While most of his books are intended for adults it is more targeted youth is her first novel that speaks to this audience here (at least the first translated into French I discovered) . They offered me when I was a teenager and I had loved, I read probably ten times. I have reread over a long time but I keep a relatively precise memory, some passages marked with me. I would not say that by read I know it by heart, but it's like. By cons, it is often classified as a thriller and for me it is not really.
It is packed with dark humor and sometimes caustic. There are the obvious references for younger and a little second-degree reference material intended for larger and more mature readers. I really had a great time with. But Owl is not just only to the very present humor, Carl Hiaasen is also trying to get a message across, while remaining lightweight. He managed to get a compromise between cynicism and hope. He does not try to temper his message because it is aimed at a young audience, on the contrary we find the same belief in his adult books, but with a somewhat more suitable language.
As in all the books of this author that I read, it is trying to pass a pretty strong environmental message but does so with great subtlety. He manages to make us adhere to his cause without being too preachy as is sometimes the case. He leads a struggle against the destruction of the fragile environment of Florida and one feels in his books his love for this region. The action is mainly concentrated in this state, but I think it can be transposed elsewhere.
It also addresses the theme of adolescence and problems at school all with great skill. It also points to the difficulties that may have to integrate into a new environment. The main character, Roy, is a typical teenager, relatively high although sometimes a little daredevil. And even if it is in times, showed great maturity for his age he still keeps his youth and character that goes with it. It remains a very sensitive boy and endearing. Sometimes it is even much less naive than his parents. But do not worry, this is not a criticism against all adults, rather than Roy relationship with his father and his mother is very healthy and full of maturity. Adolescents identify themselves perfectly to it and will have the greatest pleasure to follow his adventures. We keep the same characters, and shifted a little against the current, as in his adult books but they are adapted to the public, their characters and motivations are described as in his other novels -without doubt because the greatest are capable of make their own idea-.
The style is fluid, relatively simple and it's always a little quirky and unusual. It reads fast enough (even for the youngest). We enter quickly into history and we want to find out more. The pace is good with lots of action, there is no downtime or delays. There is not a suspense but there are enough to make us want to turn the pages and read more. With relatively precise descriptions of the author we are drawn into the world of the novel, and one could almost believe in the mangroves in Florida.
He sometimes has a few clichés and shortcuts, especially for some characters, it is also sometimes a little predictable and also a little easier. But we must not forget that this is a young adult novel. This does remains a pleasant and entertaining book that, despite the audience, will please everyone. It helps to get a message to younger while giving them want to read as it is humorous, very light and pleasant. And for the biggest, it's probably a good way to easily discover this author, see if we like his style even later attack her adult novels.
