Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.34 AVERAGE
3.34 AVERAGE
I can clearly remember reading this book and thinking it was funny. There's a scene with a window (I think) where I laughed out loud. But other than the fact that it is set in a school boarding house, and the main character's name is Gatenby, I recall nothing else. Getting old.
This is one of the books in the school's literature circle collection. Pretty dated now, especially the language used and references the main character makes. Slightly humorous, light on plot, a fairly detailed first sexual encounter.
I liked this book more than I expected to. John Marsden was my favourite author until I was about 15, so I've read a lot of his books - just not many of his ones with male protagonists. It took me a while to adjust to Erle's style of narration, but once I did I found it intriguing and I grew quite attached to Erle.
Which started to pose a problem later in the book. Like I said, I've read a lot of Marsden's books, so I know what happens! I know how happy endings sometimes allude the main characters and how he likes to lull you into a false sense of security before hitting you with some horrible revelation. I was especially concerned when they went on a hike in the mountains really close to the end of the book - I was convinced someone was going to fall off the mountain and die! Luckily, nothing of the sort happened. I feel I can now count his boarding school books as one particular class that have better endings than some of his other books.
The book was a nice easy read, although some of the language was a bit odd at first. I don't know if was an age thing (the book was published when I was only a couple of years old) or maybe a girl-boy thing (I didn't know any boys like Erle when I was in high school and for all I know there are young men out there who talk like that). But once I got used to it, it was a good read. The descriptive language was quite good!
Which started to pose a problem later in the book. Like I said, I've read a lot of Marsden's books, so I know what happens! I know how happy endings sometimes allude the main characters and how he likes to lull you into a false sense of security before hitting you with some horrible revelation. I was especially concerned when they went on a hike in the mountains really close to the end of the book - I was convinced someone was going to fall off the mountain and die! Luckily, nothing of the sort happened. I feel I can now count his boarding school books as one particular class that have better endings than some of his other books.
The book was a nice easy read, although some of the language was a bit odd at first. I don't know if was an age thing (the book was published when I was only a couple of years old) or maybe a girl-boy thing (I didn't know any boys like Erle when I was in high school and for all I know there are young men out there who talk like that). But once I got used to it, it was a good read. The descriptive language was quite good!