Espionage

My biggest issue with this book was that I felt like I had whiplash the entire time. I like Ning and I don't hate Ryan but the constant switching of points of view were too much. It kept jolting me out of the story. I feel that it would've worked better either with longer points of view or separating their stories out.

That aside, this was very enjoyable and seemed slightly less crude and crass than the previous books. One thing that bothered me was the book's description as a routine mission becoming the biggest mission in Cherub history. Is it really when Ryan isn't actually on a mission? I thought he was going undercover and staying with Ethan the whole time. But then he's back on campus and Ethan is flying around the world. Plus Ethan plays less of a role than I was expecting. Plus this book is really long. And it would've been better if it had of been shorter. Ning's story was strong and well written. But Ryan's mission was a bit bland and not as emotive. It kind of felt unnecessary at this juncture to include it - or at least include it with as much page time as it got.

Overall 3.5 stars. ( )

Although I miss James, I still love the Cherub series. The inclusion of familiar characters alongside the new main characters makes the transition easier. Getting to know the new characters is interspersed with a lot of action so there's never a dull moment. ( )

People’s Republic by Robert Muchamore book Recommendation by

What links a drug smuggler, a corrupt customs official and the illegal immigrant that made your supermarket sandwich? Ryan Sharma is about to find out… People’s Republic by written Robert Muchamore is an action filled book. It is the first book of the new CHERUB series. It explores the moral correctness of using children as spies or secret agents. Although there are many advantages of using children as spies, there are many disadvantages as these children are orphaned and already experienced many hardships. Although People’s Republic concerns the usage of spies, the style of Muchamore’s writing assist readers to suspend disbelief.
Ryan is the newest recruit to CHERUB. Twelve years old, just out of “basic” training, he has been assigned to his first mission: befriending a wealthy kid whose grandmother operates a criminal empire. Ryan has no clue this seemingly routine mission will evolve into one of the longest mission in the history of CHERUB… On the other side of the planet, Fu Ning is beginning to reject her ordered, regimented life. She has no idea her ordinary world is about to disintegrate into a million pieces. Her father is arrested for human trafficking offences. Ning and her stepmother have to evade the police and attempts to stop them. As events unfold, Ryan and Ning’s stories begin to converge…
The language in People’s Republic is rather plain and simple. Although the language is simple, it suits the style of CHERUB stories. Muchamore’s target audience are, after all, teenagers. There is also use of euphemism. ‘It was gloomy inside because the frosted window was boarded following an encounter with a football.’
There are many themes explored in this book including friendship, trust and deception. When CHERUB agents are on missions, the usually have to befriend a target. In all of the previous CHERUB books, friendship and companionship were major themes. Trust is a principal theme. Fu Ning has to decide whether or not to trust her stepmother. Muchamore deals with the issue of human trafficking quite well. He continues to deal with contemporary issues in a realistic way. People’s Republic by Robert Muchamore is a must have novel. The book is brim full of surprises, twists and turns. Again teenagers enjoy twists, turns and the action generated by others. Its principal characters are teenagers. This book is excellent! Just excellent!