Monday, April 30, 2012

I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

Title: I Hunt Killers
Author: Barry Lyga
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Acquired: Received free for an honest review
Age Group: Young Adult
Grade: 95% or A
Buy It: Amazon
What if the world's worst serial killer...was your dad?

Jasper (Jazz) Dent is a likable teenager. A charmer, one might say.

But he's also the son of the world's most infamous serial killer, and for Dear Old Dad, Take Your Son to Work Day was year-round. Jazz has witnessed crime scenes the way cops wish they could--from the criminal's point of view.

And now bodies are piling up in Lobo's Nod.

In an effort to clear his name, Jazz joins the police in a hunt for a new serial killer. But Jazz has a secret--could he be more like his father than anyone knows?
My Thoughts::
I love creepy. I really do. I like books that make me think about things in a different way and just bring up ideas that aren't commonly touched upon. When I read the description for this book I knew I wanted to read it because I never saw anything like it before. Besides, I love Criminal Minds, so this was kind of similar. You get to look through the eyes and go through the mind of a killer.

The plot was more exciting than I thought it would be. I just thought it would be gruesome or violent. Instead it was investigative and thought provoking. It really did feel like I was watching a crime show. The entire time you're just as in the dark as the other characters are and you're trying to put all of the clues together. I love it when a book makes my mind work. There were plenty of twists and surprises to keep the book even more intense.

Jasper had a dynamic personality. There were several sides to him that are all trying to coincide which adds another dimension to the book. I felt so bad for Jasper and all he is struggling with. The little flashbacks that we get were both super creepy and a way to get to know Jasper's dad.

There was so much about this book that I liked. The characters were amazing, though not all were very much fleshed out besides Jasper and his dad, but I can hope for a sequel right? I want more of Howie!!! Awesome best friend is awesome! Lyga did a great job of giving us just enough information about outside characters to make us suspicious and add to the mystery.

Overall I think I Hunt Killers was a clever book and a mind sharpening read.

1 comment:

Sverige said...

The story was amazing - an incredible story by a gifted story teller. It was like watching a whole season of Dexter in a single episode, or like Dexter and The Mentalist blended together and on steroids. The story is dark, and Jazz has a lot of personal demons to deal with, from his father's legacy, to a senile grandmother he is trying to look after and protect, all the while trying to stay sane, calm and be an asset to the investigation. And in hunting down this copy-cat killer, maybe Jazz is finding his vocation, his calling in life. But can he keep it together long enough to put the clues together, can he protect the people he cares about, and can he avoid the sins of the father? This gripping novel will keep you on the edge of your seat from the first paragraph until the final word! Barry Lyga is like a cross between Irvine Walsh, Chuck Palaniuk, and Douglas Coupland, looking at the things most people look away from. But Lyga has a way of humanizing them, shedding light in the dark places and helping to expose us to the reality of the world around us without being over the top. And though his books are mainly aimed at teens, I have introduced them to numerous adult readers, all who become addicted to Lyga's gifted writing and this is one of the best!