Edition: Hardcover, 265 pages
Author(s): Robin Brande
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: August 28, 2007
Source: Borrowed from the Library
Buy: Amazon, Barnes & Noble
The Summary
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Your best friend hates you. The guy you liked hates you. Your entire group of friends hates you.
All because you did the right thing.
Welcome to life for Mena, whose year is starting off in the worst way possible. She's been kicked out of her church group and no one will talk to her—not even her own parents. No one except for Casey, her supersmart lab partner in science class, who's pretty funny for the most brilliant guy on earth.
And when Ms. Shepherd begins the unit on evolution, school becomes more dramatic than Mena could ever imagine . . . and her own life is about to evolve in some amazing and unexpected ways.
My Opinion
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Evolution, Me and Other Freaks of Nature was a great book. The whole premise is one which I personally haven't read in a young adult book before. And I like how Brande focused on the aftermath of Mena's actions, and another serious issues within the Christian faith, that of evolution, rather than the initial issue (which I don't want to spoil).
Mena's characterization was strong. I felt she was portrayed honestly, and realistically. Mena is in a tough situation, and the reader is able to sympathize with her with the situation becoming ludicrous, or her growth throughout the novel becoming tedious. In addition, Casey was a fantastic supporting character. He was funny, and cut right through the bullshit that Mena often got caught in due to the circumstance of the events going on. Casey was probably my favorite character, in that he is himself. He loves science; he is a huge nerd for it, and is never ashamed of wanting to be the best. He even has a plan to get Mena and himself on Ms. Shepard illustrious science website, which is read by science buffs across the country. I love him, and he acts a beacon for Mena to focus on in the mire of her personal life.
I did have a problem with the plot, however. While I understand that the focus isn't on what happened previously, but how Mena evolves within her faith now faced with the result of her action, I would still have liked more explanation on the exact situation and the thought process behind her decision. I also feel like the parents are simply background, disapproving entities. They were particularly frustrating because their thoughts were never fully laid out in regards to the problems and these big theological questions. These two issues were problems I had to push past to really enjoy the book, and I wish that hadn't been the case.
Overall, I feel Brande did an excellent job writing a novel which explores some interesting questions regarding teens, faith, and science. Also, this book is such a great book for teaching teens about respect and defending others. Just really well-done, and you should go grab a copy of Evolution, Me, & Other Freaks of Nature!
Mena's characterization was strong. I felt she was portrayed honestly, and realistically. Mena is in a tough situation, and the reader is able to sympathize with her with the situation becoming ludicrous, or her growth throughout the novel becoming tedious. In addition, Casey was a fantastic supporting character. He was funny, and cut right through the bullshit that Mena often got caught in due to the circumstance of the events going on. Casey was probably my favorite character, in that he is himself. He loves science; he is a huge nerd for it, and is never ashamed of wanting to be the best. He even has a plan to get Mena and himself on Ms. Shepard illustrious science website, which is read by science buffs across the country. I love him, and he acts a beacon for Mena to focus on in the mire of her personal life.
I did have a problem with the plot, however. While I understand that the focus isn't on what happened previously, but how Mena evolves within her faith now faced with the result of her action, I would still have liked more explanation on the exact situation and the thought process behind her decision. I also feel like the parents are simply background, disapproving entities. They were particularly frustrating because their thoughts were never fully laid out in regards to the problems and these big theological questions. These two issues were problems I had to push past to really enjoy the book, and I wish that hadn't been the case.
Overall, I feel Brande did an excellent job writing a novel which explores some interesting questions regarding teens, faith, and science. Also, this book is such a great book for teaching teens about respect and defending others. Just really well-done, and you should go grab a copy of Evolution, Me, & Other Freaks of Nature!
Final Rating
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Book Cover: 5/5
Book Title: 5/5
Plot: 8/10
Characters: 9/10
Writing: 9/10
Ending: 9/10
Overall: 45/50: A
Book Trailer
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Sounds like a decent, if not perfect book. I hate it when parents are just in the background. Overdone. But it sounds like the other characters were well developed and the main plot was interesting.
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