The Capture

 

The Capture

 

I chose to do my book review on The Capture by Kathryn Lasky.  It is the first book in one of my most favorite series, The Guardians of Ga'Hoole. I chose this book because I read it in fourth grade and from that moment on, I was hooked. I loved every second of it and am currently reading the 10^th book in the series. I also decided to choose this book because I have many friends who enjoyed reading it as well. Even my little brother asks me to read it to him.  It is a very entrancing fantasy book with plenty of action and mystery

            The book's setting takes place in the far future after many species have died out, including the humans. Owls are now the most advanced animals on the planet. The story centers around a young Barn Owl named Soren. He lives with his mother, father, older brother, little sister, and nest maid snake in a fir tree hollow. Soren had just hatched three weeks ago and doesn't know much about the world around him. He overhears his parents talking about how owl eggs and hatchlings are going missing more and more often. Then, one night, Soren suddenly falls from his nest onto the dark, damp forest floor below. He is sure that this is the end as he will most likely be eaten by a raccoon, when out of nowhere, a huge Great Horned Owl snatches him up and flies away. They fly far away to a dry rocky desert with huge mazes of canyons. Soren is taken down into these canyons to a place called St. Aegolius Academy for Orphaned Owls (St. Aggie's for short). There are many other kidnapped owlets there and Soren quickly makes friends with a little Elf Owl named Gylfie. She soon tells Soren the horrifying truth that the workers of St. Aggie's are slowly erasing the minds of the owlets. Will these two young owls be able to escape before they become slaves to the evil that is St. Aggie's?

"This was the most horrid despicable, thing he had ever witnessed. A coldness that had began in his gizzard seemed to creep through Soren from his new tail feathers up to his wing tips and down to his talons. He realized that he would rather see this little owl dead than alive in St. Aggie's. They had to get out. He and Gylfie had to get out. They must learn to fly." This quote describes Soren's feelings after he sees a stolen owl egg hatch at St. Aggies. The little defenseless owlet is pulled from its shell and thrown into a pile. Then it is given a number instead of a name. After that it is just another one of the thousands of owlets at St. Aggies. No mother, no father, no love. Just a number in a sea of slaves. I think this quote is important in the story because this moment in particular really opens up Soren's eyes to what St. Aggies really is. He sees that it is a ruthless organization that manipulates and controls innocent owlets. There are no feelings and no mercy. Soren realizes he and Gylfie have to do all they can to escape and warn the rest of the world.

I  Give The Capture five out of five owl feathers. It is an amazing book that I truly loved. It had great description and it always kept me focused. I never got bored of it. It wasn't too short or too long. Overall this is, and always will be, one of my most favorite books. I chose to use owl feathers as my rating system because this book is all about owls and flight. One of the main struggles is when Soren and Gylfie are learning to fly. They must wait for all of their flight feathers to grow in.

 

 

 

 

 

I would recommend this book for many reasons. One is that this book has a very unique story and setting. So if you are tired of the vampire scene this might be a good refresher. Another reason is that the series has 15 books so there is plenty too read. And finally I would recommend this book because it is just great overall. It has a very magical feel to it and takes you into another world. It has action, adventure, fantasy, and mystery. It is a real page-turner and leaves off with suspenseful cliffhangers. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves to explore other worlds. My only warning is that there is some violence. I absolutely loved this book and I hope, if you read it, you will love it too.