Monday, February 21, 2011

The Atomic Weight of Secrets or The Arrival of the Mysterious Men in Black by Eden Unger Bowditch

The Atomic Weight of Secrets or The Arrival of the Mysterious Men in Black

Author: Eden Unger Bowditch

Publisher: Bancroft Press

3½ out of 5 stars

Brilliant young minds, child prodigies you could say. The best of the best, even smarter than most adults. I’m talking about five very young children, Lucy and Jasper Modest, Faye Vigyanveta, Noah Canto-Sagas, and Wallace Banneker. Each have their own story, yet they have all been brought together for some unknown reason. Now, shouldn’t these children know why they have been taken from their homes and their parents and thrown together? I mean they are geniuses, each and every one of them, capable of far more than the average child. But who’s to say that they know everything. Out of all the knowledge of these five miraculous brains combined, they are missing something. They are missing their lives.

Lucy, Jasper, Faye, Noah, and Wallace have been stripped of everything they know and love. One day they were going about their lives, and the next they are all alone with no idea where their parents have gone. Their only clue is the mysterious men in black. It is these men who hold all of the answers to the children’s questions, but alas, the five young inventors are kept in the dark.

However, the children are about to get some answers, or at least as close to answers as they can get. It is on Sole Manner Farm where all of the children first meet. All of them have are worried sick about their parents, but what can they do? They each have their own theories, but how do they go about proving them? Were their parents kidnapped, did their parents simply abandon them, or is this all part of a plan much bigger than they could have ever fathomed? Along the way, they must deal with constant trials and errors, their conflicting feelings about the mysterious men in black, the fact that their parents really might have abandoned them, and each other. Can these five children put their differences aside and work together, or will their minds clash? Then again, do their parents even want to be saved, or are they truly on their own now? Eden Unger Bowditch reveals all in this secretive, mind-boggling tale or the story of five young inventors struggling to find the truth in, The Atomic Weight of Secrets or The Arrival of the Mysterious Men in Black!

Quite a lot to take in, but well worth it! Eden Unger Bowditch’s first young adult novel does not disappoint! The story definitely provides a maze of possibilities that can lead to dead ends or the ultimate truth. The Atomic Weight of Secrets or The Arrival of the Mysterious Men in Black is a very enjoyable novel and a fun one to read. This was my first read from Net Galley* (see below), and I will be coming back for more, I can assure you of that! I suggest this book for kids and teens alike.

I was constantly led on a trail of false leads and accusations that kept me on my toes. I never knew what to expect from Lucy, Jasper, Faye, Noah, Wallace, or the men in the black. I love how I was constantly entertained by what might lay ahead and the endless directions in which the story could go. This open-endedness allowed me to explore my imagination and keep an open mind about characters or events that occurred in the story. This also added to the aspect of secrecy and elusiveness that the men in black portrayed. I can’t wait to learn more in the sequel to The Atomic Weight of Secrets or The Arrival of the Mysterious Men in Black!

The characters are all so easy to relate to, especially the kids. I applaud Eden Unger Bowditch for doing such a splendid job developing and shaping them. It was nice to see that each child had a story of their own. I really felt more for them when they were taken away from their beloved parents or when they thought back on how life used to be because of this. Each one of them really is brilliant too. Lucy with her perfect memory, Jasper with his steady head, Faye with her bold ideas and determination, the musically acclaimed Noah with his wry sense of humor, and the ever-present Wallace who is always there to lend a hand. These characters I hold dear.

Many little details added to the overall essence of The Atomic Weight of Secrets or The Arrival of the Mysterious Men in Black. One such aspect is the way in which the title of the book and the title for every chapter is done. I enjoyed how there was a more direct title, and then after the “or” there was a title that made a little more sense and told me what was coming. Even the way in which the mysterious men in black were dressed added a sense of cheery innocence. Also, since the story was set in 1903, some of the children’s actions influenced history. 

I also enjoyed how many things made sense later in the story, or their special meaning was revealed. For example, the green journal becomes the children’s own personal place to store their notes and ideas, and is what first named them The Young Inventors Guild. Also, there is so much more to uncover, such as why the children’s special keepsakes are all so important, who is Reginald Roderick Kattaning, what is the meaning of “The Strange Round Bird” poem, and what is the purpose of the mysterious men in black?

I would have liked to seen more of this revealed throughout The Atomic Weight of Secrets or The Arrival of the Mysterious Men in Black. Even though the lack of information kept me guessing, I wanted to be sure of some things. Also, I feel that the storyline could be stretched too thin now, as it seems to be going in so many different directions. Hopefully, I will learn more in book two of The Young Inventors Guild series.

In the end, The Atomic Weight of Secrets or The Arrival of the Mysterious Men in Black is an enjoyable adventure with mystery and hidden meanings. Join the five young children who make up The Young Inventor’s Guild, Lucy, Jasper, Faye, Noah, and Wallace, as they tinker their way to the truth in, The Atomic Weight of Secrets or The Arrival of the Mysterious Men in Black!

-This is T.B. with Another Book Back on the Shelf…
Until Next Time, Keep Reading!


*I received this book from Net Galley, a website on which you can request free advanced reader copies of books.  I recevied The Atomic Weight of Secrets or The Arrival of the Mysterious Men in Black by Eden Unger Bowditch in exchange for my honest review.  This book will be released on March 15, 2011.  Thank you Net Galley!

Check out the The Atomic Weight of Secrets or The Arrival of the Mysterious Men in Black website at http://www.younginventorsguild.com/
The Atomic Weight of Secrets or The Arrival of the Mysterious Men in Black is available from Amazon here.

5 comments:

  1. If I have enough time, I would love to request this one from NetGalley to read because I think I would like it! Especially the characters that you describe: they sound lovely.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for the heads up about Net Galley. I need to sign up for this too!

    The book looks and sounds great. I love great titles and this one is really captivating.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Aylee- This was my first read from Net Galley and it did not disappoint! I enjoyed this one very much, and the characters were wonderful, they really were. I hope you enjoy it!

    BookGeek- After seeing mention of Net Galley everywhere, I finally went to go check it out. It really is a great place for reviewers to read advanced copies of books, and they can also email their reviews to the publishers. I suggest signing up if you haven't already!

    The Atomic Weight of Secrets or The Arrival of the Mysterious Men in Black does have quite a catchy title, doesn't it? I hope you enjoy it!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks for stopping by, I'm glad you're excited for our dystopian event! Looks like 2011 is going to be a fabulous year for dystopian YA. Good luck on your challenge! :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. I AM really excited for your dystopian event, and I can't wait to see all of those interviews and reviews! Again thank you so much for hosting it!

    ReplyDelete

Hi, and welcome to From The Bookshelf of T.B.!

I can't wait to hear what you have to say! I do my best to try and respond to your comments, so check back often. Comment away!