Reviews

Payback by Gordon Korman

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This was a satisfying ending to the Masterminds series. I am not super fond of Korman's writing style but I'm a 51-year-old mom so that probably wouldn't influence a middle grade reader.

Malik, Tori, Amber, and Eli all struggle with their conscience and emotions. Korman does a good job of keeping each character true to their personality. I listened to the first two books on CD and think Malik's reader sounded a lot like Andy Samberg so I use that voice in my head when I read those chapters. He's the funny goofball.

My favorite character is Tori because she is the most observant. I love how she can figure out how to get the whole team out of a mess.

As I mentioned in my review of Book 2, due to the violence in these books, I think the best age to read them is 12 years and older.

kalira's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

finagarvey's review

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adventurous challenging emotional hopeful mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

meghan_solo's review against another edition

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fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? Yes

3.25

katrenia's review

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4.0

A good ending to the series. The only thing missing is an epilogue, checking in where they are at 15-20 years later. The kids had some big adventures in the story, and it was impressive how they thought through each situation. There was a lot of emphasis on the part their DNA played, which could be tough for some kids to read if they come from tough family situations.

jlynncarter1514's review

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4.0

This is a very solid series that I plan on reading with students for years to come. It’s very entertaining, highly unpredictable, and has great character development.