Ironman

IRONMAN

Bibliographic Information:

Crutcher, C. (1995). Ironman. New York: Greenwillow Books. ISBN: 068813503X.

Excerpt:

"I sat in a dark room upstairs in my house and decided not to end my own life like I done my children's. I think not many people understand the nature of mercy, because it gets misnamed a lot-hooked up with organized religions when there ain't no call for that-but I see it as the only medicine available for our anger, it is the only medicine for our hurt, it is the only medicine for our desperation." -page 179"

Plot Summary:

Bo Brewster is an aspiring triathlete with issues; anger management issues, problems at home, bullies at school, etc. Due to an outburst Bo is placed in an anger management class with what he considers to be a collection of likely future serial killers. He is initially reluctant about the anger management experience but, needs to complete the class in order to not get kicked out of high school. While completing the course and training for an upcoming triathlon Bo finds he has more in common with the potential serial killers and learns a lot about himself, family, and life along the way.

Critical Analysis:

This realistic fiction sports drama takes place in somewhat present time; I say that due to the Bruce Springsteen and Rod Stewart references. In this book Bo, the main character is not the only one with issues, but everyone, which is refreshing. My favorite thing about this novel is that it uses humor to explore very serious and real issues which are present in a young adults life. Issues such as rejection, anger management, family dysfunctional, to the more serious issues of death, alcoholism, and sexual and physical abuse.

There is no safe portrayal of an unflawed character in this novel, with the exception of letters/journal entries which Bo writes to Larry King, his voice of reason. The story is broken up between scenes taking place at anger management, dialogue between family members, letter/journal entries, and dialogue taking place between other characters not including Bo. So, though the story is told through Bo's perspective, the narrator is in the third-person omniscient style.

Shelley, Bo's girlfriend who he meets at anger management class is an aspiring gladiator who Bo's father refers to as "beefy" at one point in time in the novel. The characters are so well thought out that they do not reinforce conventional cliches of what young adults sound like, look like, or do. The only problem I personally had with the novel was the triathlete/athletic heavy dialog which I had a hard time fanning an interest in a lot of the time. But, that is due to me being a girl with a short attention span when it comes to any sports activity with the exception of basketball.

All in all, I think this is an excellent book and one that would especially interest male readers.

Reviews:
Chris Crutcher uses humor and straight talk to present a variety of issues facing kids today, love, divorce, child abuse, managing anger, even finding out someone you care about is homosexual. I find I am able to discuss these issues with my students using the book as a springboard. One of my students said, "This is the best book I have ever read. The kids in the book talk like us and feel like us." Another student said she laughed out loud when reading it at home. The other reviews presented the plot, I just wanted you to know what my teens thought of the book. -Reader's Review, Judy C. Harvey

Crutcher reassembles some of the character types he used to riveting effect in his stellar Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes: a teenage misfit narrator enduring grueling athletic training; a tough heroine with a tragic past; a right-wing authoritarian heavy; enlightened teachers; and a sadistic father. At its best, the narrative crackles along in the author's inimitable style. Beauregard Brewster, a would-be Ironman triathlete, chronicles the events that ensue after he insults an oppressive teacher and is forced to take an anger-management class with other troubled students. But Crutcher's message sometimes overwhelms the cast and the story line. Beau's stern father, who has to be right at all costs-even if it means stacking the deck against his son-is one of the few fully fleshed-out characters. Many are either saintly multiculturalists (Beau's gay swimming coach, earlier met in Stotan; "Mr. Nak" the Japanese cowboy anger-management teacher; the black female high school principal) or, in the case of the offensive teacher, outright villains. In spite of these flaws, Crutcher achieves many memorable moments-exchanges between the students in the anger-management class, for example, are idealized but often deeply moving. Ages 12-up. -Publisher's Weekly

The Killer's Cousin

The Killer's Cousin

Bibliographic Information:

Werlin, N. (2007). The Killer's Cousin. New York: Penguin Group. ISBN: 9780803733701.

Excerpt:

"...I had not meant even to hurt her. But I had, and now I lived forever with the abyss that separated me from people who didn't know what it was like, to have killed. To be a killer. Acquittal had nothing to do with it. I was a killer. And I know in my gut when I met another of my kind." -page 175

Plot Summary:

David Yaffe is a high school senior, for the second time. During his first year as senior he was being charged for brutally murdering his girlfriend. But, he got off, possibly due to family connections. He is now giving high school another try in hopes of clearing his reputation in another town and having another chance at getting in to college. But, this isn't a story about David, but his eleven year old cousin Lily. Lily is an odd, vindictive little girl who used to have an older sister named Kathy. But, Kathy tragically committed suicide. Do David and Lily both have a similar secret that they are hiding?

