Simon Thorn and the Wolf's Den by Aimee Carter

Bloomsbury, 2016. ISBN 9781408858011
(Age: 12+) Recommended. Simon Thorn and the Wolf's Den is a novel that is rich with the themes of fantasy and mystery as young, shy Simon reveals a shocking truth about his family members and his own heritage. Simon believes he is an ordinary if somewhat lonely 14 year old boy who is bullied at school and has no real best friend. His mother travels for work and as a result, Simon lives with his gruff uncle. Simon is shocked when he finds he can talk to the pigeons on the street, his resident mouse Felix and every creature he comes across. But when rats and pigeons swarm and fight one another on the sidewalk, when his fly-away mother suddenly appears out of nowhere, when a Golden Eagle shows up outside his window talking of danger and when a new student sticks up for him at school, Simon knows that something isn't right. Suddenly, the life of Simon Thorn isn't as ordinary as he copes to make sense of the new world that has been shown to him and as he weighs the words of strangers whom could be new allies or new enemies.
This fantasy novel by Aimee Carter is packed with action and mystery, the exciting plot takes the reader on a roller-coaster ride of emotions and theories as the characters aren't always like what they appear to be. This novel is well suited for younger teens (12+) and lovers of fantasy and action.
Overall, Simon Thorn and the Wolf's Den was a magnetic read and was impossible to put down.
Sarah Filkin (University student)