The Wikkeling by Steven Arntson

Synopsis:
In the enormous city of the Addition, all children are SAFE, SECURE, and SUPERVISED, and are watched by cameras even while they sleep. Henrietta is unlikable at her competitive school until she meets Gary and Rose. They all share something in common: headaches with an unknown cause. Then, late one night, Henrietta makes a startling discovery when she finds a wounded cat in the attic above her bedroom. Soon after, a series of strange occurrences follow, including the appearance of a threatening creature with long, waxy fingers, who calls itself the Wikkeling. With the help of an ancient Bestiary, will Henrietta and her friends solve these mysteries before the Wikkeling finally catches them?
(Synopsis from Goodreads).

My Thoughts:
Recently, I've been in the mood to read a lot of middle grade books for some reason. When life gets stressful, I know I can always count on a great middle grade novel to pull me in, and make life feel magical again. A few days ago, I decided to pick up The Wikkeling because it had been on my TBR for a long time. I regret not reading it sooner. I loved the book.

I have to admit, the reason why I put off reading The Wikkeling for so long wasn't the story line, but the actual book itself. It was very odd shaped, almost like a coffee table book, and extremely heavy. It made the book very hard to hold, and awkward to read from. If it wasn't for having to put it down every couple chapters because of this, I probably would have read it in one night. Instead, it took me about four or five days to read.

Even though the format of the physical book was incredibly awkward, I did love the story line. I thought it had the perfect amount of suspense and creepiness. Even as an adult, I found it to be spooky at times. I also loved the futuristic world. The reader only got bits and pieces of it, but I found the concept to be fascinating. At first, I wasn't sure how I felt about Henrietta, the main character. However, by the end of the book, I loved her, and the rest of the characters. I found myself cheering them on, hoping they would overcome The Wikkeling, and everything else they were going through. I wish that more of the wild housecat had been featured in the book. I really enjoyed it.

Although I didn't enjoy the format of The Wikkeling, I loved the story line itself. The plot was great, and had an exceptional cast of characters. I noticed that the author hasn't published a recent book in a couple years. I hope that he continues to write. I would love to read more books by him, especially more middle grade books. Even though this book ended in a way that wraps everything up neatly, I want more of this world.  

I give The Wikkeling: 4/5.

Want to know more about the author?
Website: http://www.stevenarntson.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Stevenarntson
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXornjyZ2CCmVtGagEnqYEw

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.