The Explosionist (Hardcover)

by Jenny Davidson (Author)
Key Phrases: woman constable, spirit photography, Great-aunt Tabitha, Miss Chatterjee, Miss Henchman (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Grade 9 Up—It's 1938, and in the world that 15-year-old Sophie inhabits, England fell to Napoleon at Waterloo, scientists work together with spiritualists, and hydrogen-powered cars move people around Scotland's streets. An unsettling session with a medium sets Sophie on edge, but her Great-Aunt Tabitha's vehement opposition to IRYLNSY, a program for women that her aunt founded, confuses the teen more than the cryptic message about a pending journey that she received. The medium's sudden death prompts Sophie and her friend Mikael to investigate, and they are soon plunged into a turbulent political battleground, one that threatens the future of Scotland and the rest of the world. Without stretching credulity too far, readers should be able to accept the odd blend of modern and primitive technology in the text; it seems odd that fuel-cell technology exists, but dynamite remains the most powerful explosive known. Sophie and Great-aunt Tabitha's antagonism toward one another regarding the morality of IRYLNSY lacks the depth necessary to draw readers into the debate; Davidson herself seems almost convinced that turning promising young women into emotional Dumpsters for men is entirely appropriate. With an uncertain resolution that all but demands a sequel, the book will appeal to fans of alternative historical fiction, who will be waiting for the next installment. Blending physics, politics, and possibilities, Davidson's novel also holds some appeal to fringe historical and mystical readers.—Chris Shoemaker, New York Public Library
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Product Description

A series of mysteries.

An explosion of truths.

The Explosionist: Someone sets off a bomb outside fifteen-year-old Sophie's boarding school, but no one can figure out who.

The Medium: Soothsayers and séance leaders are regular guests at her great-aunt's house in Scotland, but only one delivers a terrifying prophecy, directed at Sophie herself.

The Murder: When the medium is found dead, Sophie and her friend Mikael know they must get to the bottom of these three mysteries in order to save themselves—even as the fate of all Europe hangs in the balance.

Set in a time of subversive politics, homegrown terrorism, and rapidly changing alliances, The Explosionist is an extraordinarily accomplished debut novel for teens that delivers a glimpse of the world as it might have been—had one moment in history been altered.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Hardcover: 464 pages
• Publisher: HarperTeen (July 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061239755
• ISBN-13: 978-0061239755
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.6 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #333,390 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant, thought-provoking fantasy novel, August 3, 2008

By	Mother Brown - See all my reviews

This is a fast-paced, exciting, intelligent book, highly recommended to all adult readers of fantasy literature, as well as to actual teenagers or ten-year-olds. It has certain things in common with Diana Wynne Jones (it's set in an alternate universe, in which the Battle of Waterloo went the other way; like Jones, Davidson is at times very funny); with Philip Pullman (obsession with the idea of the north, though there are no polar bears; it's a novel-of-ideas, though rather less pompous about it than Pullman); and J. K. Rowling (it is, among many other things, a classic school story, about friendship and growing up; Davidson acknowledges her debt to Muriel Spark). There is also an element of feminist dystopia about this world, a little Atwood-ish: our heroine discovers the horrible truth that girls in her city are being subjected to a procedure to eliminate their capacity to have feelings of their own, in order to make them more useful helpmeets for men in times of war. The novel is a meditation both on gender relationships, but more fundamentally, on the need for emotions, and the part played by feelings in personal identity. Despite her obvious learning and allusiveness, Davidson has succeeded brilliantly in creating a world of her own, which is convincingly like and unlike our own. Sophie is an appealingly opinionated heroine (who has strong views about, for instance, the superiority of icing to cake, as well as an excellent working knowledge of chemistry). This a very readable novel, whose characters and ideas will linger in the mind. Highly recommended. Buy it for any child/ teenager who has an interest in history, Scotland, Scandanavia, murder stories, spiritualism, science, terrorism, or ethics. But also buy a copy for yourself!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exciting and wonderful, July 18, 2009

By	Khy - See all my reviews

I knew The Explosionist would be good after reading the first chapter that was all about dynamite and explosions. Stupid reason, I know, but what can I say? Dynamite is exciting.

But the dynamite wasn't the only good thing about the book. Sophie, the main character, dealt with the many, many, events in a good way. I've read some books where the main character doesn't want help solving his/her problems or doesn't want to do any work at all or stand up for themselves so he/she just goes along with everyone else says, but such was not the case with Sophie. She actually had people help her but still managed do some work and have input too.

I think what really made the book work was the setting. I loved the setting. How could one not love a book set in alternate universe 1930s Scotland where the country is on the brink of war all because of politics and a single day's events? And where technology and psychics are put into play? (Not like computers technology and telling the future psychic, but electric cookers technology and talking to spirits psychics.) I don't think the book would have been as great if it was set in another place or time, or even in the real universe. Jenny Davidson really did a good job making the alternate universe and incorporating it in the story.

But I have a couple complaints. One being that it seemed as though there was too much going on. There was the talking to spirits stuff, Sophie's crush on her teacher, the explosions, the murder of a medium (the murder was one of the high points of the book. Adds a whole lot of mystery to the overall story), the "school" place that turns girls into zombies, the country being near war, and so much more. It was all exciting and interesting, but there was just a little too much of it. It hurt my brain slightly.

The other the complaint would be: WHERE IS THE SEQUEL? Seriously. One of the characters dropped a bomb (no pun intended) 30-40 pages before the end, and then the book stopped a really really good part. I want a sequel. Now.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Alternative Historical Fiction Novel for Teens, July 10, 2008

By	kristena - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

The Explosionist is set in 1938 Edinburgh, Scotland. The main character is Sophie, a fifteen year old student at boarding school. Unlike a traditional historical fiction novel, this book is what has been deemed "alternative history" and presents the reader with a parallel universe in which 1938 Scotland has fuel cell automobile technology, an Institute that re-programs the brains of young women so they can serve high ranking officials without any emotions, and other advanced inventions.

Spiritual mediums are commonly used by government, police, and private citizens to speak to the dead and receive messages. Sophie even discovers that she is a medium and uses her insights to uncover a slew of mysteries surrounding recent bombings, a murder, even what goes on behind closed doors to reprogram women as young as sixteen.

Several prominent historical figures are mentioned such as Freud, Pastor, Houdini, Nobel, Kelvin, Bell, and even one mention of the 12 dancing princesses. In this book historical scientists are especially respected and powerful.

Overall, I found the book to be well-written and interesting. Young readers 14-19 fascinated by science, mysteries, and history may particularly enjoy this novel. This is the first novel author Jenny Davidson has written for teens.