Author: Jinks, Catherine
Title: Evil Genius
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Date: 2007 ISBN: 978-015-205988-0
Price: $17.00 #of pgs: 486 Call number: FIC JIN
Annotation: This complex, engrossing tale of deception features Cadel, a 13-year old super-brain, who is being groomed for world domination. His mentor is his psychologist, the mysterious Thaddeus. Before entering this new "school" Cadel created the most spectacular traffic jam in Sydney. He also managed to cause all his classmates to fail their finals. His parents send him to this special school where he takes courses in such things as "Copying Skills" and "Accounting" which really are tutorials in embezzlement and lying. Cadel finds himself involved in multiple webs of intrigue, which, along with his own efforts to manipulate faculty and fellow students, result in numerous fatalities. He is a sympathetic anti-villain.
Strength: multiple layers of deception create a masterful plot; fanciful science fiction
Weakness: some may be turned away by the length of the novel, 486 pgs.