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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
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
It's strange how the Diary-of-a-Wimpy-Kid-style of this book makes it it on one hand hard to take the story seriously, but on the other hand it saves the book from being completely fucking depressing. Like it is simultaneously not serious enough and way too serious. It's a way of getting the story out there and in the hands of middle and high schoolers and that's a good thing, I suppose because it certainly offers a bigger view of the world (actually, a bigger view of the US) than is generally available in your standard middle class white suburb.
It feeds white guilt, while at the same time condemning white guilt, and that is a conundrum that is not easily solved. Maybe putting it into the hands of the next generation of Social Justice Warriors is the best we can do. Yes, I am aware that we don't need white saviors and that poc are perfectly capable of saving themselves, let's make sure Hollywood gets that message. Except in this case I don't think we're going to get anywhere unless white men start feeling a lot more guilt.
Not that Alexie doesn't have plenty of guilt to dish out for the Indians too.
Two scenes in this book that illustrated the heartache on each side of the coin for me were
the scene where Junior is instrumental in taking revenge on the rez basketball team (who have admittedly treated him like shit in the previous game) by beating them soundly and two thousand white people cheer him on. But before they are even done celebrating he realizes that zero of the kids on the other team will go to college, several have not eaten that day, almost all of them live with alcoholic parents, half of them get beaten up by those and none of them have a future.
And then on the other hand
after his sister dies because the trailer she lives in catches on fire while she is passed out drunk and Junior wants to flee the house because, as he says, he would gladly stay if everyone came over and told stories about his sister, but he can't stand it when everyone comes over and tells stories about his sister while getting as drunk as she was.
It feeds white guilt, while at the same time condemning white guilt, and that is a conundrum that is not easily solved. Maybe putting it into the hands of the next generation of Social Justice Warriors is the best we can do. Yes, I am aware that we don't need white saviors and that poc are perfectly capable of saving themselves, let's make sure Hollywood gets that message. Except in this case I don't think we're going to get anywhere unless white men start feeling a lot more guilt.
Not that Alexie doesn't have plenty of guilt to dish out for the Indians too.
Two scenes in this book that illustrated the heartache on each side of the coin for me were
Spoiler
the scene where Junior is instrumental in taking revenge on the rez basketball team (who have admittedly treated him like shit in the previous game) by beating them soundly and two thousand white people cheer him on. But before they are even done celebrating he realizes that zero of the kids on the other team will go to college, several have not eaten that day, almost all of them live with alcoholic parents, half of them get beaten up by those and none of them have a future.
And then on the other hand
Spoiler
after his sister dies because the trailer she lives in catches on fire while she is passed out drunk and Junior wants to flee the house because, as he says, he would gladly stay if everyone came over and told stories about his sister, but he can't stand it when everyone comes over and tells stories about his sister while getting as drunk as she was.
This book was pretty good. I enjoyed the humor and the subject matter of the book. Like many of the other Alexie books and stories I've read previous to this, his classical political statements are still seen woven into this story, but, as per usually, that are not offensive to the reader. His realistic look at the world that "rez Indians" are born into is a dismal existence, but is portrayed well to help the reader understand a new world to which they are usually not privy. For a young adult book, I appreciate the fact that Alexie didn't talk down to the target audience, or "mute" the subject matter he was addressing.
I would recommend this to most anyone. It was a pleasant, fun, and quick read.
I would recommend this to most anyone. It was a pleasant, fun, and quick read.
emotional
funny
hopeful
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:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Murder
Moderate: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content
Minor: Eating disorder, Gun violence, Fire/Fire injury
There were a lot of parts of the book that I couldn't relate to, especially the main character, but I could see myself in parts of others' characters - in Mary and Rowdy - and I think that speaks of the quality of the writing and how this is one of those books that anyone can read and they'll be better for it.
I highly recommend it!
I highly recommend it!
Sherman Alexie did a really nice job here. He's taken his harrowing and inspiring life story, stripped out all the boring stuff that I'd probably skim over anyway, and collaborated with an artist to give a hint of graphic novel. The writing is sparse and sincere, alternately coarse and pithy, studded with occasional gems that made me stop and think. This book is funny, devastating, and enlightening. It is definitely geared toward young adults. Probably check out his other books if you want something more meaty.
Here's a quote from the book that shows both the coarse and the wit:
“I used to think the world was broken down by tribes,' I said. 'By Black and White. By Indian and White. But I know this isn't true. The world is only broken into two tribes: the people who are assholes and the people who are not.”
Hope you like it, too.
My first experience with a Sherman Alexie novel, although I have seen some of his speeches and read short stories, this is a really excellent read. No book that I can recall has made me both literally laugh out loud and tear up in the space of maybe two pages. So so so heartbreaking in a number of really simple ways, but also incredibly funny.
Alexie examines the struggle between tradition and progress, between fear and acceptance, tolerance and hate in a way that again, is fairly rudimentary. The most sincere stories seem to be the ones devoid of any grandiose devices or shock factor. Alexie mastered that with this novel. While it focuses on a boy from the Spokane Indian Reservation, anyone with a soul can appreciate the journey of young Arnold Spirit.
Alexie examines the struggle between tradition and progress, between fear and acceptance, tolerance and hate in a way that again, is fairly rudimentary. The most sincere stories seem to be the ones devoid of any grandiose devices or shock factor. Alexie mastered that with this novel. While it focuses on a boy from the Spokane Indian Reservation, anyone with a soul can appreciate the journey of young Arnold Spirit.
emotional
reflective
sad
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:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character