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4.33 AVERAGE
4.33 AVERAGE
Wonderful Read
This is a wonderful glimpse into a year in the life of a boy, and also that of a small Southern town. The book’s central mystery is really just a vehicle to get to know the people and the town. McCammon takes his time with the story, and it’s all the better because of it.
This is a wonderful glimpse into a year in the life of a boy, and also that of a small Southern town. The book’s central mystery is really just a vehicle to get to know the people and the town. McCammon takes his time with the story, and it’s all the better because of it.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
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
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
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:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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
dark
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:
Yes
adventurous
dark
inspiring
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:
No
Just finished it yesterday. Reminded me of A Christmas Story but with a fantasy hook, in it being a coming of age story set in the past told in a reflective first person narration. Each chapter, a different episode of the young protagonist, Cory, navigating boyhood (parents, friends, teachers, bullies) in his small southern town while brushing up against the strange and fantastical which has him encountering the sometimes unpleasant reality of the adult world (bigotry, war, death, crime, unemployment and alcoholism). Incidents in which the book tickled many genre flavor fancies of mine such as small town mysteries, supernatural horror, urban folklore, neo western, historical fiction due to its 1960s setting, and science fiction. This book I felt truly captures the sense we all had at one time as kids, that the world is full of magic. Thoroughly enjoyed this read!
I wish I would have read this book thirty years ago when I was 14 years old. I enjoyed it greatly but at a younger age I may have burst from over excitement again and again with each turn of the page. It's the kind of book that really captures your imagination. A story about life in a small town was plenty good enough on its own but then you throw in a murder mystery to add some spice... Great book. A really Goodread.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Hate crime, Misogyny, Kidnapping, Car accident, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug use, Grief, Murder
I struggled with this book. It was a 3.5 star for me. I read this as a buddy read with many individuals going a chapter or so per day. Perhaps it was the format of the buddy read, but for me this was a bit of a let down. I wanted this to be a great read, per the rave reviews, coupled with the very interesting start to the novel. Unfortunately, I found it a bit on the slow side and it kept me wanting it to pick up the pace.
The book was well written and lyrically it was transporting to the south in the 60s. I am just more a a plot driven reader and this was just a bit of a let down for me. A reader that enjoys great prose, atmosphere and a slow burn, this would be a great read.
The book was well written and lyrically it was transporting to the south in the 60s. I am just more a a plot driven reader and this was just a bit of a let down for me. A reader that enjoys great prose, atmosphere and a slow burn, this would be a great read.
This was a beautiful and amazing book, I thought I was going to give it a 4 and smiled to myself when I saw I had clicked 5 stars.
This book gave me a better understanding of rural America in the 1960s and I was surprised to see race was addressed in this book. I think President Trump should read this book, even though it was published in 1990, Cory’s dad says the KKK “are a bunch of scared people who want to turn time backward.” That phrase has a strong resonance with “Make America Great Again.”
I loved the writing style, the story was written by a poet with the soul of a child.
This book gave me a better understanding of rural America in the 1960s and I was surprised to see race was addressed in this book. I think President Trump should read this book, even though it was published in 1990, Cory’s dad says the KKK “are a bunch of scared people who want to turn time backward.” That phrase has a strong resonance with “Make America Great Again.”
I loved the writing style, the story was written by a poet with the soul of a child.