Genius Kids Make Me Jelly: 'Genius the Game' Review

Genius the Game

By Leopoldo Gout

Trust no one. Every camera is an eye. Every microphone an ear. Find me and we can stop him together.

The Game: Get ready for Zero Hour as 200 geniuses from around the world go head to head in a competition hand-devised by India's youngest CEO and visionary.

The Players:

Rex- One of the best programmers/hackers in the world, this 16-year-old Mexican-American is determined to find his missing brother.

Tunde-This14-year-old self-taught engineering genius has drawn the attention of a ruthless military warlord by single-handedly bringing electricity and internet to his small Nigerian village.

Painted Wolf-One of China's most respected activist bloggers, this mysterious 16-year-old is being pulled into the spotlight by her father's new deal with a corrupt Chinese official.

The Stakes: Are higher than you can imagine. Like life and death. Welcome to the revolution. And get ready to run.

Likes:

• Wow. The characters were downright amazing. I fell in love with Cai's sassy personality, Rex's devotion, and Tunde's enthusiasm. They problem solved differently than everyone else. I loved that. I could ignore the fact that they were geniuses. Their characters were so amazing. I wanted to be friends with all of them.
• The tension was palpable! I rarely say that, but, with this book, it's true. I was always on the edge of my seat. Would they fail? Would they win? What would happen? I had to know. The author was very skilled in writing the tension. I was so nervous during the competition!
• And the ending was so full of tension. I was freaking the flip out. What would happen? What is Terminal? What is Kiran's plan? I gots to know! (And I slyly inserted a How I Met Your Mother reference. Self five!)

Dislikes:

• The story didn't have a lot of time for the Game. Which sucked. I wanted more of the Game. Maybe more levels? Something! It was an interesting concept. Young geniuses battling it out? Intriguing. Give me more. I was a bit disappointed by the lack of information about the Game. To me, it passed by too fast. Slow down, bro.
• I didn't understand some of the Nigerian words Tunde used. Okay...I didn't know any of them. There was a lack of knowledge about Tunde's words, and I couldn't really discern what he meant. Was omo a friend? A partner? What did it mean? Typically, books add in a section for definitions. But this one had nothing. I was super confused about this, and I, admittedly, wanted to know more. Sorry for being curious and inquisitive.
• I hate genius kids. I hate them so much. They might be amazing people. I admit that. But I hate their genius-ness. This is mostly because I'm not a genius or even a prodigy. I'm normal. In the most abnormal way. I admit, begrudgingly, that these little geniuses were fantastic. Absolutely fantastic.

About the Author:

Leopoldo Gout is the producer behind many films including Days of Grace, which A.O. Scott of the New York Times called "a potent and vigorous film." He is also a writer, artist, and filmmaker. Leopoldo is currently involved in various film and television projects including major adaptations of the Alex Cross series, with the author James Patterson and the upcoming film adaption of Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life.

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