Critical Analysis:

The Killer's Cousin is a young adult thriller that takes place in modern time. The narrative is made up of quick, usually simple sentences that contributes to it's readability. Though this book reads more like a juvenile fiction novel, it is considered YA based on some strong language and sexual content.

Mysteries unfold and character suspicions flip flop. For example, there are two deaths in this narrative. One being Emily, David's ex girlfriend, and the other being Kathy, Lily's older sister who she was notably jealous of. This story is psychological and for the majority of the novel we do not know if David is being rational, or projecting his feelings concerning the death of the ex girlfriend on to Lily.

Something that I love about this book is the instability of the characters, which added to the edge of your seat suspense. For example, the younger cousin Lily goes from innocent/insecure, to annoying, to a conniving and evil figure within seconds. I don't have much to say for the character development in this book, but I don't think that was ever particularly the intent of the author. I also can't guarantee any heartfelt or moving themes or realizations. This book is a short, suspenseful read that would be suitable for all young adult reading levels.


Reviews:
Many secrets bubble just beneath the surface of this skillful thriller narrated by a high-school senior who has been accused?and acquitted?of murdering his girlfriend. David Yaffe moves from Baltimore to Cambridge to avoid publicity, but instead of finding refuge with Uncle Vic, Aunt Julia and cousin Lily, he is shown to their attic apartment and expected to fend for himself. His relatives appear to be conducting a cold war. Still blaming each other for their daughter Kathy's suicide four years ago, Julia and Vic have stopped speaking to each other. The one who suffers the most from their silence is 11-year-old Lily, who shows signs of being emotionally disturbed. Suspense rises to a feverish pitch as pieces of a complex puzzle fall into place, involving Kathy's death and Julia and Vic's estrangement from each other and from David's parents. Even Kathy's ghost seems to make an appearance, imploring David to "help Lily." Meanwhile, Lily is doing everything she can to turn her parents against him. David's attempts to pull the family together fail miserably until, in the aftermath of a chilling climax, he confronts his own demons as he attempts to help Lily dispel hers. The novel's gothic flavor, compelling minor characters (David's skinhead friend, Frank, and Raina, a college student and artist) and subtle exploration of guilt and complicity add texture to this tense psychological drama -Publishers Weekly

This is one of my favorite books in the world (though I haven't seen it in about four months cause I lent it to a so-called "friend" who promises to return it "any day now", argh). The thing I like best is the characters. David was so real to me, afraid of himself, lonely, guilty. Frank was probably my favorite character in the book. He reminds me of certain friends of mine. At first I really disliked Lily -- she seemed like a demon-child -- but after I realized what had happened I felt sorry for her. The only part of the book that I didn't like was Kathy's ghost. I didn't think that belonged in an otherwise realistic story, though it was through Kathy that David realized what Lily had done. All in all, a great book which I'd recommend to anyone who likes suspense novels. -Reader's Review, Meaghan Good

Bloody Jack: Being an Account of the Curious Adventure of Mary "Jacky" Faber, Ship's Boy

Bloody Jack: Being an Account of the Curious Adventure of Mary "Jacky" Faber, Ship's Boy

Bibliographic Information:

Meyer, L.A. (2007). Bloody Jack: Being an Account of the Curious Adventure of Mary "Jacky" Faber, Ship's Boy. New York. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. ISBN: 9781593160944.

Excerpt:

"Even with a fleet of well armed boats the Fervor is foolish to take on a kings ship. These smaller ships swarm about us pepperin' us with bullets and cannon balls. The master has been hit with chain shot and taken below, most of him. -Chapter 18"

Plot Summary:

Bloody Jack is the story of an orphan girl named Jacky. After her street gang of beggars die she is forced to find a new means of survival and disguises herself as a 10 year old boy so that she she can join the English Navy.

Critical Analysis:

Bloody Jack: Being an Account of the Curious Adventures of Mary "Jacky" Faber, Ship's Boy is the first in a series of historical fiction novels about Mary "Jacky" Faber, or Bloody Jack as she is so aptly named after killing a pirate. This book might remind some of Oliver Twist or The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, but more modern and grittier.

