Evil Genius by Catherine Jinks

Jinks, C. (2007). Evil Genius. (Unabridged, 13 discs). Listening Library.

ISBN: 9780739350829

Classification: audio book, fiction

Genre: fantasy

Age Level: 10th-12th grade

Subjects: audiobook, fantasy, fiction, friends, crime, computers

Reader's Annotation: Cadel Piggot is a child genius who attends a special school designed to create criminals.

Summary: Cadel Piggot has always been fascinated by computers. He can get past alarm systems, hack into bank computers, and get his entire eighth grade class flunked. He's a child prodigy. He comes under the tutelage of Thaddeus Roth, who eventually tells Cadel his real father is criminal mastermind Dr. Darkkon. Moreover, Dr. Darkkon has funded (from prison) a school called The Axis Institute and Thaddeus gets Cadel enrolled. The Axis Institute is a school for future criminals, with classes such as Forgery, Infiltration, and Disguise. Cadel is an able student, but he begins to realize that all is not as it seems at the Axis Institute. It's possible that everything he believed about Thaddeus and Dr. Darkkon has been a lie. Can he escape to live his own life?

Reviews / Awards:

School Library Journal Review

Author Info:
Catherine Jinks' website

Potential Hotspots:

violence, advocacy of criminal actions

Readalikes:

• Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
  
• H.I.V.E.: Higher Institute of Villainous Education by Mark Walden
  

Why it belongs in a YA collection: The idea of a school for genius criminals will be appealing to teen readers, for the vicarioius thrill. The action that develops as Cadel tries to escape the Axis Institute will keep readers turning pages until the very end. The book takes awhile to unfold, so it is not for the reluctant reader.


Other:

This entire story is set in Sydney, and the audiobook was a nice way to enjoy the Australian accents.

Evaluation:

3.5 stars