From School Library Journal
Grade 7-10 -Readers who happen to be familiar with the film
The Breakfast Club may recognize this title as being, basically, a subterranean version of the 1985 teen-angst classic. Instead of being trapped in a daylong study hall together, five British teens-each one with a distinctly different background and temperament-find themselves trapped in a labyrinthine cave during a field trip in Scotland after a rock slide suddenly seals up the entrance and leaves the group's advisor unconscious. The squabbling students eventually realize that they must put their differences aside and cooperate if they are to survive and-you guessed it-within the course of the ordeal, the angriest and most arrogant among them have their tender undersides exposed. Eventually, all of the cave-bound kids come to realize on some level that fear is the common denominator that drives all kinds of superficial teen behaviors and that one can only overcome insecurity through empathy and understanding. The melodramatic tone and stereotypical characters are questionable enough, but it's this type of exposition-and the story is rife with it-that really drives the novel into cheeseville: "That was in another life, another world. The world up there. Down here, they had all changed." Still, less-discerning readers may enjoy the quick pace and spooky suspense as they work their way to the predictably happy ending.
-Jeffrey Hastings, Highlander Way Middle School, Howell, MI Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
From Booklist
Gr. 7-10. Smart-mouth Fiona; innocent, always cheerful Angie; prefect (and perfect) Zesh; angry bad-boy Axel; Axel's follower Liam--all are selected for the class trip, spelunking with PE teacher Mr. Marks. The teens hate each other aboveground, but once they go below, circumstances eventually force them to support and care for each other. MacPhail writes a suspenseful adventure story, sprinkled with Scotttish slang, which will attract males and females alike. The author teases readers with the characters' personal obstacles, such as asthma, fear of small spaces, obesity, indecision, and mean-spiritedness--all potentially dangerous under the conditions. The legend of a cave-dwelling giant worm adds further suspense. Reminiscent of reality TV, this page-turner will draw eager readers.
Frances BradburnCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
