Literary++Review+Page

The Amazing Maurice (In a White Pig's Skin) media type="custom" key="9584140" -Joshua

The Amazing Maurice & his Educated Rodents Review

By: Celeste __The Amazing Maurice & His Educated Rodents__ is set in a town called Bad Blintz. Bad Blintz is an odd town because of the creatures and weird, freaky people in it; you get a cold sensation as if no one was in the town but you and something lurking from the dark. As Maurice and his rodents wonder the underworld and squeaky floorboards of Bad Blintz in the old 1800’s frightening people and looking for something that they will do anything for, they run into many surprises and arrangements just for them. Each time you begin to turn the page you’re never too sure what they will become or what kind of nest they will be caught in next.

Throughout this book there are ups and downs, it was like a never ending hill, until one day it got to only this one pond. There were lies and untrustworthiness in the beginning, but then in the end one realizes that trusting was the key to, well, everything. The theme of this book is that you should learn to trust anyone whether they are human or not and that you shouldn’t assume things about anyone. You shouldn’t judge a book by its cover….unless it has a title. Although, //sometimes// you can’t trust everything people say about other people.

The characters in this adventurous fairytale are all unique in their own way. First, Maurice, without Maurice the book would be nothing, there wouldn’t be any rats and there certainly wouldn’t be any adventure. Next, Keith also known as the stupid-looking-kid, and at the end, maybe even something more. Now, Malicia Grim, she’s obnoxious yet has a big imagination. Without her there’d be nothing to complain about. One of the three villains, the Rat Piper, ruins rats by playing his pipes. Rat Catchers 1 and 2, evil human beings who catch and kill rats for money. Finally, Darktan, in a way he’s the new and improved leader. He’s like the cool old, grandpa who loves his grandchildren and knows what’s best for them. Now, they don’t like his decisions, but one day they will realize that it was only for the best of them. When you decide to read the book there will be plenty more to come.

Adventurous is an excellent word to use to describe this award winning novel. Not even reading but just looking at the first page of the book you want to keep on reading. Along with other narrative words you see:

//Rats!//

//They fought the dogs and killed the cats, and-// //But it was more to it than that. As the Amazing Maurice said….//

To be continued, I shouldn’t spoil everything!

Ask me what I dislike about the book and I tell you nothing. There wasn’t really anything to complain about, absolutely perfect. The format was excellent, the story line was great, and so many other things were positive. From beginning, middle, to end the author kept it together. When I read it I began to picture every little detail in my head, the white string sewn on the dull clothing, the black cracks on the squeaky wooden floorboards, and the smell of the air when some British little boy scurries past you while you’re outside just taking a pleasant walk to get some fresh air. Then all of the sudden the author starts to explain to you the tingling sensation this woman feels from the rat crawling up her legs while she’s just trying to take her walk, and still on her mind, the loathsome eyes from the last rat. Excitement, adventure, and rats! What more can you ask for in a children’s book.

Sir Terry Pratchett was born on April 28 1948, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire. The Amazing Maurice & His Educated Rodents won the Carnegie Award. What Terry Pratchett had to say about the book: "Not as yet [scheduled] in the U.S., because there's always been a hate/hate relationship between U.S. children's publishers and myself, is likely to be The Amazing [Maurice] and His Educated Rodents, which is--we're not going to call it a junior Discworld, but it's a Discworld book actually written with the knob turned down a level, so it will be moreaccessible to the younger market."

I will only give you a taste of the plot because if I told you all of it I would completely ruin your life. Well, basically there’s this group of rats, most of them want the same thing….food, other rats like Peaches want it too but she thinks the way the rats are doing it isn’t expectable. The rats get there food by stealing it and sometimes when they get caught, they terrify people. Peaches doesn’t think that they should //steal// food. How else would they get it? Read the book to find out. I guarantee you’ll love it.