Customer Reviews

Toonopolis: Gemini (Toonopolis Files, #1)

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I really enjoyed this novel. Rodden has taken the toon world a created a wonderful story about their universe--it's completely original and something we don't think about much: what is life like for a toon? I found this novel to be extremely humorous and well written, and Rodden's explanations of toon life and abilities is fascinating. For instance, I've never thought about why toons can run off cliffs and not fall until they look down, but Rodden explains why this is so, and it's an ingenious explanation! I found this a lot as I read--Rodden is very thorough and it's obvious that he's spent a lot of time thinking about, and refining, explanations for the strange capabilities toons possess.

I loved the writing style Rodden uses. It's told from two different perspectives, one from Special Agent Mimic, from the human world, and one from Gemini, the human boy sent to Toonopolis for research purposes. It was enlightening to read about Mimic's plans and thoughts as he read up on the research being conducted, and I liked that it switched viewpoints so the reader can see inside both Gemini's and Special Agent Mimic's mind. I think this is a very interesting way to present a story, and I highly enjoyed it, especially the revelation about the Shadowy figure at the end of the novel--I never saw it coming!

The characters within the novel are hilarious, and I especially liked Jimbob the talking eggplant. As I was reading the novel I kept snorting with laughter, and my students, who were taking a test, were highly alarmed at the guffaws and snorts I kept making. I just couldn't control myself, it was highly funny, and for some reason I kept thinking about Animaniacs; that same sense of humor permeates this novel and makes it an awesome read.

I love that this novel is age appropriate, for MG and YA, but it can also make adults laugh, and so it transpires the age gaps and is, in my opinion, appropriate for all ages. Check it out; you won't be disappointed! Four stars!

As much as I've thought about it, I'm still finding it difficult to see how I can possibly do justice to the imaginative, wonderful, glorious feat of writing that is Toonopolis. Jeremy Rodden has taken the best and worst of a range of things that were dear to us in our childhoods (but probably drove our parents crackers) and remain endearing to us now as - even though we are allegedly adults - we prove ourselves to be simply bigger kids.

Toonopolis is like putting on a time travelling fluffy dressing gown covered in fairies or footballs that transports you to every Saturday morning of your youth and adolescence and every snatched moment of your adulthood where you pretended you weren't watching Dungeons and Dragons, Donald Duck or Thundercats but were secretly loving every minute. It encapsulates the lack of logic that surrounds not only cartoons but also video games and how willing we are to suspend disbelief in our quest for entertainment but also shows how, when we are willing to do that, things can be much much more enjoyable.

As a `grown up' who readily admits to recently watching all 80 episodes of Batfink, wiling away hours on World of Warcraft and loving Studio Ghibli, there are some cringing moments in the book for me. Not, let me hasten to add, that I'm cringing at the author's work: absolutely NOT. Instead, I'm cringing at myself. Yep, I've spent that Saturday morning killing rats in a basement in a quest similar to one Gemini is offered. I've built up a party that - whilst it seemed logical at the time - had as much sense to it as Gemini's band of merry men (including talking Eggplant, mechanical dog and Miss Fire). And I've loved every minute.

Toonopolis is a bundle of fun but it does have some serious underlying messages to it too, including the importance of not leaping to conclusions without all the facts and the necessity of accepting yourself rather than constantly trying to fight against what or who you are. Additionally, it has an ending that raises many questions and leaves you wondering, thoughtful and wanting more. Thankfully this is only book one of the Toonopolis Files so we can share a cheer that there's more of this wonderful world to encounter.

How can you not love a book that is, in essence, an Alice in Wonderland for the modern era? Or in which distance is measured in PEZ candies? Or where the author paradoxically uses an impressive and varied vocabulary so deftly to tell a story that makes you feel young enough to have a spelling book again? This is a book for everyone who accepts that as logical as they may think they are, there's still a bit of the illogical rebellious Saturday morning slob in them. And really, it's a book for all those people who aren't like that because, by the end of it, they will be.

Jeremy Rodden's debut fantasy novel is a fun little read, suitable for grades 5 through the bifocal set. Lighthearted, with plenty of little in jokes about comics and cartoons in general.

Our Hero, "Gemini" is a young teen boy, taken to wearing bright colors- which when he gets sent to a cartoon world, makes him fit in pretty well. Slightly reminiscent of "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" here we never run into any of the better known comic characters (and the book actually has a good reason for that!), but still plenty of archetypes, who fans will have fun identifying.

Jeremy also has made a link between our world and Toonopolis, a very important link between creator and created, one which lends an air of danger and immediacy to Gemini's tour of this fantastic world.

You'll love some of the characters that populate Toonopolis, such as Jim-Bob the Talking Eggplant.

Jeremy also keeps it family friendly and mostly light, nothing too scary or dark here.

I am looking forward to more by this new author!

I rcvd a copy for review.

