Name: The Boy Who Knew Everything
ISBN: 9780312626006

Victoria Forester

There is a prophecy. It speaks of a girl who can fly and a boy who knows everything. The prophecy says that they have the power to bring about great change . . . . The boy is Conrad Harrington III. The girl is Piper McCloud. They need their talents now, more than ever, if they are to save the world-and themselves.

The Boy Who Knew Everything

Conrad’s father announced his death on national television. Everyone was watching. Especially Conrad. It is a very peculiar feeling to have your parent declare your death when you happen to know that you are still very much alive.

J. wished he could crawl inside the man’s head and know all that was there to be known.

One problem with being a genius— and there are many problems— is that there is an overwhelming need on the part of adults to “assess” you, which is just a tricky way of saying they want to figure out exactly how smart you are and why you are smart and where your smarts come from. (And silently ponder the unspoken question that doesn’t appear on any test but hangs heavy in the air—“ For heaven’s sake, why can’t I be as smart as you?”)

As Conrad stood alone and helpless, despite the vast resources his genius provided him, he wondered what he was going to do without a father to father him.

“...He will erase your memory and you won’t remember me or your home. It won’t hurt.”

On the third day trapped inside the attic of their house, the Kaiser family had finished the last of their food and water. By ten in the morning temperatures were hovering above one hundred degrees and the two children lay on the floor quietly, too hungry and tired to play or even talk. Mr. Kaiser had stopped listening for helicopters or boats; none were coming.

Amy Anne smiled in such a way that she was able to show every single one of her teeth. If Piper hadn’t been so irritated that their conversation had been interrupted she actually would have been impressed by Amy Anne’s smiling skill.

this lowk made me laugh like girl act natural

“It’s like when Dr. Hellion took us away to that school.”

“Well, we don’t have to worry about Dr. Hellion anymore,” Kimber pointed out confidently. “She’s dead.”

Piper’s alarmed eyes instantly connected with Conrad’s, but Conrad shook his head.

SO BOLD of this children's book to suggest the president of the usa and his wife are terrorists like dang victoria forester....go on

“We don’t negotiate with terrorists,” Kimber spat.

this has to be my favorite passage in the whole book because why did he absolutely flay his dad with that line

“How unfortunate there aren’t any more toddlers and girls here for you to pick on,” Conrad spat.

“Shut your mouth,” Harrington growled.

“So you’re going to throw me off the roof now too?” Conrad jeered. And indeed, Harrington was bending him dangerously over the railing, his hands shaking with rage. “This is really presidential, Dad.”

No one talked about quitting, but days were starting to stack up with no progress to show for them. The day they were attacked by a freak band of flying monkeys was definitely the low point.

“I’m gonna have to say it,” Piper sighed finally. “Your family has some serious issues. I think you’re going to need therapy or something.”

“I think you’re right,” Conrad agreed.

It was the agony that made her listen because it was a feeling she knew well and made sense to her; made her want to hear more.

He had no shoes, no water, no identification, and no memory. On a day when the temperatures hovered above 130º he had been discarded like a dirty candy wrapper on a lonely stretch of Nevada’s Highway 93. By the time Officer Felt picked him up his skin was flaming a deep angry red and flowering with blisters.

the beginning was so shamefully mid but the ending made my heart hurt. victoria forester has this way of introducing such profound thoughts so plainly and gloriously simply. minus one star for the first quarter of the book being bad + part 2 onward being rushed when we could've done away with most of the first quarter of the book and used that room to properly develop part 2. minus another half star for making me think i could fix this book. also dear god victoria forester u need to warn for copious amounts of whump i did NOT see coming in a facking children's book. also i have questions like how and why did u foreshadow covid and corrupt presidency being in our future what the fuck i got scared while reading

Christian Huss

Stars: 3.5/5

I have waited so long for this book to come out! I fell in love with The Girl Who Could Fly when it was first published way back in 2008. It is by far one of my absolute favorite Middle Grade novels. Piper was such an enchanting character, and Forester knew exactly how to create a fantastical tale that utterly drew you in. 

I was actually starting to lose hope that a second book would even be written. The Girl Who Could Fly had such a cliffhanger of an ending, and there was no second book in sight. All-in-all, I can't believe it took seven years for the second book to finally become a reality! I know that there are a lot of mixed opinions about the story. Some say that it was absolutely terrible compared to the first, but there are quite a few people who thought it was still as magical as its predecessor. I do have quite a bit to say, but I want to give you guys a bit more of an overview of what the story is about, mostly due to the fact that the official GoodReads summary really doesn't tell you much.

