Grasshopper Jungle- Andrew Smith published by Penguin Feb,2014

Austin Szerba read somewhere that “human beings are genetically predisposed to record history.” So that’s what he’s doing – recording everything that happened leading up to the night he and his best friend, Robby, broke into the From Attic to Seller thrift store and witnessed a few Hoover Boys unwittingly release a plague strain that could destroy the world as we know it.

Austin is not lying when he promises that within the pages of ‘Grasshopper Jungle’ there are “babies with two heads, insects as big as refrigerators, God, the devil, limbless warriors, rocket ships, sex, diving bells, theft, wars, monsters, internal combustion engines, love, cigarettes, joy, bomb shelters, pizza, and cruelty.”


But it’s also a book about a third-generation Polish-American boy who’s in love with his girlfriend, while being confused about his feelings for his gay best friend. It’s about his mother who kayaks with little blue Xanax pills and what it’s like to grow up in the small town of Ealing, Iowa. Oh, and it’s about the “Unstoppable Soldier” and 6-foot-tall man-eating praying mantises.

It’s a history of the end of the world, and a history of this boy’s life so far.

‘Grasshopper Jungle’ is the new contemporary/dystopian/sci-fi/coming-of-age … Kafka-esque young adult novel from Andrew Smith.

In a recent interview with Kirkus, Smith summarized his new book thus; “I think it was my singular intent to write a book that nobody could ever write jacket or flap copy for.” Well, he’s certainly succeeded there. 

This book can I just say Wow and WTF did I just read , I have read my fair share of apocalyptic dystopias. As I'm sure so many of us have but this book was so different form any of them. I was generously sent this book by Penguin after requesting it I received it within a week I quickly devoured this book.
Witty and deliciously entertaining this book is written in the perspective of our young male protagonist who is both filled with angst and sexual confusion. I love how this book brushed against some very deep issues without being preachy which I'm sure everyone can agree on makes us usually want to put a book down not this time there was no putting this book down it simply got better the further into it you get.

Here’s the thing, though.  The premise of the book, as outlined above, might sound a bit ridiculous.  And, in spots, it’s far from believable.  This is because it’s rooted in science-fiction which, by its very nature, is not meant to be entirely realistic. On the surface of Grasshopper Jungle, then, is an action-packed coming-of-age story with groovy, original and horrifying science-fiction elements.  Dig deeper, though, and you’ll find that Smith is asking some seriously profound questions about life, power, love, independence, and responsibility.

I gave this book a 5-5 an absolute must read ..