Airborn - Kenneth Oppel

Zdrastvuytye!

So, I just finished this book, and here's the review for it I've been dying to write. =D

I recently finished this book, Airborn, by Kenneth Oppel, and LOVED it. I'm always exceedingly wary of books I pick up just by browsing the teen section at the library, but I was highly, highly impressed by this book.


The story setting is mildly Steampunk, and we go various places within the world, including a - seemingly uninhabited - island, where most of the story takes place. It is about a young man, Matt Cruse, who is a cabin boy on the airship Aurora, and who feels suffocated when not flying, and Kate de Vries, the daughter of two very highly esteemed people who has a passion for adventure.

Matt is a fearless person. He loves being in the sky. So when a hot air balloon is discovered in distress, Matt is the one to help. He swings out from the Aurora to aid the pilot of the balloon, Benjamin Malloy. His fate is sealed. His balloon has been nigh destroyed, and he has obviously been drifting for days. He soon passes. But not long after that, who should appear on board Aurora but Kate de Vries, who brings startling news to Matt.  And from there everything skyrockets into an adventure. Starting with sky pirates and running through shipwrecked, the adventure is a rollercoaster ride.

The ending of the book could be left as is, but there is a sequel, Skybreaker, and after that is Starclimber.



I
Loved
This
Book

On so many levels.

The characters. Matt is an extremely deep and wonderful character. I love how developed and real he feels. And Kate, while independent, is actually SMART, and not annoying in the least, though can be a touch forward at times. I actually didn't mind spending time with her, which was very very nice.

The dialogue. It was so simply smooth and realistic that I was just....@_@ Wow.

The writing. Best part of the book, and I'm not even kidding. While everything else was simply wondrous, Oppel's writing style takes the cake. It's engaging, enchanting, captivating. His writing style is literally my favorite out of anyone's I've read to date. It's amazing. Even if you don't like steampunk, read this book, because it's not too steampunkish to begin with, and the writing is off the charts wonderful.

I loved this book, and now command you all to read it. *queenly look*

=P

~Cecilie