Remember when Scream came out in theaters in 1996? How it was able to tell a very effective horror story while also deconstructing the genre and lovingly pointing out all of the flaws in our favorite flicks of the past?

Well, allow me to introduce Jeremy Rodden's "Toonopolis: Gemini" - the Scream of Saturday Morning Cartoons.

Our main character is a young man known only as Gemini and identified as an animated character who was once a real boy. He seeks to go through the various towns of Toonopolis to locate a Nothing-like villain named Shadowy Figure and also try to figure out who he really is.

Toonopolis: Gemini is a very Tolkien-esque journey as we see our hero and a trusty mentor / comedic relief sidekick going from town to town, encountering various animated heroes and villains and putting the spotlight on what Gemini can do in this world now that he is living by the cartoon rules. There's a particularly wonderful scene early in the book that features a character breaking down the rules, very much like Randy from Scream. That scene had me cracking up and fondly thinking back to the days when Wile E. Coyote was running past the edge of a cliff completely unaware that gravity was going to strike if he even dared to look down just once.

The book is tailor made to fit my style of humor, and the randomness of the characters brilliantly evokes Douglas Adams if he were force-fed Saturday morning cartoon culture. Make sure you pick this up ASAP, especially if you remember the days of sitting in front of the television with a bowl of cereal and throwing yourself into various magical lands.

Toonopolis by Jeremy Rodden

This book is one fresh, fun, visual read for children and adults. Yes, I would read this to my kids if they were younger, but there might be grandkids and I will surely read this on to them.
Anyway, an incredible (believable too) walking, talking mirror opens this festive book is the first cartoon character we meet. Of course, we have Gemini too. Jimbob The Talking Eggplant is a riot with his quirky comments and joking puns. Some made me laugh hard (Yes, some are silly and you think, MAN! HE WENT THERE) and I just had to share with my wife. We both giggled like kids and little references to current cartoons also making an appearance.
Toonopolis is, in my opinion, funny, well written, and tells an amazing story of a boy who grows and learns, who he is, and Gemini gains confidence in himself in the process with each page turned. The book is not scary, but the visual sights are easy to see, and imagination runs rampant.
I would recommend TOONOPOLIS to all for an exciting read. Good work Jeremy and he leaves the reader spellbound. We might have another adventure brewing in the future. Which I would buy and read too

Even though this is targeted to young adults, I can say with certainty that any adult that has ever played a video game, watched cartoons, or read comics will vastly enjoy this book. It's just so much fun to pick out all the archetypes he paid homage to and poked fun of.

I actually decided to create a page on TVTropes for the series, and there are so many that I spent a lot of reading downtime looking them up and listing them all (and was scolded by the author to just finish the darn book, haha!). But don't think that means the book itself is cliche. Even though elements of it are familiar, the way they are combined creates a unique and new experience.

Lastly, don't pass up this book because of lack of vampires. This book technically has more vampires than any other book in the fantasy genre. More vampires than you can shake a stick at. Seriously.

I recently took a bet on this new author and book. And so far it has rocked my world. I can not put it down. I really hope there is a second one! I am buying a copy each for some of my closest friends. I am bummed seeing there is only one in stock... booooooo amazon lol.

The book, "Toonopolis:Gemini", is a great read! It is about a boy named Jacob who is transported by his father's company to a place called "Toonopolis". He is turned into a cartoon and goes on an adventure to complete himself before he is returned to the human world. If he does not complete himself in time, he could end up insane or die.

I really enjoyed this book after the first few pages. I was a little worried when it started out like "The Wizard of Oz". Then, as the story progressed, it became clear that the book is a mishmash of familiar cartoons. I am not a fantasy reader but this book had me hooked. I am now going to pass this on to my 11 year old son to read. The only negative was that sometimes there were "duh" moments where I am wondering why Gemini and the gang are doing things the hard way. I recommend this to everyone who wants to read something fun!!

I can't wait to read this to my kids! I bought Toonopolis to read to my six year old son and decided to check it out first to see what I thought. I loved it! I enjoyed how Gemini traveled through different subdivisions/lands in Toonopolis, looking for the shadowy figure who is destroying the other cartoon lands. His purple eggplant sidekick had me chuckling often, and the friends he meets along the way added even more fun to the whole story. If you enjoy cartoons, world building, and fun adventures (like I do), this book is a great addition to your library. Both of my kids are going to dig it!

A fun mystery with light hearted humor and cartoonish slapstick style "violence" that could without guilt be given to a younger kid to read, but is also readable for an adult who does not take themselves too seriously. I enjoyed reading the book and find myself looking forward to the next installment of the series. The characters were well thought out as was the story line, again without too much detail as to lose a younger person but enough to give the story enough substance to retain the attention of an adult. I'd recommend it for anyone who wants to get lost in a cartoon world where things are not too serious but still requires some minimal thought on the part of the reader. To those who have bought but not yet read it, enjoy!