“GOING ROGUE: AN ALSO KNOWN AS NOVEL,” by Robin Benway, Bloomsbury USA Childrens, Jan. 14, 2014, Hardcover, $17.99 (young adult)
In February 2013, I had the opportunity to interview Robin Benway, the author of “Also Known As,” the story of a 16-year-old safecracker and active-duty daughter of international spies, whose life is turned upside down when she gets her first solo assignment. In January 2014, “Going Rogue,” the follow up to “Also Known As” hit stores. Now it’s available in paperback.
I highly enjoyed the first book, and I was pleasantly surprised by the second. This time around Maggie is taking a break from being a spy, or at least she thinks she is. Everything goes topsy-turvy her parents are falsely accused of stealing priceless gold coins. Now Maggie must use her safecracking skills to try and clear their names. But try as Maggie might, she can’t keep the people she cares about out of the cross hairs of someone with an evil agenda. Soon, Maggie finds herself with a new “team” and a new mission — taking down her former allies.
Though there is plenty of spy stuff (fighting, breaking and entering, explosions) going on here, along with other emotional elements, “Going Rogue” has a very light tone. Maggie’s voice is snappy, and she’s a very likeable character. So, too, are her friends and mentor. Some of the plot elements are a little unbelievable, but that’s part of the book’s charm — it is about a 16-year-old spy after all.
“Going Rogue” is a fast-paced, at-times white-knuckle caper. Robin’s writing flows well and her pacing is well suited for this kind of tale. Although it’s not quite as good as “Also Known As,” there are plenty of twists and turns to make “Going Rogue” worth your time (assuming you read its predecessor first).
