Monstrous Devices

Product Information

Alex receives an old tin robot in the mail as a gift from his Grandfather - this sets off an unpredictable chain of events. Accompanying his Grandpa on a journey throughout England, Alex tries to do what's best with the little information given to him. A thrilling and spooky adventure! Damien Love was born in Scotland and lives in Glasgow, where, even as you read these words, it is raining. He is the author of several books on film and filmmakers, and is the TV critic for Scotland’s broadsheet, the Sunday Herald. He has the ability to talk to cats, but there is no evidence that they understand him.

Monstrous Movie Review | Common Sense Media Monstrous Movie Review | Common Sense Media

Alex is a good kid who tries to make good decisions. He grows a lot as a character in this book. His grandfather is brave but not always completely honest. His love for Alex is clear. Harry is a loyal, trustworthy, loving guy. Kenzie is a bully, but he starts to learn empathy.

What a heart-stopping adventure...With twists and turns, thrills, suspense and secrets, this is captivating.' * Harry, aged 13 * The plot rages across Europe from Prague to Paris as Alex and his grandfather, who conveniently arrives to help out just as things are really going from bad to dreadful, try to unravel the mystery of why the little robot has such Machiavellian powers and how or who programmed it to behave in such a manner. Damien Love was born in Scotland and lives in Glasgow, where, even as you read these words, it is raining. He is the author of several books on film and filmmakers, and is the TV critic for Scotland's broadsheet, The Sunday Herald. He has the ability to talk to cats, but there is no evidence that they understand him. Monstrous Devices is his first novel.

Damien Love (Author of Monstrous Devices) - Goodreads Damien Love (Author of Monstrous Devices) - Goodreads

I love to read stories of machinations, robots, artificial intelligence; you name it. Can’t get enough of it. But this book, while it certainly had many robots and machinations, took a very odd and unexpected twist towards religion. It thankfully did not offer absolutes to theological questions (nor did the book delve into theology aside from a few brief conversational instances) but it was very much out of the blue. Young crime lovers, meanwhile, will snap up Serena Patel’s lively, funny Anisha, Accidental Detective (Usborne), with zany illustrations from Emma McCann, featuring a down-to-earth, logical heroine drawn into a tall tale of a kidnapped bridegroom and a scheme to sabotage a wedding. Anisha must follow all the clues to save her beloved aunt Bindi from heartbreak – even if it does mean she’ll have to wear an itchy orange bridesmaid’s lehenga … Families can talk about fantasy adventure stories like The Shadow Arts that feature lots of scary chases and fights. Why do you think this makes the story more fun? How much is too much? Is supernatural violence more or less scary to you than realistic violence?

The mystery leads Alex and his grandfather to Prague in the Czech Republic, just as the city is preparing for Christmas. This local hymn is something that might be overheard coming from an old church as they go hurrying through the Old Town. This book is a fabulous choice for teachers! It serves as the springboard for numerous lesson ideas. A science unit in which students learn about the five simple machines then employ that knowledge by designing and constructing their own robots. Mathematical concepts obviously will be needed in conjunction with the construction as well as in determining the distance traveled by the novel's young protagonist, Alex, and his grandfather as they trek across Europe. That adventure easily lends itself to a unit on geography. History comes into play by studying the invention and different applications of robots over the years. (You could even debate the merits of automation of jobs.) Language arts lessons are seemingly endless; rewriting the ending, writing the story from one of the robots' points of view, changing the setting, etc. Vocabulary, spelling, you name it, this book is a gold mine! A superbly assured debut…truly sinister villains and an effortless, atmospheric evocation of place and history combine in an unforgettable, immersive reading experience.” – THE GUARDIAN Prague has a rich, beautiful, and fearful history at times. This is hinted at and could be employed fully to really explore why the Golem is there, what role the Charles Bridge plays, along with the other important (and perhaps magical) buildings and locations.