Cat and mouse in the forest but this is no game
Big Game – the blurb
13-year-old Oskari is sent into the cold wilderness on an ancient test of manhood. He must survive armed only with a bow and arrow. But instead, he stumbles upon an escape pod from a burning airliner: Air Force One. Terrorists have shot down the President of the United States. The boy hunter and the world’s most powerful man are suddenly the hunted, in a race against a deadly enemy.
If you go down to the woods today
Fans of Book Social will know I’m a big fan of Dan Smith who writes full on action even if his target audience is middle schoolers. Big Game is no different except this one has been made in to a movie starring Samuel L Jackson non the less. The book is high octane and once again puts a kid at the heart of the action. The Finnish setting and the whole rite of passage was an interesting aspect which I enjoyed but I did question Oskari’s dad. I was heartbroken by the freezer moment believing he put it their for selfish reasons not for Oskari’s benefit. I do wonder what his reaction would have been if Oskari had returned empty handed. I hope their relationship improves and Oskari finds his way amongst the alpha males in his community. Overall I can totally see Big Game as an all out American action film and if it ever crosses my path I’ll give it a whirl.
Book club questions
+++ These questions contain spoilers and should only be used if you have read the book already!+++
- We don’t find out the book is set in Finland until a way through the book, where did you think it was initially set?
- Why was the bow so important to Oskari? Was it worth risking his life for?
- Did you find any parts of the book scary?
- Had you heard of Air Force One before? Can you find out any facts about it?
- Would Oskari’s dad have been happy if Oskari had returned with nothing from the forest?
- Try if you can (age rating dependent) to watch the film Big Game. Have you read a book then watched the film before? Does it help with your enjoyment of the book to see it in action?
If you would like to join in with our Children’s Book of the Month keep your eyes peeled when we announce October’s book in a few days time. Our review with book club questions is usually posted on the last Monday of the month and you can check out previous Book of the Months such as Orion Lost by Alastair Chisholm by clicking on the Young Adult/Kids button at the top of our Home Page. In the meantime we would love to see what you have been reading.