NOTE: this is an abridged version, which I didn't realize when I grabbed it from Peace Corps, but not like I'm in a position to be picky, right? Anyway, um, it was good? I don't feel like I missed much in the abridged form, but I've never read it before so I don't know.

This is one of those books where I read this all in one day because I couldn't put it down, but now I'm like, "Was it even good?" I DON'T KNOW I just had to find out what happened, so that's something, anyway? It's...I don't know? A great start to a trilogy (I checked out the other 2 but haven't started them yet), an interesting magical world...not totally fleshed out but it is the series starter after all, so I'll see where it goes. It's got kind of a hurt/comfort fanfiction vibe to it, which I'm not at all opposed to.

mmm I mean, look, I'm super glad in terms of representation that there's a new Asian-American Hulk, and theoretically it's interesting to have a Hulk who's super enthused to be Hulk and can more or less control his Hulk powers. But it turns out I'm kind of ride or die for sadsack Bruce Banner so this book wasn't really for me.

Also like, I get it, he's a horny teenage boy, but I'm not so like I was like calm down Amadeus, we get that you have a crush on every girl. Not necessarily a flaw though, I think that would be more relateable/less annoying for this book's target teen audience.

I did love Amadeus's eye-rolling sister though--my personal stand-in ;)

I prob won't read any more of this series but I'm sure it has its audience.

omg somehow I missed that this is 3rd in a trilogy?! I think they can be read out of order since I still LOVED this book, but I know it had a little nod in it to Where the Mountain Meets the Moon so I'm wondering if it also connects to the 2nd one, Starry River of the Sky?

Anyway--totally beautiful, compelling, love it. I think these books would be great readalouds since they are so episodic. They're so smartly structured and so perfectly highlight the power of stories and cultural identity. But also, just super fun!

This was a really fun and funny read! I read it all in one sitting (on a long trip but still). The romance/wealth porn genre is not one that I'm generally drawn to (no judgment, I know there are a lot of readers who like that flavor of escapism, and I just generally prefer a different flavor), but this was really funny and with, at its core, very grounded and likeable characters. The cultural specificity of life as a 1%er in Singapore made this more interesting to me than something set in the US.

Overall, a fun read that made me request the sequel ASAP.

I read this as a #teen and loved it; I just re-read it in preparation for the Book of Dust and man, it fuckin holds up.

I was mostly just so happy to read this and return to ~the world of His Dark Materials~ that I zipped right through this, as if I were on a canoe swept away by an out of control flood.

I also know that it's the first of a new trilogy and it's supposed to leave me with some questions; which it did.

I don't have anything smart to say it, I just enjoyed it and am happy it exists. I think a person could probably read this without having read the original trilogy.....but why deny yourself the Golden Compass?

I read this a few months ago and really thought I already added it on GoodReads but I guess.......I did not do that.

It's really funny, and also moving in places.

Spoiler

The cat dies :( But only after a long and spiteful life.

It's overall just extremely honest and engaging.

http://www.frowl.org/worstbestsellers/episode-86-the-amorous-intrigues-and-adventures-of-aaron-burr/

This is really cute! Kinda like a less-overtly-educational (but still with some space facts! And Spanish vocabulary words!) Magic School Bus.

I picked it up to maybe do it for a 4th grade readaloud and I think the pages are too dense with panels and footnotes to be a great readaloud; it's something that will reward kids for sitting down and digging in.