Nathan never understood what was ‘fun’ about secrets, probably because he’s always had to keep a very big one, even from his best friend, Victor. Although he appears to be a typical grade-six kid, Nathan learned at an early age that his family is from another planet, and he’s part of an experiment to work out how to behave like a human and blend in. But the experiment suddenly seems to be going wrong. Some of the other experimenters, including Nathan’s first crush, Izzy, are disappearing without a word.
After his family is called back to the mothership, Nathan begins to question everything he’s been taught to believe about who he is and why he’s on Earth. Can he, Victor and Izzy uncover the truth?
Review
The Experiment dives straight into the action and keeps up the pace throughout the story. It is a fun page-turner, but at times I wish it would slow down to give more space to some of its themes.
I read The Experiment in two sittings; once you settle in, it is easy to fly through the story. The pace is tight, and the plot kept me intrigued. There is plenty of humour and adventure to make this appealing, and I think the intended Middle Grade audience would find it delightful. I certainly enjoyed how Nathan grows a sentient tail, a concept which is played for humour initially but later became a vehicle for the main plot. I loved the friendship between Nathan and his best friend, Victor, and later, when more of Nathan’s peers are introduced, really enjoyed the dynamics in the group.
There were some fascinating themes throughout the story, but I felt that the quick pace of the narrative did not allow for enough exploration of those themes. Nathan grapples with his identity (alien? not alien? and, later on, Nathan’s parents struggle with an existential crisis. I found the latter particularly fascinating, especially given Nathan’s mum’s and dad’s conflicting responses. I really enjoyed the glimpses we get into Nathan’s mother’s experience and perspective, but we don’t spend much time with her. The story also touched on what makes a person ‘mean’, which turns out to be important. However, I felt that this topic could have been given more space on the page to make the ending more meaningful.
All in all, The Experiment is a fun read, and readers looking for a page-turner with humour and adventure will delight in it.
Thank you to Text Publishing who provided a copy of the novel in exchange for a review.
Review by Priscilla
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