliciously gross. I highly recommend this book for kids and adults alike.
The Antidote starts with a bang, and the action never lets up. Some of the scenes are so harrowing that I actually yelled, “Oh no!” a couple of times. The author has created a strong sense of place (I now feel as though I’ve visited Seattle), and her writing sparkles with rich descriptions and sensory details. The medical details sprinkled throughout the story are sure to both educate and entertain—middle-graders will find some of the descriptions deliciously gross. I highly recommend this book for kids and adults alike.
May 6, 2021
Alex Revelstoke's unique ability to see inside a person and interpret medical issues brings the unwanted attention of his family's centuries old nemesis, ILL. For countless generations, ILL has helped spread plagues and ill health, but his twisted plans are often mitigated by the ancestors of Aesculapius, the Greek god of medicine, the Revelstokes.
This classic good versus evil is masterfully written to capture fans of supernatural YA novels like Harry Potter and Percy Jackson. Dr McCormick weaves in medical knowledge in an approachable way, making the story both educating and entertaining.
This classic good versus evil is masterfully written to capture fans of supernatural YA novels like Harry Potter and Percy Jackson. Dr McCormick weaves in medical knowledge in an approachable way, making the story both educating and entertaining.
May 19, 2021
This was such a great, informative read! I have to say, as a nurse I was super jealous of Alex’s gifts! I loved how Susan incorporated medical terms. She explained them in such great layman’s terms you do not have to be in the medical field to enjoy this read! The only reason it wasn’t a full 4 stars was because I found the beginning rather slow and hard to get through. Once the action picked up, it picked up!
May 8, 2021
I received an ARC of The Antidote from the author. I really enjoyed the story and always wanted to see what was happening next. The author has used a lot of great imagery and literary devices throughout the story. My favourite is in the sentence, 'He shouted out, “Valentine! Valentine!” but the wind caught his words and swallowed them.' I look forward to more stories by this author.
August 31, 2021
Alex and Valentine are quite the pair when fighting ILL. Loved this book. The history and background provided helped the story along nicely. It is great for preteens and teens. It was something that could have been drawn out over several books in a series but wrapped up nicely as one.
Narration by Andrew Tell was amazing as always.
Narration by Andrew Tell was amazing as always.
June 1, 2022
TThis was one of the most fascinating and intriguing novels that I have read in a while. This is the first novel that I have read by Susan McCormick and I am so glad that I have found her. Can a curse become a gift? That is the premise of this novel and I am not going to give away any hints about the novel. I enjoyed Mc Cormick's style of writing. This was a fantasy but written in a very compelling world view. I found I could not put it down. So many moral tangents are reflected in the world fantasy. Our protagonist thought that he was born with a curse, something that at times put himself and others in precarious circumstances. But he soon learns that he is a part of a something larger something unspeakable something that is at the core of this novel. This novel will be something that you will think about and ponder. I received this novel from the author. My review is true and honest and my opinions are completely my own.his was one of the most fascinating and intriguing novels that I have read in a while.
May 6, 2021
Alex, the protagonist of The Antidote, finds himself in a dilemma that grabbed my interest from the very beginning. How he solves the problem makes for an exciting and thoroughly absorbing story. Highly recommended.
August 10, 2021
audible:I loved this book!It was well researched,well written and well recieved ..by me.Narration by Andrew Tell was terrific.I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.'
May 18, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. The story was so unique. All the medical details were awesome. Alex and Penelope were great characters. I hated the villain which is the point. I would recommend this one.
June 10, 2021
This was a highly interesting STEM packed fantasy read, perfect for the middle grade reader!
April 27, 2023
I enjoyed this book from start to finish! Some of it is very funny -- so well written -- but it also has important information for readers embedded in the "urban medical fantasy."
May 12, 2021
The Antidote is the perfect book for those middle-grade students who have an interest in medical science. Since the main character is a kind, compassionate boy who is a bullied loner, there’s a great opportunity for book club discussion. The Antidote does flirt with being preachy in its criticism of how humans are their own worst enemies with diet and lifestyle choices, but since the character (Alex’s mom) voicing this opinion is a doctor, it makes sense. The idea of a family, The Revelstokes, battling evil, ILL, for generations is an intriguing one. Alex is a particularly engaging character because he’s humble and does what he can to help others. I think this would be a welcome addition to our library shelves.
Thank you NetGalley for providing access to this book.
Thank you NetGalley for providing access to this book.
July 19, 2021
The Antidote is an interesting, enjoyable and engaging middle grade novel. Alex Revelstoke is a 12 year-old who can see injury and illness. He saves the life of a classmate choking on a hot dog and that of the school janitor who is having a heart attack. Alex soon learns that he is the last in the line of a family with special powers whose adversary is an ancient evil entity called ILL. ILL creates disease and the conditions that lead to it. He plans to create a new devastating pandemic. The premise is fascinating and there is even a list of diseases at the back of the book to learn about. The kids, Alex and his friend Penelope, are likeable and brave. The story moves quickly and is very suspenseful.
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