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mariahistryingtoread's review
1.0
SPOILERS ABOUND. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
The problem with Chester Keene Cracks the Code is not that his mother commits a parental sin so egregious I had to put the book down before I burst into flames. Her choices - as horrible as they are - make sense and are unfortunately, all too realistic.
(That's why I was so furious on Chester's behalf in the first place.)
No, what really grinds my gears is the execution of the fallout. I hate reading about people being wronged, but I understand it's in service of a greater good - a cohesive, moving narrative. What I don't appreciate is not being rewarded in the form of a proper follow through.
Chester is deeply betrayed by the one person he always thought he could trust. That is not something that clears up quickly. It's something that would have ripples for years if not the rest of Chester's life. I don't care that his mother does this in a book sense, what does bother me is the weight the book puts on Chester as the one who needs to simply get over it.
Parents can make mistakes. Parents can make huge, awful, life changing mistakes. Whether or not to forgive parental mistakes is a tremulous, irregular process. Acting like it's super easy only serves to buttress the harmful, dangerous belief in children are to blame for not being able to let a parental transgression go. It also implicitly reinforces 'but they're family!' rhetoric which allows abusive parents to continue to slither into their kids' lives long term.
As to be expected Chester gets distant from his mother right after the reveal. His mother spends several days not so silently crying so the entire time Chester feels guilty about his very normal, reasonable step back from her. There's something to be said about your emotions getting the best of you without your input, however, in this particular situation the reasoning does not matter. Impact does. She is not the most important person here. The fact that she's crying all the time and allows Chester to know she is, is atrocious behavior.
Chester's mother decides to take him to therapy to work through their conflict. I have no issues with this. They should go to therapy to work through it. Except this poses the question of if she could afford therapy this whole time then why didn't she take Chester before now? He's heavily neurodivergent coded for one thing so he could definitely use some extra/new coping mechanisms, but also considering the inside information she had on him, why not take him in general? She knew he was being bullied. She knew he was lying about it. So her plan was to let him keep getting bullied, keep getting more down on himself, keep getting more rigid in his approach thereby distancing himself even further from his peers...forever? All to maintain a ruse for her own selfish gain?
Secondly, this only further proves that therapy was a tool to make Chester forgive her not to help Chester process. The fact that she only took him after she was caught out for this when he definitely needed it before is evidence in and of itself.
The pressure doesn't only come from his mother. He gets it from Skye, and her father Christopher as well - though it is indirect on Christopher's part. Skye doesn't care that she was tricked only that she got to meet Chester. That's all fine and dandy, but that literally is meaningless. People react differently to the same situation. It's awful that Skye is so dismissive of Chester's feelings on the subject. Particularly because Chester is already internalizing that something is wrong with him for not wanting to play happy families immediately. He directly states "I'm slow, I guess. Everyone else knows how to shrug things off, while I'm still thinking, What just happened?" Why does he need to shrug it off? He's right to still be angry. No one else was betrayed. Of course, they don't care. He shouldn't feel this level of upset forever, but the first week or is perfectly acceptable.
Skye asks him if he's okay with their parents moving in together and Chester blows it off because ultimately, they'll just do what they want. She says that he doesn't get it, that's not how families work, everyone gets a say. Not really true, when Chester is actively being coerced to accept the new situation. Is he really getting his say when everyone has made their displeasure at his valid emotions clear? Skye literally tells him that her father is moping around because Chester's mom keeps saying no to moving in together.
Plus Chester admits his mom is lowkey packing to move despite saying no. So Chester is absolutely aware on every level that the only thing making everyone so unhappy is Chester's inability to let this grievance go. He's the source of his own unhappiness to because as - to paraphrase Skye - he can't get out of his own way about the situation. I really liked Skye originally, but I resented the fact that Magoon in the name of making her so cool, and quirky had her totally ignore Chester's feelings. Chester does make things difficult. I'm not excusing his tendency to clam up. I just think that bulldozing over his reactions isn't the way either. It's like the author implicitly believes Chester is wrong inherently so how any of the supporting cast chooses to treat him is right fundamentally.
His mom tells him she doesn't want him to not let those who love him help him. But, that's not what's happening here. Chester is being emotionally browbeaten into ignoring his very understandable reaction to a traumatic incident. It's not so cut and dry when the one who loves him is the one who did this. How can he be expected to seek his mother out when she's the one who caused the trauma in the first place? And if he does have a problem letting people in, then it's pretty rich for her to be worried about it now when all she's done is prove to him people can't be trusted.
And did I mention that all of this pestering happens in SIXTEEN DAYS? They all expect him to be over it in literally like two weeks. It's reprehensible.
