The Supernaturalist
📘 About This Book
In the future, in a place called Satelite City, fourteen-year-old Cosmo Hill enters the world, unwanted by his parents. He's sent to the Clarissa Frayne Institute for Parentally Challenged Boys, Freight class. At Clarissa Frayne, the boys are put to work by the state, testing highly dangerous products. At the end of most days, they are covered with burns, bruises, and sores. Cosmo realizes that if he doesn't escape, he will die at this so-called orphanage. When the moment finally comes, Cosmo seizes his chance and breaks out with the help of the Supernaturalists, a motley crew of kids who all have the same special ability as Cosmo-they can see supernatural Parasites, creatures that feed on the life force of humans.
📖 Summary
Set in a grim future within the sprawling, industrialized expanse of Satellite City, The Supernaturalist by Eoin Colfer introduces readers to fourteen-year-old Cosmo Hill, a boy whose journey begins in a state of utter neglect. Born unwanted by his parents, Cosmo is cast out and relegated to the Clarissa Frayne Institute for Parentally Challenged Boys, specifically the lowest tier known as the Freight class. Life at the institute is not one of care or education, but rather a brutal existence where the state uses the vulnerable youths as test subjects for highly dangerous commercial products. Day after day, the boys endure agonizing trials that leave their bodies covered in painful burns, deep bruises, and raw sores. Cosmo quickly realizes that this so-called orphanage is nothing more than a slow death sentence, and if he does not find a way out, he will inevitably perish within its walls. Driven by a desperate need for survival, Cosmo waits for the right moment and seizes his chance to make a daring, high-stakes break from the facility. His escape leads him directly into a hidden, larger world beyond the institute walls, where he crosses paths with the Supernaturalists. This motley crew of resilient kids possesses a rare and dangerous ability that Cosmo discovers he shares: they can all see supernatural Parasites. These bizarre, invisible creatures exist all around the unsuspecting populace, silently feeding on the life force of human beings. By joining forces with this peculiar band of young vigilantes, Cosmo steps out of a life of institutional oppression and into an extraordinary battle against otherworldly predators, shifting his personal struggle for survival into a much larger fight to protect humanity.
🎯 Key Lessons
⚖️ Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
Fast-paced and thrilling plot from the very beginning
Engaging dystopian setting in Satellite City
Unique and imaginative premise involving invisible parasites
Compelling cast of young, diverse characters
⚠️ Cons
Dark and harsh themes at the beginning may be intense for very young readers
Some readers might want a deeper exploration of the dystopian world
✍️ About the Author
Eoin Colfer (b. 1965) is an Irish author best known for the 'Artemis Fowl' series, a bestselling blend of fantasy and science fiction for young readers.
View all books →❓ FAQ
Who is the main character of The Supernaturalist? +
The main character is fourteen-year-old Cosmo Hill.
What is the name of the institution where Cosmo starts the story? +
He starts at the Clarissa Frayne Institute for Parentally Challenged Boys, Freight class.
What kind of work are the boys forced to do at the institute? +
They are forced to test highly dangerous products for the state.
Who helps Cosmo escape from the institute? +
He escapes with the help of a crew called the Supernaturalists.
What unique ability do Cosmo and the Supernaturalists share? +
They can all see supernatural Parasites that feed on human life force.
