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4.32 AVERAGE
4.32 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
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:
Yes
Fun: 1
Characters: 1
Plot: 0.5
Impact: 1
Misc: 0.5
Total = 4
Characters: 1
Plot: 0.5
Impact: 1
Misc: 0.5
Total = 4
This is supposed to be a murder mystery. But it's not really as much a death story, as it is a life story. It's the life of a 12 year old boy in southern Alabama. Now, I was never a male child and heaven knows I am very, VERY far removed from 12. I also never lived in the South or even remotely near the Mason-Dixon line until my 30's with kids of my own. But I absolutely understood and was able to relate to Cory's story. At 12 Cory's (and my) biggest problems were teachers, parents, bullies, and the opposite sex. But also at 12, Cory's view starts to broaden and he begins to doubt that adults will always speak the truth and always do the right thing. It's confusing for him; it's unnerving; in essence it's just growing up.
A young boy's imagination and his appreciation of the little pleasures 12 year old life can bring will make you remember your youth; your little joys, and your big heartaches. This is a wonderful, warm, joyful, and sometimes heartbreaking coming of age book that will stay with you long after you're done reading it.
A young boy's imagination and his appreciation of the little pleasures 12 year old life can bring will make you remember your youth; your little joys, and your big heartaches. This is a wonderful, warm, joyful, and sometimes heartbreaking coming of age book that will stay with you long after you're done reading it.
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
slow-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
This book was beautiful but I don’t think I ever need to read it again! The animal deaths were a lot
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Meh! I'm now sure white people can really do magic realism
Wonderful read! McCammon lovingly fills the tiny town of Zephyr with a huge host of intriguing characters, and throughout the long story it's always fun to find out what happens next. The book is frustratingly superficial at times, and often when it does grasp at insight it's done in an unsubtle and slightly jarring way. But if you can look past that it's still a wonderful, engaging yarn.
This was a beautifully written novel, I have a new appreciation for slice of life fiction and McCammon does it SO well. Every chapter was engrossing, even if it seemed irrelevant. I felt like I was the main character, going through these things. The descriptions and heartfelt prose were not over done, they were just right. I really enjoyed how he was able to cover so many serious themes through the eyes of a young boy, there were many, many moments of shock and seriousness, all contributing to who this character/person has become. The fantasy elements were really small but added an extra layer, they felt real. I'm really happy I decided to give this a try on a whim.
A Must Read!
I didn’t really know what to expect when I started reading this book, I thought it might be boring, but I was certainly surprised to find that not only did I like this book, but I LOVE this book. But I am a child of small towns and country and I saw a lot of my own life in this book. This was a wonderful nostalgia trip for me and I will always return to it when I feel that need for “home”. -What was it about? Growing up, the momentous highs and the terrible lows, and being able to keep on going because you have people that love you.
I didn’t really know what to expect when I started reading this book, I thought it might be boring, but I was certainly surprised to find that not only did I like this book, but I LOVE this book. But I am a child of small towns and country and I saw a lot of my own life in this book. This was a wonderful nostalgia trip for me and I will always return to it when I feel that need for “home”. -What was it about? Growing up, the momentous highs and the terrible lows, and being able to keep on going because you have people that love you.
Incredible book. A little bit of magic, a little bit of heartbreak, and a lot of beautiful storytelling.