November 6, 2015

Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman 5/5 stars

Hey, guys!  This week, I listened to the audiobook of one of the coolest books I've ever read.  Seriously, it's kind of mind blowing.  I was a bit skeptical at first, which is why I've waited so long to read it because it sounded kind of different than most books.  It was, and it was awesome!
Neal Shusterman is one of my favorite author.  His books are really deep, funny, and thought-provoking, so I knew this book would be at least really good.  I wasn't expected the majesty that was this book though.

Anyways, the cover:
The Cover:
This is a cool cover.  It really depicts Caden's mind really well.  The phrase coming from the string : "The bottom is only the beginning" describes both Caden's mental state and his trips on the sea with the Captain.  The title refers to the bottom of Marianna's Trench.  A+ cover

Official Description (which I don't like):
Caden Bosch is on a ship that's headed for the deepest point on Earth: Challenger Deep, the southern part of the Marianas Trench.


Caden Bosch is a brilliant high school student whose friends are starting to notice his odd behavior.


Caden Bosch is designated the ship's artist in residence, to document the journey with images.

Caden Bosch pretends to join the school track team but spends his days walking for miles, absorbed by the thoughts in his head.

Caden Bosch is split between his allegiance to the captain and the allure of mutiny.

Caden Bosch is torn.

A captivating and powerful novel that lingers long beyond the last page, Challenger Deep is a heartfelt tour de force by one of today's most admired writers for teens.



My Description (simplified):
Challenger Deep is told in alternating segments (of about three chapters each) between Caden in his normal life (where it slowly becomes apparent that he is losing his mind) and his mind/delusions of himself on a ship going  to dive down the Marianna's Trench.  

My Review:
This book was just really cool.  I don't want to spoil anything for you, so this will be very general.  Know that I recommend this book was a passion though.  It was amazing.
As the book continue along, the two alternating worlds/ stories became more and more linked and connected.  They started to blend together slowly, and Caden's circumstances became more and more clear as you start discovering new stories.  Neal Shusterman doesn't just present you with these connections.  They slowly become more and more apparent until you connect them yourself and are blown away.  (Don't worry, after a little while it is declared, so I promise you won't be confused.)  The story with the Captain also contained some really neat symbolism.  That is not something I normally notice or like at all, but it was so artful that I couldn't help but love it.  All of this was really well done.  
The characters were also really complicated and complex.  Caden is the only character we are fully exposed to.  He is a very relatable character, in spite of his position.  The other characters contain complexity too, but Caden doesn't react enough with the other characters to discover too much about them.
The plot was fast-moving, which is surprising for such a mentally oriented book.  It definitely got me hooked.  When you start this book, give it a few chapters before you judge it though.  It may start off a bit confusing (it's sort of the point), so you need to adjust a bit before deciding for/against Challenger Deep.
This is the part where I usually say things that I didn't like about a book.  I have nothing.  Maybe if you actively hate gaining a new perspective from a book, don't read this one?  
I'd strongly recommend Challenger Deep to anyone looking for a well-written, insightful, funny, and deep novel.  Trust me, this is a great book.

Audiobook Review:
This is one of the best audiobooks I've listened to.  Michael Curran-Dorsano (the narrator) did a fantastic job.  I have no complaints.

Phrase:
Moping the brains off the deck.

Phrase I said the most often while reading:
Aw, honey.

More Books By Neal Shusterman:
The Schwa Was Here
Antsy Does Time (sequel to The Schwa Was Here)
Downsiders
The Shadow Club
The Shadow Club Rising (sequel to The Shadow Club)
Speeding Bullet
The Dark Side of Nowhere
Unwholly (Unwind #2)
Undivided (Unwind #4)
Tesla's Attic
Edison's Alley (sequel to Tesla's Attic)

Happy Reading!

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