LitPick Review
What would you do if you found a mysterious bag at your front door? Of course, you would be curious as to what is inside the bag. Before you think of what to do, why don't we read about a young boy who finds a strange bag and decides to take it inside his house. This is The Horrible Bag Of Terrible Things written by Rob Renzetti. Zenith, a young boy who was left under the care of his older sister Apogee, found a bag at his front door. He wondered who could have dropped it as he takes it inside to examine it. He thought he heard some noise coming from the bag, but when he opened it, he couldn't find anything. Mistakenly, he pricked his finger and a drop of blood touched the bag, which brought forth a terrible creature. The creature escaped the bag, and Zenith's efforts to capture it back proved futile, especially since his sister was watching him constantly. All of a sudden, he found a way, but he was caught by his watchful sister. She was surprised at what she saw, but unfortunately, the creature attacked and carried her into the bag which now had an opening. It took her, in the presence of Zenith, to an unknown location. Zenith's parents would be back in two hours, and now he had to find a way of saving his sister before they arrived. Would he be able to do that? What do you think would happen to Apogee?
Opinion:
First, I will start from the cover page of the book. Its artistic illustration will appeal to readers of all ages, both young and old. The creative plot, which is about a young boy trying to save his sister who is captured by a Wurm, is enough to make the book captivating for readers. It is slow-paced, taking us bit by bit through the whole story, but there is a plot twist that keeps us dangling at the end.
Apart from the plot, the settings made the book distinctive; take for instance, the Whichway Woods. It was the first place Zenith landed in when he entered the bag. It had weird mouthy creatures, and its environment was dark and creepy. Next was GrahBhag where the mouths were certain Apogee might have been taken to. It was a dense forest with trees, dark green moss that made the floor slippery, and a stream. It was a frightening place, perfect for a horror story. GrahBhag was a scary place, but not as scary as the place called Stoating where the Great and Holey Wurm reside. These places and the creatures Zenith came across sent shivers down my spine as I envisioned myself in places like this.
Lastly, the characters, which are the foundation of the whole story, fit perfectly into the plot. The protagonist, Zenith, strived to get himself to another world to save his sister despite the dangers that he faced. He was very courageous; however, he might have been the cause of it all, but his outstanding quality is something all readers, especially young ones, would want to emulate. There were other creatures that were not human, and I came to like one called Kreeble, a gargoyle who was quite helpful to Zenith by assisting in his search for his sister. She was like a friend to him, though she did it for a reward. The characters were excellent, their descriptions were eerie, and they did some irritating things, but at least that's what made them unique!
