Title: Virals
Author: Kathy Reich
Publisher: November 2nd 2010 by Razorbill (first published September 29th 2010)
ISBN: 1595143424 (ISBN13: 9781595143426)
Copyright: 2010
Pages: 464
Quick Review: 2 stars (out of 5)
Why I Read It: I love this author.
Where I Obtained the Book: At my local library.
Synopsis: Tory Brennan, niece of acclaimed forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan (of the Bones novels and hit TV show), is the leader of a ragtag band of teenage "sci-philes" who live on a secluded island off the coast of South Carolina. When the group rescues a dog caged for medical testing on a nearby island, they are exposed to an experimental strain of canine parvovirus that changes their lives forever.
As the friends discover their heightened senses and animal-quick reflexes, they must combine their scientific curiosity with their newfound physical gifts to solve a cold-case murder that has suddenly become very hot if they can stay alive long enough to catch the killer's scent.
Fortunately, they are now more than friends they're a pack. They areVirals.
Review: I think maybe she worked too hard on this book. It was long and seemed to go on forever. The story was interesting, but I could take it or leave it. It took a lot for me to pick it up and keep reading. This is for the young adult/teenage audience, but it just goes on and on and on and on. I love her books usually, but this one was way out there. The smart kids vs. the rich kids. Teenagers engaged in illegal activities, sure, but murder and cover-ups for adults from decades ago? The reward wasn't quite up to the task. A secret lab with top of the line security that a bunch of nerdy teenagers was just able to break into without alarming anyone? A virus transfered between human and dog? A change in their DNA? If you need to read fantasy, there are much better ones out there. Maybe the next will be worth reading, but I'm not sure I'll waste my time with it. I was to say the least disappointed.
Her Temperance Brennen books are very good. Some of the near death experiences are a bit over the top, but not as much as this book was. I will stick to her Bones books and skip these in the future. Its too bad really, having a teenage book line about smart kids was a great idea. Too bad it didn't really fly with the first one.
Author Biography: Kathy Reichs is a forensic anthropologist for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, State of North Carolina, and for the Laboratoire des Sciences Judiciaires et de Médecine Légale for the province of Quebec. She is one of only fifty forensic anthropologists certified by the American Board of Forensic Anthropology and is on the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. A professor of anthropology at The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Dr. Reichs is a native of Chicago, where she received her Ph.D. at Northwestern. She now divides her time between Charlotte and Montreal and is a frequent expert witness in criminal trials.
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