The timeline is so rushed as well. These people have never lived together and Chester just met Skye like three weeks ago yet Christopher thinks they should get married? Worse than that, at the end of the book they do. Not even an engagement period. Just straight to marriage. If I was Christopher and just found out about the terrible thing the woman I was thinking of marrying just did to her son, I would hit the brakes hard. I don't know if I would break up, but the questionable judgment would mean a serious conversation at the very least. I'm not getting married within a month of the fallout. Especially when Chester is struggling so much already - it's yet another way that everyone disregards him.
Christopher didn't even have a conversation with Chester to feel him about marrying his mom. He was just going to spring it on him and Skye as the secret answer to the scavenger hunt. After having known Chester a year he really thinks Chester would react well to that? Also, why is it such a secret he wants to propose in the first place? Chester's mom doesn't tell him that the reason she won't move in is because she wants a proposal. So she's just forcing this guy to read her mind instead of engaging in healthy communication. What a wonderful behavior to model for her children or the readers.
I'm heated just writing this review. I had to re-read some parts to gather my thoughts and I was stewing all over again. Family can be cut off. Family can make unforgivable mistakes. Family shouldn't manipulate you like this.
If the book had left it at there's hope on the horizon, Chester will be trying to move forward, long engagement, more therapy then it would have been 3 stars. As it stands now it's lucky to get 1 from me.
The problem with Chester Keene Cracks the Code is not that his mother commits a parental sin so egregious I had to put the book down before I burst into flames. Her choices - as horrible as they are - make sense and are unfortunately, all too realistic.
(That's why I was so furious on Chester's behalf in the first place.)
No, what really grinds my gears is the execution of the fallout. I hate reading about people being wronged, but I understand it's in service of a greater good - a cohesive, moving narrative. What I don't appreciate is not being rewarded in the form of a proper follow through.
Chester is deeply betrayed by the one person he always thought he could trust. That is not something that clears up quickly. It's something that would have ripples for years if not the rest of Chester's life. I don't care that his mother does this in a book sense, what does bother me is the weight the book puts on Chester as the one who needs to simply get over it.
Parents can make mistakes. Parents can make huge, awful, life changing mistakes. Whether or not to forgive parental mistakes is a tremulous, irregular process. Acting like it's super easy only serves to buttress the harmful, dangerous belief in children are to blame for not being able to let a parental transgression go. It also implicitly reinforces 'but they're family!' rhetoric which allows abusive parents to continue to slither into their kids' lives long term.
As to be expected Chester gets distant from his mother right after the reveal. His mother spends several days not so silently crying so the entire time Chester feels guilty about his very normal, reasonable step back from her. There's something to be said about your emotions getting the best of you without your input, however, in this particular situation the reasoning does not matter. Impact does. She is not the most important person here. The fact that she's crying all the time and allows Chester to know she is, is atrocious behavior.
Chester's mother decides to take him to therapy to work through their conflict. I have no issues with this. They should go to therapy to work through it. Except this poses the question of if she could afford therapy this whole time then why didn't she take Chester before now? He's heavily neurodivergent coded for one thing so he could definitely use some extra/new coping mechanisms, but also considering the inside information she had on him, why not take him in general? She knew he was being bullied. She knew he was lying about it. So her plan was to let him keep getting bullied, keep getting more down on himself, keep getting more rigid in his approach thereby distancing himself even further from his peers...forever? All to maintain a ruse for her own selfish gain?
Secondly, this only further proves that therapy was a tool to make Chester forgive her not to help Chester process. The fact that she only took him after she was caught out for this when he definitely needed it before is evidence in and of itself.
The pressure doesn't only come from his mother. He gets it from Skye, and her father Christopher as well - though it is indirect on Christopher's part. Skye doesn't care that she was tricked only that she got to meet Chester. That's all fine and dandy, but that literally is meaningless. People react differently to the same situation. It's awful that Skye is so dismissive of Chester's feelings on the subject. Particularly because Chester is already internalizing that something is wrong with him for not wanting to play happy families immediately. He directly states "I'm slow, I guess. Everyone else knows how to shrug things off, while I'm still thinking, What just happened?" Why does he need to shrug it off? He's right to still be angry. No one else was betrayed. Of course, they don't care. He shouldn't feel this level of upset forever, but the first week or is perfectly acceptable.
Skye asks him if he's okay with their parents moving in together and Chester blows it off because ultimately, they'll just do what they want. She says that he doesn't get it, that's not how families work, everyone gets a say. Not really true, when Chester is actively being coerced to accept the new situation. Is he really getting his say when everyone has made their displeasure at his valid emotions clear? Skye literally tells him that her father is moping around because Chester's mom keeps saying no to moving in together.
