Author(s): Robert Muchamore

Young Adult Fiction

'It isn't easy to change the world but you've got to keep trying.'From London ...Georgia gets straight As at school, has been placed first in 26 drone races and has a serious addiction to buying Japanese stationery. She plans to follow her older sister Sophie and become a doctor, but her worldview is shattered when tragedy strikes.To Lagos ...Julius lives in Ondo, a Nigerian state where half the population lives on less than a dollar a day. But he isn't one of them. His uncle has been state governor for more than a decade and his mother is the power behind that throne. He finds refuge in a derelict zoo with best friend Duke, but as the two of them grow close, the world outside becomes more and more hostile.Following two teenagers living very different lives, Arctic Zoo is an arresting thriller about protest, sexuality, mental heath and flawed leadership, from the bestselling author of CHERUB.

Ruth's Review:

Georgia, 15, is a drone racing champion but has plans to become a doctor like her older sister. However, when her sister kills herself, Georgia's world is shattered and she becomes involved with a socialist action group. An accidental poster girl, she ends up a media superstar, but her skill with drones gets her into serious trouble after a spectacular demonstration goes wrong and she is sent to an adolescent mental health unit.

Julius lives in Nigeria where his corrupt uncle is a state governor and his mother a powerful businesswoman. A loner, his only friend is Duke, a talented artist whose flamboyant appearance marks him out as a target for Julius' sadistic older brothers and cousin. As the boys' relationship goes beyond friendship, Julius is sent away to an English boarding school, but political turmoil and brutal attacks back home trigger a violent outburst and he too ends up at the same unit.