Also Known As by Robin Benway
Posted: 17 Jun 2016, 20:24
"I cracked my first lock when I was three."
This book is brilliant.
It's an entertaining, easy, and cute novel. It's fun.
Summary:
The main character and her family work for the Collective.
"You've never heard of the Collective, but you've definitely read about our work. Tobacco executives on trial because of damning evidence? Human smuggling rings being broken up? The fall of the Peruvian dictator? That's us."
"There are about two hundred spies stationed around the globe, moving to wherever we're needed. Some of us are forgers (more on that later), computer hackers, statisticians, weapons experts, and I think a few assassins, too, but my parents won't answer my questions about them. I don't know how many safe-crackers there are, but my family moves around a lot because of me. Apparently a lot of safes need cracking."
It's a family of spies. Doing spy things.
Characters:
Maggie Silver
She's a sixteen year old safe cracker who's finally getting her first solo mission.
She's also going to high school for the first time. A private high school. With uniforms.
"Jesse Oliver, sixteen years old, son of Armand Oliver, editor in chief of Memorandum magazine..."
I sat back in my chair and sighed. "I have to seduce someone," I announced to my parents. "High school is already destroying my moral code and I haven't even set foot on the campus yet."
My mom peeked at my dossier. "I think 'befriend' is the word you're looking for," she said after a minute.
Sometimes she's no fun.
Maggie is hilarious. She embodies wit and sarcasm. This book could easily have become too serious. But it balances tension and romance with humor and great friendships - both with new students and her family.
Jesse Oliver
"So," Jesse Oliver said, "what's this about being a great spy?"
Jesse is the perfect main love interest. He's funny without being rude. He has some parental issues without being brooding. He skips school. He's smart but doesn't apply himself. It's a realistic look at a sixteen year old.
Roux
She's Maggie's best friend in the book.
She became a social outcast after sleeping with this girl Julia's boyfriend. She was a Mean Girl and now has no friends.
Maggie is Roux's only friend. Roux is Maggie's only friend.
It's a great friendship. It's that simple.
"Are you there?" Roux's voice crackled over the phone. "Maggie? I hope you didn't get hit by a bus."
Overall:
The main point of the novel is to figure out if Armand Oliver is a bad guy.
It holds throughout the book, it develops Maggie's relationship with Jesse. It also develops friendships with other characters in the novel. It doesn't solely revolve around romance. There's other aspects.
It's just a genuinely good book.
Plus, spy things.
5/5 STARS