Ferals by Jacob Grey
A sinister threat. A city in danger. A boy with the power to command the crows. Ferals is the first book in a dark, action-packed trilogy that’s part The Graveyard Book, part Batman, and all high-octane adventure.
Blackstone was once a thriving metropolis. But that was before the Dark Summer—a wave of violence and crime that swept through the city eight years ago, orchestrated by the fearsome Spinning Man. Now the Spinning Man is on the move again, and a boy named Caw is about to be caught in his web.
Caw has never questioned his ability to communicate with crows. But as the threat of a new Dark Summer looms, Caw discovers the underground world of Blackstone’s ferals—those with the power to speak to and control animals. Caw is one of them. And to save his city, he must quickly master abilities he never knew he had . . . and prepare to defeat a darkness he never could have imagined. Summary from Goodreads.
Series: Ferals | Juvenile Fiction | Fantasy & Magic | April 28, 2015 | HarperCollins
Ferals by Jacob Grey is the new middle grade read that is sure to please young readers looking for a darker and grittier story. The writing in Ferals is filled with great atmosphere as the young hero Caw discovers his ability as a Feral and sets out to rescue his friend and city from the evil clutches of The Spinning Man.
The Boy Who Could Call the Crows
Caw is a brave and clever young hero with the ability to call the Crows to him when he needs help. Raised by three crows whom he communicates with, Caw has a sweet and almost naivety to him that I thought was very endearing. When the city is threatened by The Spinning Man and his renegade Ferals, and his new friend Lydia is taken by them, Caw realizes he may be the only one strong enough to stop them.
Friendships: A sweet hero and feisty heroine
The friendship between Caw and Lydia is sweet, making this a fun read for both boys and girls who will be easily drawn to them both. Lydia is a feisty and determined young lady and I adored how she was so protective over Caw. As the story unfolds, readers will be treated to Caw training, fighting and learning the truth about his lost parents.
Crows, Snakes, Cockroches and Spiders ... Oh My
One thing is for sure, there is no shortage of Ferals to delight and disgust as a horde of helpers from both the hero's and villain's sides battle it out. From clever foxes, diving doves to wriggling centipedes the story is filled with creature helpers, both good and bad making the action and danger very appealing. And, darker and gritty ... there is casualties both to the humans and ferals. I think the thrills and chills are going to be a big hit as spiders and other creepy crawlers threaten and the powers of the ferals are discovered. Action and danger keep the pace going, making for a fast and fun read.
Dastardly Villains, Chills and Fun Ickiness
Ferals combines action and danger with a gritty setting and intriguing new hero to escape to. I enjoyed Caw and his fellow Ferals as they fought against the evil of The Spinning Man. A sweet friendship kept the story balanced and not too dark. Recommended to older, middle grade readers who like dastardly villains, chills and fun ickiness in their reads.
My Rating: 4 stars. I really liked it!
PLEASE NOTE: A courtesy review copy of this book was provided by HarperCollins in exchange for my fair review. Thank you, HarperCollins for the review opportunity!
