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kvreadsandrecs's review against another edition
5.0
Wowowowowowowwwwww.
It’s easy to hate then/now books, but Bryan Bliss does a phenomenal job at weaving the story together. Holy goodness. It’s easy to describe this story as the death penalty book, but it’s so much more. Friendship and worth and hard choices. It’s coming-of-age in the worst way possibly and it is heartbreaking.
10/10 would recommend.
It’s easy to hate then/now books, but Bryan Bliss does a phenomenal job at weaving the story together. Holy goodness. It’s easy to describe this story as the death penalty book, but it’s so much more. Friendship and worth and hard choices. It’s coming-of-age in the worst way possibly and it is heartbreaking.
10/10 would recommend.
sarahanne8382's review against another edition
3.0
Luke is writing letters to his best friend, Toby, from death row. This is interspersed by narrative of the week leading up to the events that sent Luke to death row. As Luke begins to bare his soul, we're left wondering how a kid with such a promising future ahead of him could end up on death row.
Early on I correctly suspected the general turn of events that sent Luke to prison, but the specifics of how we got there kept me reading when little else did.
I thought I'd get into the story because my brothers were really good high school wrestlers (not quite Luke's caliber, but close enough that I know exactly how much of a golden ticket a scholarship to Iowa is), but ultimately, I was not the main intended audience of this book, and that's okay.
The sheer volume of parental neglect in this story also made it very hard to continue. I just kept waiting for a responsible adult to show up and give these boys the support they so desperately needed. But obviously, it wasn't that kind of story.
A thousand times, it seemed like Luke had missed the danger, that everything would turn out all right, that the crisis had passed, that he'd remain the voice of reason to Toby's lack of self-regard, that an adult would finally step up and step in to save the day. These twists and turns really drove home the point that also came out in Anthony Ray Hinton's book - your worst act doesn't define you.
I thought the book was a bit too long, but again, that may be my lack of interest in much other than answering the specifics of how Luke earned his fate. I think readers who want a boy-focused book about growing up under rough circumstances will find a lot more to appreciate than I did.
Early on I correctly suspected the general turn of events that sent Luke to prison, but the specifics of how we got there kept me reading when little else did.
I thought I'd get into the story because my brothers were really good high school wrestlers (not quite Luke's caliber, but close enough that I know exactly how much of a golden ticket a scholarship to Iowa is), but ultimately, I was not the main intended audience of this book, and that's okay.
The sheer volume of parental neglect in this story also made it very hard to continue. I just kept waiting for a responsible adult to show up and give these boys the support they so desperately needed. But obviously, it wasn't that kind of story.
A thousand times, it seemed like Luke had missed the danger, that everything would turn out all right, that the crisis had passed, that he'd remain the voice of reason to Toby's lack of self-regard, that an adult would finally step up and step in to save the day. These twists and turns really drove home the point that also came out in Anthony Ray Hinton's book - your worst act doesn't define you.
I thought the book was a bit too long, but again, that may be my lack of interest in much other than answering the specifics of how Luke earned his fate. I think readers who want a boy-focused book about growing up under rough circumstances will find a lot more to appreciate than I did.
lisawhelpley's review against another edition
5.0
Like I try to do with almost every fiction book I read, I went into this book having no idea what it was about. My teenage son plans to read it after spring semester ends, so I grabbed it first so that after he finishes we can discuss it. Well, I'm so moved by,this story. The characters had depth, but just enough, like a typical guy their age. The things they don't say, but feel and display in actions, made the Luke and Toby seem very authentic to me. Without any spoilers, I'll just say that I won't forget this book soon.
castro_i27's review against another edition
5.0
My heart aches. I have no words for this, I just finished the book and I am on the brink of crying, ugh.
I thought that I was prepared but I wasn't. To be truthful, this book is sad, and it does not get any better, to summarize it's about to boys who their lives are crap. They struggled so much throughout, and just wanted to escape, honestly, I would have too. I am not saying this book was bad, on the contrary, it was beautifully written. It was written so well to the point where I could see, feel the bruises, and smell the cigarettes. And I would recommend it if you are in for a cry.
I would also read again.
I thought that I was prepared but I wasn't. To be truthful, this book is sad, and it does not get any better, to summarize it's about to boys who their lives are crap. They struggled so much throughout, and just wanted to escape, honestly, I would have too. I am not saying this book was bad, on the contrary, it was beautifully written. It was written so well to the point where I could see, feel the bruises, and smell the cigarettes. And I would recommend it if you are in for a cry.
I would also read again.
abbies_library's review against another edition
5.0
Fantastic, heartbreaking, and an all round good read.
ghost3_14159's review against another edition
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Child abuse, and Child death
kamckim's review against another edition
5.0
No spoilers here, but after you've read the book, go back and look at the cover. It's heart-breaking. This story about two kids who struggle against the odds is painfully real and will appeal to the social worker in all of us. The friendship between Luke and Toby is touching in its loyalty and it's interesting to watch it change when they both meet "a girl". The book is very carefully crafted in narratives from the omniscient point of view, sometimes just about Luke, sometimes just about Toby, sometimes about them both. It's interspersed with letters written in the present. Most of the letters hook to the chapters through interesting turns of phrase and themes. This is on a lot of YA Best Lists, and I do hope it wins something. It's award-worthy.
chmckinnon's review against another edition
4.0
Tragic story. Pacing was off, but in the end I wanted more.
mnvandertoots's review against another edition
4.0
Really enjoyed this one. I think a lot of my students would appreciate the story.