Review by EmmaOswin
Where do I start? There’s some special about Cadel Piggot.
He’s a prodigy, wickedly smart, and socially awkward, though he does learn how
to put on a “human suit,” as he grows older, so that he can interact with
people, learn their ways. Cadel is fascinated by systems, and while he starts
with electronic ones, he quickly evolves to studying human systems. By the time
he graduates from high school, he is so well versed in human systems that he
can start a single rumor and cause every single person in his school to fail
their exit exams.
What does a genius like Cadel do once he’s graduated from
high school, a full five years early? Attend an evil university, of course. Evil Genius follows Cadel as he is
controlled by his dastardly psychiatrist and imprisoned father, but slowly
begins to realize that the path of destruction and mayhem they are leading him
down is not the path for him.
I should have begun by saying that I love this book. I’ve
read it at least three times, and I cannot get enough of Jinks’ writing. It is
witty, cogent, and freakishly smart. And I love that I hate Cadel most of the
time. He’s got a soft side, but he’s also entitled and deeply disturbed. The
next two books show his ascension our of those two serious character flaws, but
in this book, he’s largely a whiny teenager whose only redeeming quality is his
friendship with Sonja Pirovic, a mathematical genius hindered by severe
cerebral palsy.
Besides the characters (who are both believable and expertly
crafted), there is also an overtone of mystery and philosophy to keep older
readers interested. Though this a Young Adult novel, it reads great for anyone
over the age of thirteen. There is one—I made of a note of it, so yes, just one
swear word and I do not think that it is used gratuitously. There is also
plenty going on in the story to warrant the length of the book, and I cannot
believe it has not yet been made into a movie.
If you are looking for a smart, thrilling read, Evil Genius (and the requisite trilogy),
are perfect for you. It does get a little “math-y” at times (Jinks has
obviously done her homework), but I don’t think it detracts from the story
overall, even though it is beyond my access.
