The Escape (Henderson's Boys)

by Robert Muchamore

I really love the Cherub series but for whatever reason I've not quite gotten around to reading Henderson's Boys. Maybe the historical aspect put me off a bit. I never really seemed in the mood for it. In any case, I picked it up and this is great. Marc and Paul and Rosie are strong characters with both strengths and weaknesses. In other words, they're real kids thrown into extraordinary situations. Things don't always go well and they're not always nice or kind or brave or right. But they make the best of the situation and battle on. Much like James, I found them unlikeable at certain points but overall I enjoyed the characters and the plot. It's been awhile since I've read Cherub but I will say I can't quite remember it being so mature or so immature. The Escape focuses on more mature situations and realistically portrays the reality of war. That being said, the characters themselves were relatively childish and immature. It was odd but it may just be due to my own advancing age.