Today I read the book “The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm” by Nancy Farmer. At first, the book was dull, and I felt like putting it down. It described the simple, sheltered life the Chief of Security’s three children, Tendai, Rita, and Kuda Matsika. However, their Mellower, a person who praised and soothed them, soon hypnotized their parents into allowing them to go a trip. They first had an exciting adventure through the city, but soon things took a turn for the worse when the She Elephant kidnapped them. Luckily, their parents discovered that they were missing and went searching. Their father, as the Chief of Security, had plenty of influence, and soon many people were searching for them. The Matsikas hired the detective agency ‘The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm’ to look for them, which was when things began to get exciting, but dangerous. I thought that the book was very interesting, melding together different elements such as the idea of a dystopian society, though it was slightly altered, overprotected children, mythology, and a haven separate from the rest of the world to create a dynamic story. I really liked the author’s style of writing and recommend this book to children and teenagers. I would rate this book an 8.5/10.
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