The Boy Who Knew Everything picks up where The Girl Who Could Fly left off. All of the kids are where they belong, and Conrad is living with Piper and her family. As time goes on, Piper attempts to gain Conrad's support in gathering all of the children in order to use their powers for good. Conrad doesn't really want anything to do with such an idea, and he's devastated and put into a permanent funk when his parents pronounce him dead. 

Eventually a terrifying event helps Conrad regain his senses, and he agrees to become the great leader that Piper and the kids desperately need. He orchestrates their heroic activities and makes sure that the world is none the wiser that they exist. However, nothing can ever be simple, and the children may be in grave danger.

With the disappearance of Conrad's little sister, Piper and Conrad embark on a journey to save his family. Their adventures will lead them to a secret world where people with special powers exist in peace and harmony...or at least that's how this supposedly miraculous place appears on the surface. And little do they know that absolutely no one will be safe once Conrad's family's secrets are brought to light.

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With a better description of the story out of the way, let's get to my thoughts on the book. We all know that The Girl Who Could Fly ended on a cliffhanger with the invisible man, also known as J., explaining to Piper that all of the kid's from I.N.S.A.N.E. aren't safe and that they all belong somewhere with people that are special like them. However, you don't really know where or what this place is. As a result, I am happy to announce that you won't be disappointed to find out that you get to learn a lot more about J., his family, and the hidden place that he mentioned in the first book. However, there's still quite a bit of mystery surrounding him, and I do have to add that I find it strange that Piper utterly trusts him. Maybe it's the fact that he's a grown adult who often watches on her and the rest of the kids while he's invisible. I feel as if he gives off a creepy stalker vibe; however, his intentions are pure.

Dr. Hellion is also still in the picture, but she really isn't much use due to the fact that she's mentally insane and locked away. I really wasn't planning to see any redemption plot weaved in for her, but Forester did include a little subplot of this.

I was most excited to read about Piper again. Her southern charm and simple upbringing were a joy to read about in the first book. As Stephenie Meyer said, The Girl Who Could Fly really is a mix of X-men and Little House on the Prairie. However, it did take awhile for me to get back into the swing of her writing. It may be that I'm older and don't really read any Middle Grade novels anymore, but her writing didn't seem to possess the exact same pizzazz and style that I remember in The Girl Who Could Fly. However, I didn't let this prevent me from finishing the story, and about a forth of the way into the book, I got into the swing of things.

I do feel that the first book was the best, but stories have to evolve with each new installment. As a result, I think that this is where some readers felt disappointed. (At least, by looking at some of the reviews for this book, this is probably what some readers got hung up on.) The first book was so exciting because you got to experience all of the joy, exhilaration, and danger that Piper felt while discovering her powers for the first time. Piper is a character like no other, and it was thrilling to share in her experiences.

The first book then progressed by introducing an organization that takes people like Piper and tries to destroy their uniqueness. That plot followed a classic formula with a unique twist to it that readers love, and it was also the book in which the reader discovered Piper's world for the first time. Everything felt so fresh and new, and I have to say that it's probably difficult to construct a story that's capable of bringing forth the exact same feelings that the reader experienced with the first installment.

With the second book, Forester had to build on everything that the readers fell in love with prior and weave a new scenario and villain that would capture her original audience. She also had to tie up loose ends that existed in the first book. I know that she was trying to progress the story in a way that she hoped readers would find interesting and thrilling. However, the new direction wasn't what I was hoping for. The story felt a little vague at times and some aspects were a little out there and rushed. I was also a little disappointed that Piper wasn't the main character. Forester chose to center the second book around Conrad. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed Conrad in the first book, but I love Piper even more. She's a character that I fell in love with as a kid, and I was hoping that she would be the main protagonist in the continuation.

I am glad that Forester continued the story, because then I would never have known what would have happened to Piper and the rest of the cast. Forester also probably wanted to change things up, and she was able to create a new plot by focusing on Conrad rather than Piper. It does make sense that she would switch to another character if the plot is supposed to revolve around a prophecy that involves both Piper and Conrad. Although, I did find it a little strange that there wasn't a direct prophecy written. All you are told is that there is one and it involves two people that fit Piper and Conrad's description. Maybe it's my love of Percy Jackson that created the need to have a solid, fleshed-out prophecy that I can follow and anticipate what will be happening next.

In the end, I feel that The Boy Who Knew Everything did still have some of the magic that the first book possessed. There was also quite a bit of suspense built up for the ending, and I hope that this book will definitely open the door for a third installment! However, I hope that it comes out in less than 8 years!

If you would like to read more reviews, check out: http://knightingalereviews.blogspot.com/

The Boy Who Knew Everything

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