For example, the story starts off with Mary begging with her friend and mentor Charlie until he is killed. There are several other killings throughout the story by Mary's own hands once she becomes a ship boy such as the killing of a pirate, and a man on the ship that tries to sodomize Mary not knowing that she is not a he. Other more modern issues that might have been considered taboo during the times of the two previous books mentioned are those of female menstruation and sexual activity from a female perspective.

It should be noted that L.A. Meyers is male, but tells the story from Bloody Jack's female perspective, and I think he does a good job. Mary blossoms from a girl that easily resembles a boy to a girl going through puberty, and then a girl who finds herself developing feelings for her fellow shipmate, Jaimy.

Though this is historical fiction, it is fantastic and light, yet enjoyable. The story is told in a whimsical cockney accent which takes a bit of getting used to, but eventually does happen. Also, Mary "Bloody Jack" Faber can be pretty self deprecating at times, for instance I remember her describing herself as thin lipped and leather at one point in time. I related her early 19th century insecurities to ones a 12-13 year old girl would have today.

I would definitely recommend this book to young adults, and especially girls. As far as character development is concerned L.A. Meyer does a great job of making Jacky a likeable character with her quick wit, insights, filthy mouth by those times standards, and self depreciation. I would definitely consider her a character, and I look forward to reading other books in the series.


Reviews:Bloody Jack is a a rollicking good time, a colorful yarn with a lively protagonist and a boatload of action. Once begun, the book is difficult to put down; once completed, it's hard not to leap immediately into the next in the series.
-Tom Knapp, A Reader's Review

Meyer evokes life in the 18th-century Royal Navy with Dickensian flair. He seamlessly weaves into Jacky's first-person account a wealth of historical and nautical detail at a time when pirates terrorized the oceans. Interspersed are humorous asides about her ongoing struggle to maintain "The Deception" (she fashions herself a codpiece and emulates the "shake-and-wiggle action" of the other boys when pretending to use the head, for instance), she earns her titular nickname in a clash with pirates and survives a brief stretch as a castaway before her true identity is discovered (the book ends as she's about to be shipped off to a school for young ladies in Boston). The narrative's dialect occasionally falters, but this detracts only slightly from the descriptive prose ("He's got muscles like a horse and looks to have a brain to match") and not at all from the engine driving this sprawling yarn: the spirited heroine's wholly engaging voice. Her budding sexuality (which leads to a somewhat flawed plotline involving a secret shipboard romance) and a near-rape by a seaman mark this one for older readers, who will find the salty tale a rattling good read. Ages 12-up.
-Publishers Weekly

Grade 6-8-With the plague running rampant in London in 1797, Mary's parents and sister are soon counted among the dead. Left alone and penniless, the eight-year-old is taken in by a gang of orphans and learns survival skills. However, when their leader is killed, Mary decides to try her luck elsewhere. She strips the dead body, cuts her hair, renames herself Jack Faber, and is soon employed as a ship's boy on the HMS Dolphin. When the vessel sees its first skirmish with a pirate ship, her bravery saves her friend Jaimy and earns her the nickname "Bloody Jack." Told by Mary/Jack in an uneven dialect that sometimes doesn't ring true, the story weaves details of life aboard the Dolphin. Readers see how she changes her disguise based on her own physical changes and handles the "call of nature," her first experiences with maturation, and the dangers to boys from unscrupulous crew members. The protagonist's vocabulary, her appearance and demeanor, and her desire to be one of the boys and do everything they do without complaint complete the deception. This story also shows a welcome slant to this genre with an honorable, albeit strict Captain, and ship's mates who are willing and able teachers. If readers are looking for a rousing, swashbuckling tale of pirates and adventures on the high seas, this title falls short. However, it is a good story of a brave ship's "boy" with natural leadership abilities and a sense of fair play and humanity.
-School Library Journal

The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl

The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl

Bibliographic Information:

Lyga, B. (2006). The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl. Boston: Random House. ISBN: 0618723927.

