Wuftoom [Hardcover]

Mary G. Thompson (Author)

Book Description

Release date: May 8, 2012

Everyone thinks Evan is sick ... Everyone thinks science will find a cure. But Evan knows he is not sick, he is transforming. Evan's metamorphosis has him confined to his bed, constantly terrified, and completely alone. Alone, except for his visits from the Wuftoom, a wormlike creature that tells him he is becoming one of them.
 
Clinging to his humanity and desperate to help his overworked single mother, Evan makes a bargain with the Vitflies, the sworn enemies of the Wuftoom. But when the bargain becomes blackmail and the Vitflies prepare for war, whom can Evan trust? Is saving his humanity worth destroying an entire species, and the only family he has left?

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Those with strong stomachs for the gross and creepy may be the audience for this Kafkaesque book."--School Library Journal

 

"Impressively unappetizing and absolutely unique."--Booklist

 

"Dark and unsettling, Thompson's adventure presents a break from the same-old-same-old by creating something utterly new and weird . . . this is a tale to jolt readers out of their complacency, where characters change in unfamiliar ways with no guarantee of a happy ending."--Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Mary G. Thompson was raised in Cottage Grove and Eugene, Oregon. She was a practicing attorney for more than 7 years, including almost 5 years in the U.S. Navy, before moving to New York to write full time. She was educated at Boston University, the University of Oregon, and The New School. Find her on the web at marygthompson.com and teenwritersbloc.com.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Clarion Books; 1 edition (May 8, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0547637241
• ISBN-13: 978-0547637242
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,079,231 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Mary G. Thompson was raised in Cottage Grove and Eugene, Oregon. She was a practicing attorney for more than 7 years, including almost 5 years in the U.S. Navy, before moving to New York to write full time. She was educated at Boston University, the University of Oregon, and The New School. Find her on the web at http://www.marygthompson.com and http://www.teenwritersbloc.com.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Creepy, chilling, and creative May 8, 2012

By Christina (Ensconced in YA) TOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Hardcover

I won this book from the One A Day Y. A. blog in a giveaway. I was not required to write a review in exchange, but always do so anyway.

Wuftoom is a highly imaginative but chilling book about a boy who initially thought he was just sick and then realized he was transforming into a worm like creature called a Wuftoom. This story is about how he evolves physically, emotionally and mentally-- and how he struggles to stay true to both his past human self, Evan and his new Wuftoom self, Brode.

There were a lot of great things about this book. The description is spot on, to the point that I was squirming in my seat from visualizing the disgusting way Wuftoom looked and moved and how they ate other creatures in gruesome detail. Evan/Brode was an engaging and interesting character. I enjoyed meeting the other Wuftoom (most specifically Olen, the old Wuftoom) and learning about their culture and background.

I definitely had an adjustment period to this book. I was almost nauseated from the descriptions initially. I think if I had read this when I was 12 years old as the book states is its younger limit, I would have had nightmares for days. And I still don't know how I feel about how the book glazes over the issue of children being converted into Wuftoom. *SPOILER ALERT* More specifically, our protagonist lures another child into becoming a Wuftoom-- and although Wuftoom are an interesting species, I'm not sure I would ever condemn any to that fate.

This said, this was a darkly entertaining and creative first novel from Mary Thompson.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Truly original May 8, 2012

By jlv27

Format:Hardcover

I don't read a whole lot of middle grade books, and after reading Mary G. Thompson's 'Wuftoom' I have resolved to change that. This was one of the most enjoyable, surprising, creative books I have ever read.

I picked up 'Wuftoom' because of the beautifully intriguing cover and the fascinating premise described on the back cover: "Everyone thinks Evan is sick... But Evan knows he is not sick; he is transforming." And from the very first page, I was hooked. Nothing about this book is "dumbed down" because it's for kids. I've read far too many children's books where it's clear that the author doesn't really understand or remember what it's like to be a kid. Mary Thompson gets it -- she gets that kids aren't stupid, that kids are a lot smarter than we give them credit for, that kids deserve good, complicated stories, too, that kids are capable of understanding advanced language, and that kids can handle dark stories.

I've never read a story quite like this before -- and I read a lot! Evan made one mistake -- a mistake anyone easily could have made, and his whole life is changed because of it. After transforming into the worm-like creature called the Wuftoom, he goes underground to live with his new family and join the ongoing fight against their enemies, the Vitflys. The world Thompson creates is so real, so detailed, and so original that I never once questioned it. Same goes for the creatures -- they're all so vividly described that I often forgot they hadn't existed in fairy tale lore before. I accepted the Wuftoom, the Vitflys, the Higgers, and the Mifties as easily as I would accept more well-known mythical creatures such as vampires or ghosts.

One of the things I loved best about this story was that I never knew what was going to happen. There were surprises around every turn, unpredictable character developments, and lots of tragedy.

I would definitely recommend this book -- to kids or adults. It's an especially enjoying read if you're tired of reading recycled versions of the same stories all the time and are looking for something truly new.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun read for my kids April 5, 2013

By Edward Walker VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

My son who is 13 loved this book which says something because he is not a reader. It is an adventure I even caught him reading when he could have been playing video games.