Eye of the Storm was an interesting take on a future (not too far from now) in which climate change has created conditions that are so ripe for horrible storms and tornadoes that people no longer feel safe being outside without knowing they can run to a nearby storm shelter, of which multiple ones have been built so that one is always close by. Jaden, the main character of the story, is sent to visit with her father and his new wife while her mother (a scientist) goes away for the summer to study poison dart frogs. Jaden's father is a scientist working to find ways to diminish or break apart storms before they can form into killer tornadoes, or so she thinks. He lives in a community called Placid Meadows with all the latest scientific gadgets and genetically modified food so that strawberries are perfect in shape and no longer have those annoying seeds that get caught in people's teeth. Placid Meadows has a guarantee that it will never be hit by storms, something that Jaden is confused and mystified by, especially after she sees a storm approaching the neighbourhood with her own eyes, only to see it turn away and move in another direction once it hit the perimeter of the the housing complex. Jaden's father, in addition to his work on trying to learn how to diminish monster tornadoes at his company StormSafe, has investors for creating a second Placid Meadows housing complex, and has been buying up local farms for the land to make it happen. He also creates a science camp called Eye on Tomorrow for the best and brightest students interested in learning about weather science, cloning and genetically modified food. As part of a deal with the community where the camp is based, local kids have been allowed to attend if they have the interest and aptitude and Jaden quickly makes friends with a girl in her neighbourhood, as well as two local boys who are the sons of farmers in the area. Through Jaden and her friends and family, the reader is able to look at a variety of important issues from more than one side.

As Jaden and her friends begin investigating the science behind storm manipulationat Eye on Tomorrow, they discover that not everything is as it seems, and Jaden is forced to face some complicated truths about power, money, family and friendship.

An enjoyable read and an fascinating take on a near future with some possible consequences of not doing enough to stop global warming, and maybe doing more scientifically in other areas than is best. ( )

A girl's father is hiding a secret along with a group of people from everyone. His daughter investigates with her friends to uncover the truth behind all the bad weather. A plan is uncovered, a tornado created with the power to destroy everything in it's path, heading toward farms and the outside. This all takes place in the future where storms are rising frequently. ( )

Uneven pacing mars this science fiction adventure. ( )

Middle grade dystopias are generally much lighter fare, not just in reading level. They tend to be less violent, less terrifying. Eye of the Storm definitely fits this mold, but is no less interesting for that. Don't think it's too sweet and fluffy; there are definitely a couple of intense scenes.

Jaden's father is the worst. I mean, seriously. He doesn't seem to make an effort with his family (either Jaden or his new wife and baby) at all. Whenever he has a bad day at work, which seems to be a lot, he blusters at them. He spends most of his time in his locked office, rather than with his family. It had been years since he spent any real time with Jaden, because he was researching in Russia, and yet now that she's there he only holds brief conversations with her. That's it. Plus, he doesn't do anything to make his wife happy; she loves dancing, and even though there are small amateur groups they could see live locally, he won't take her. What a completely awful man.

I loved that the central idea for the dystopia was one that I had not encountered before. The weather has gone bonkers in many, but this one focused specifically on tornadoes, although acknowledging that in other parts of the world cyclones and typhoons were just as much of a problem. After the huge storms in Japan this past year and Katrina's crazy damage to New Orleans, it's terrifying to consider what it would be like if storms like these only got more powerful and now went everywhere. Of course, it's also impossible for me to read this without constantly replaying the movie Twister in my head, haha.

Also cool is that Messner added some other scientific developments into the dystopian elements of the story. For example, along with building communities that are safe from tornadoes, Jaden's dad's company StormSafe also develops genetically engineered food. While this is in no way the focus, I think these little tidbits of other developments really set the atmosphere for where the world was headed.

Eye of the Storm is a good, swift dystopian read for younger (or older) readers. Especially recommended to those who enjoy stories about really clever kids, such as The Mysterious Benedict Society. ( )

Jaden is excited to be spending the summer with her father, but also nervous: he's assured both her and her mom that she'll be perfectly safe from the tornadoes that have become a part of everyday life all across the country, but being told that is different from really understanding how that could be possible. She's nervous about being away from her mom for the whole summer, and away from her home, which could be destroyed if a storm comes while they're not there. But mostly, she's excited: this is a chance to really spend time with her dad and get to know him again, and share their passion for science while Jaden attends the Eye on Tomorrow summer science camp that her dad founded. Her dad has been researching storm dissipation, and that's where Jaden's interests lie, too--and so do Alex's, the boy Jaden partners with in their camp research. Unfortunately, their research turns up some troubling data about the work Jaden's dad has been doing, and Jaden will have to decide if her loyalties lie with her father, or with the science that could save thousands of lives.

Post-apocalyptic in that we've somehow trashed the planet to the extent that tornadoes form all the time, everywhere across the US and Europe. Entire swaths of land are destroyed each time tornadoes rip through. Farms are destroyed, which doesn't matter much thanks to DNAture produce, perfectly engineered to remove seeds, bitterness, asymmetry, and all those other terrible things that are the reasons kids won't eat vegetables. (Spoiler alert: farm food is totally delicious; DNAture stuff, not so much. Picture the difference between fresh, local, wild strawberries and supermarket, California-sourced strawberries in January, times about a zillion.) Dystopian in that Jaden's father has built himself a little town that is somehow impervious to bad weather, and has pretty tight surveillance over student researchers just in case they come a little too close to finding the truth about the town.

Upper elementary/middle school appeal, particularly good for science-minded girls who don't generally see themselves represented in books very often. Comparisons to Calpurnia Tate will be thick on the ground, as well as to the movie Twister. And, I dunno, something having to do with real estate development?

From ARC generously provided by the author. (Thanks!) ( )