The Nest

Wow, this was the perfect read for me!Young Steve and his family are celebrating the arrival of a bouncing baby boy, but his parents soon discover that his little brother has some extreme health conditions that they must treat immediately. With his home life a wreck, Steve doesn't know what to do. That is, until a mysterious stranger appears in a dream one night offering to fix the baby. Can Steve trust this entity? Do they really want to help out of goodness, or could they have more sinister plans in mind?This was another slam dunk by Oppel. I'm quickly becoming a fan of his work, and this read was no exception!Steve is a great main character. He deals with anxiety and frequent nightmares, and my heart went out to him since I still suffer from the same exact thing. He was also imaginative and had a good head on his shoulders. What more could you want from an MC? I also loved how his little sister Nicole was portrayed. It was perfection.There's a great marriage of fantasy and horror elements, and I liked that the horror had a softer edge this time around. It felt like the right choice to make for the story. Something I always enjoy is an unpredictable story, and this one had me on pins and needles from chapter to chapter. I ended up reading this in just a few sessions because I couldn't put it down. Zero complaints with this book.If you love a dark fantasy story that isn't too extreme for younger readers, you've to try this book out!

I’m not one to read middle-grade novels, but I’d heard from many sources that ‘The Nest’ was quite extraordinary. It reminded me heavily of ‘Challenger Deep’ by Neal Shusterman. That magical realism seated in some mental illness like anxiety.‘The Nest’ deals with our protagonist Steven communicating with other worldly beings (wasps) that give him a status quo on life and the survival of his ill newborn brother. The whole family are trying to deal with the difficulties the infant faces, as well as their own demons. It may be Steve’s overactive imagination that brings the dreams, or mental illness manifest in the form of delusion. But we are treated to almost psychic predictions. These are then pitted against Councillors and Psychiatrists, and other adult figures with justifications. But in the mind of Steve, we never know what to believe. This theme is front and centre throughout the entire novel, as well as Steve’s fear: that if he comes completely clean about what is going on in his head, he’ll be committed to a Sanatorium.The set up and narrative balances on the edge of fantasy and reality is done expertly and had me salivating with joy.We see his character develop as he discerns fantasy from reality, and finding strength within to battle his personal and very real physical threats that circle him and newborn brother Theo. It’s a subtle journey.I will say the last third of the novel really amps up the tension and pace. I could not take my eyes from the page, curling up my legs and twitching nervously. It was quite a surprise for a middle grade novel, such visceral images and such a menacing ambience. It carries that same creepy air you get from Roald Dahl novels.Some charcoal, or possible pencil, illustrations are scattered throughout the novel in scribbly texture, one shade of grey that add to the unsettling tone.I was attracted by the cover art at first, and under the dust jacket holds another version of the cover, just as beautiful. The presentation of this novel is stunning. Deckled edges, thick solid hardback. Such a gorgeous addition to my library.And the story is haunting, the kind of thing that stays with you for a while after. I would tend to say only the more mature end of middle grade would be able to digest this tome. The story is light, but the meaning dense. I could imagine kids feeling itchy and glancing about like a skittish horse at small movements looking for flying insects.A short novel, I read in half a day, the prose is a little rich, so it is either educational for its target audience, leaning towards a discussion afterward, or meant for those hard core younger readers. Possibly something you could read aloud in a classroom as well.Maybe if I was a lot younger I would give this a much higher rating, but for me, it lacked a little complexity – because that’s the type of book I’m used to reading. But I’d definitely recommend this solely for the experience.

This is one of the most beautiful, bizarre, and genuinely creepy books I've ever read. Seriously, this is disturbing stuff - and if I read this as a kid I would be forever changed. Strongest recommendation.

I think this might be my first book review on Amazon, but it deserves to be reviewed so more people can know about it.Best book I've read all year, its haunting and fast paced and I got choked up at the end from a two word sentence which I was not expecting.I bought it originally because of the Jon Klassen artwork (being a fan of his) and am so glad I did, the story was amazing and his art added to the creepy vibe. Very unsettling.

I loved this book. It's creepy like A Monster Calls. I'm not sure I'd recommend it for someone as young as 10 unless they were really into scary creepy stories and could handle it. I would probably recommend for middle school, like 7th graders. It's not gory, which I appreciate, just a nice psychological thriller because you don't know what's real and what isn't.

Very good reading for teens

An excellent choice for a middle school student or as a class read aloud. Very scary! The premise of the book is bizarre but so plausible, in the way Kenneth Oppel has crafted the plot. Childhood nightmares, a wasp's nest, a sinister knife sharpener and a young protagonist who wants his baby brother to be "normal", are all interwoven in this fantastic story!

Another great book from Kenneth Oppel. I highly recommend it. Great for a read aloud. Great for a good read on a dark night.

Bello, inquietante ed originale, mi è piaciuto molto. La trama è avvincente e la tensione cresce a mano a mano che si procede con la lettura. Ho letto l'ultima parte tutta d'un fiato.

Bought for an 11 year old who loved it!