Great premise with lots of twists. I enjoyed the multi-perspective narrative that clearly indicated which character was taking the narrative forward. Characters offer conflicting perspectives and are not always reliable. A great choice for middle graders craving a more challenging narrative structure. The writing is great and the action and inter-character dynamics will keep readers engaged. ( )

I read this for our English class and actually really loved this book. I actually read the entire thing in one sitting cause the story was so different. I thought the plot was well written and captivating.

I really enjoyed reading this book, and I think it kept the reader interested throughout. The only critique I have for it is that I think hte ending could have had more plot twists in it. ( )

If I were going to rank Gordon Korman's books, this would come near the bottom of the list. Its basically all groundwork for the series and terribly bland. The premise is interesting though and the set-up intriguing enough to justify reading the next book. ( )

Eli Frieden lives in Serenity, New Mexico, the most perfect town in the world. There is no crime, no poverty, and everyone is so nice. Eli doesn't see this as a problem until his best friend, Randy is sent away and leaves Eli a note, telling him that things in Serenity are not as perfect as they seem. It isn't long before Eli along with three of his friends begin to investigate things that just don't seem to fit about their town. What they discover leads them to attempt a most daring escape.

Masterminds has a tantalizing mystery as well as an interesting premise - a perfect town filled with secrets. Each chapter is told from the perspective of different characters, so as the mystery unfolds, we see the different reactions of each character as they start to realize that their lives have all been a huge lie. Overall, this is a very unique story that should have conspiracy theorists salivating. ( )