I added this to be TBR list right after I finished the Hunger Games Trilogy, and there it's been ever since. I've recently had a string of amazing middle-grade reads and decided to continue in that same vein with this book.

I loved it. I'm also admittedly a sucker for well done middle grade books. There is something to be said about the level of talent it takes to make a nuanced story like this come to life in such a simplistic way.

Gregor was a fantastic main character and he carries this story of life, loss, uncertainty and courage in the face of adversity. Gregor isn't special (in this book, at least). He's just a regular boy who finds himself in extraordinary circumstances, and uses pieces of himself that were previously untapped. I loved that grounding element in an otherwise fantastical world.

Most of all, I loved Gregor's relationship with Boots. He's so loving and protective, and yet, their relationship is heartbreaking in and of itself. Gregor has had to grow up quickly and assume a lot of responsibility and we see that painted so clearly as he carries his little sister with him, everywhere he goes.

Woven throughout the story are wonderful themes of war and classes and equality and prejudice, using creatures that make nearly everyone run. Perhaps the most sympathetic characters in this story are a pair of cockroaches. It's hilarious and smart.

Being a middle grade book, the story is short, fast paced and to the point. It's a total one-day-read and something I'm bookmarking for my hypothetical future children, for sure. They can learn a lot from Gregor.