Excerpt:
"He's a gross little perv. He stands in the main lobby every morning when we all come in and you can see him staring at the girls." She looks over at me, and I guess something shows on my face because she indulges me with that magic grin. "Hey, it's cool for you to stare at the girls, You're not, like, a hundred and ten years old and married. But, I was just sick of him and his shit, so i told him that if he bothered me again, I was going to tell the police that he molested me." "You should have seen the look on his face!" She rears back laughing, smoke purling from her nostrils like a dragon. "Oh shit, man, it was hilarious. I mean, I think he has molested one of the girls before. And after all that crap, man, he looked guilty. I knew I had him. So, I got up and left, but before I left I untucked my shirt and I undid a couple of buttons and I sniffled a little bit when I walked past the secretary's desk. Just to make an impression, you know?
. -page 139

Plot Summary:

Donnie, or better known as Fanboy, is a 15-year-old high school student. He is also an avid graphic novel aficionado, accelerated student, and unfortunately a walking target for a group of individuals at his high school he has christened "The Jock Jerks". The Jock Jerks terrorize him during lunch, and target him during Phys Ed during dodge ball. One day a girl photographs a picture of Fanboy being targeted during gym class, and that is where the adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl take form.

Critical Analysis:

The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl is a novel which takes place in modern day; accurately labeled by critics as the "post Columbine" era. This novel tells a story of typical, real time, teen angst from the perspective of Donnie, or Fanboy. Fanboy is a shy, intelligent high school student that has yet to learn much about life or women at this point in his development. He has one friend in high school named Cal, who is one of the token black students at Fanboy's high school, an athlete that provides a segue between Donnie and the Jock Jerks. Cal is also an avid graphic novel reader and collector. Then, there is Kyra, or better known as Goth Girl. Kyra is portrayed as a goth-centric teen with suicidal tendencies, as well as a passion for graphic novels and stealing cars. She somewhat adopts Fanboy and teaches him to stand up for himself, not be so afraid, and yes, life goes on, and that one's tragic teen life, really isn't that tragic. Though, that adage doesn't have to just apply to teen life.

While reading this book one watches Fanboy emerge as a more outspoken and self confident individual. We also see Fanboy putting aside typical social mores such as what is the standard of beauty, and what is normal in the realms of love and friend and family dynamics. We all have issues, and we are not one or even two dimensional beings. There seems to be a dated trend in YA lit, and possibly all outlets of culture and media that it is the jocks vs. the geeks, beauty queens vs. the outsider, etc., but that is rarely the case, and Lyga does an excellent job of applying humanity and scope to the majority of the characters which he portrays in this novel.

I would recommend this book to pretty much everyone I know that can somewhat relate to or has an interest in geek/outsider culture.

Reviews:Age range: Grade 9 and Up
Barry Lyga's novel (Houghton, 2006) about a smart, geeky, artistic 15-year-old boy with a passion for graphic novels comes to life with Scott Brick's narration. On bad days, Fanboy is bullied and tormented by his peers; on good days, they ignore him. Fanboy meets Kyra, a Goth Girl with requisite attitude who is also an outsider, and she teaches him to stand up for himself. Brick provides fitting voices for the teen and adult characters-including real-life comic artist Brian Michael Bendis-that give the audio an almost cinematic quality.
-School Library Journal
"I'm a computer geek, a comic book geek, a study geek. Even in the Fast-Track classes, I'm apart." Fifteen-year-old Fanboy is miserable at school, where he is bullied, and at home, with his pregnant mother and her husband, the "step-fascist." His only relief is the late hours spent creating his own comic book. Then he receives an instant message from Kyra, an enigmatic Goth who seems to be the only witness to the violence he endures, and the two form a cagey, charged friendship. Unlike Daniel Ehrenhaft's Drawing a Blank (2006), in which a young comics fan embarks on a wild, fantastical adventure, Lyga's debut novel is a darkly comic, realistic, contemporary story of bullying and a teen's private escape in artistic pursuits. Fanboy entertains plenty of violent thoughts. He carries a bullet, keeps a tally of his abusers ("The List"), and lashes out with sometimes-cruel remarks, which feel sharply authentic. The insider comics details will slow some readers, and the open-ended questions about Kyra's personal story will frustrate others. Yet Fanboy's whip-smart, often hilariously sarcastic voice skillfully captures a teenager's growing self-awareness, and adds a fresh, urgent perspective to age-old questions about how young people cope with bullying and their own feelings of helplessness, rage, and being misunderstood as they try to discover themselves.
-Booklist
"...Fanboy's whip-smart, often hilariously sarcastic voice...adds fresh, urgent perspective to age-old questions about how young people cope with...being misunderstood as they try to discover themselves." (Booklist, ALA, Boxed Review )