Plus Chester admits his mom is lowkey packing to move despite saying no. So Chester is absolutely aware on every level that the only thing making everyone so unhappy is Chester's inability to let this grievance go. He's the source of his own unhappiness to because as - to paraphrase Skye - he can't get out of his own way about the situation. I really liked Skye originally, but I resented the fact that Magoon in the name of making her so cool, and quirky had her totally ignore Chester's feelings. Chester does make things difficult. I'm not excusing his tendency to clam up. I just think that bulldozing over his reactions isn't the way either. It's like the author implicitly believes Chester is wrong inherently so how any of the supporting cast chooses to treat him is right fundamentally.
His mom tells him she doesn't want him to not let those who love him help him. But, that's not what's happening here. Chester is being emotionally browbeaten into ignoring his very understandable reaction to a traumatic incident. It's not so cut and dry when the one who loves him is the one who did this. How can he be expected to seek his mother out when she's the one who caused the trauma in the first place? And if he does have a problem letting people in, then it's pretty rich for her to be worried about it now when all she's done is prove to him people can't be trusted.
And did I mention that all of this pestering happens in SIXTEEN DAYS? They all expect him to be over it in literally like two weeks. It's reprehensible.
The timeline is so rushed as well. These people have never lived together and Chester just met Skye like three weeks ago yet Christopher thinks they should get married? Worse than that, at the end of the book they do. Not even an engagement period. Just straight to marriage. If I was Christopher and just found out about the terrible thing the woman I was thinking of marrying just did to her son, I would hit the brakes hard. I don't know if I would break up, but the questionable judgment would mean a serious conversation at the very least. I'm not getting married within a month of the fallout. Especially when Chester is struggling so much already - it's yet another way that everyone disregards him.
Christopher didn't even have a conversation with Chester to feel him about marrying his mom. He was just going to spring it on him and Skye as the secret answer to the scavenger hunt. After having known Chester a year he really thinks Chester would react well to that? Also, why is it such a secret he wants to propose in the first place? Chester's mom doesn't tell him that the reason she won't move in is because she wants a proposal. So she's just forcing this guy to read her mind instead of engaging in healthy communication. What a wonderful behavior to model for her children or the readers.
I'm heated just writing this review. I had to re-read some parts to gather my thoughts and I was stewing all over again. Family can be cut off. Family can make unforgivable mistakes. Family shouldn't manipulate you like this.
If the book had left it at there's hope on the horizon, Chester will be trying to move forward, long engagement, more therapy then it would have been 3 stars. As it stands now it's lucky to get 1 from me.
libreroaming's review
3.0
2.5 stars. There are some pacing issues with this story, and the bullying plot line feels very old and formulaic. As a positive, the spy hunt clues were cute and might work for kids desperate for a mystery. Chester has a clear and vibrant personality that suggests he is somewhere on the spectrum. However some major plot choices strain realism and undercut the stronger qualities.
iamvanhoang's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
klra's review
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
A mystery featuring a neurodivergent main character who is bullied.
Content Warnings
Minor: Abandonment and Bullying
lbrauz's review
5.0
Adorable. Don’t let the cover fool you—this book is perfect for 5th, 6th, and 7th graders.
erin_hibshman's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Excellently narrated audiobook that combined a mystery with a realistic fiction story. Chester is a loveable character dealing with some common emotions, and I liked how it was dealt with honestly and also allowed time for him to process the changes and realities of his situation. The mystery was a fun plot line as well.
literatehedgehog's review
3.0
Ah, Chester! So lovable, so believable! Because of Chester's naivete this may read on the younger side of middle grade - older, more cynical kids will cotton on to things much quicker than Chester does, especially the relationships if not the clues.
The plot is interesting - a climax in the middle and numerous stages of falling action to resolve different elements. Would not work for a first mentor text on the plot mountain!
The plot is interesting - a climax in the middle and numerous stages of falling action to resolve different elements. Would not work for a first mentor text on the plot mountain!
morahsharon1's review
4.0
Round up from 3.5. Chester is supposed to be a middle schooler, and most of his feelings reflect that, but he still doesn't sound real (that vocabulary!)
What his mom does isn't ethical, but you could see how she chose that path.
Not clear why the whole heist piece was included. It felt like two different pieces that never quite mesh.
What his mom does isn't ethical, but you could see how she chose that path.
Not clear why the whole heist piece was included. It felt like two different pieces that never quite mesh.
hrmason's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0