Thank you for visiting.
This content is exclusive to subscribers only.
As a digital subscriber, you’ll receive unlimited access to Horn Book web exclusives and extensive archives, as well as access to our highly searchable Guide/Reviews Database.
To access other site content, visit The Horn Book homepage.
Log In
Don't have a Horn Book Account?
Register Now
Register Now
Bacigalupi, Paolo
5 Reviews
(2)
YA
Mahlia, Ocho, and the "soldier boys" nurse severely wounded half-man Tool (Ship Breaker; The Drowned Cities) back to health. Mercier Corporation (his former owner) pursues Tool to the Seascape (dystopian future Boston), where the once-obedient slave finally confronts his creator. Frenetic action sequences vividly depict combat's brutality and finality, while Bacigalupi masterfully employs multiple alternating viewpoints to examine larger philosophical questions.
Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2017
(2)
YA
Moses Cruz, leader of a diverse group of orphan teens, stalks then kidnaps Alix Banks in hopes that she'll help expose her father's corrupt PR firm. At times, this conspiracy thriller veers away from the action and toward moralism, but Bacigalupi excels at the fully rounded characterization of his two narrators. Alix and Moses's developing romance, while unusual (and occasionally disturbing), feels convincing.
Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2014
(3)
4-6
After a rotting smell disrupts baseball practice, Rabi, Miguel, and Joe investigate strange occurrences near a meatpacking plant. Infected cows, tainted meat, and deplorable working conditions lead to a full-blown zombie uprising in the small town of Milrow. Bacigalupi's scathing commentary on food safety and corrupt big business elevates this comedic novel without forcing the issues. Readers will cheer for the underdogs.
Reviewer: Shara Hardeson
(1)
YA
Bacigalupi expands the dystopian future America of Ship Breaker in this companion novel. A violent group of armed child soldiers are hunting the half-man Tool when Mahlia and Mouse, two war orphans, find him almost dead in the jungle. The intense, action-filled story is a heartbreaking and powerfully moving portrait of individual resiliency amidst extreme circumstances.
Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
May, 2012
(1)
YA
In a dystopian future America, “ship breaker” Nailer discovers a wrecked clipper ship and its sole survivor, Nita. Nailer chooses to protect Nita and help find her family. Bacigalupi's novel vividly depicts a bleak vision: a "whole waterlogged world...torn down by the patient work of changing nature." This thriller will grab readers' attention as Nailer and Nita "crew up" to survive.
Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
July, 2010
5 reviews
We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing.