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3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
Book #116 Read in 2014
Fallout by Todd Strasser (YA)
This book takes the premise of a nuclear bomb being dropped in 1962; only Scott's family has built a bomb shelter. What happens when neighbors want to stay in it too? Will Scott's father, who took the threat seriously enough to build the shelter, have stocked in adequately in preparation? What happens when a group of adults and children are stuck in a bomb shelter for a few weeks in close quarters? This book reminded me a bit of Lord of the Flies set in a bomb shelter. It was a good, quick read. I think this book is more geared towards boys.
http://melissasbookpicks.blogspot.com
Fallout by Todd Strasser (YA)
This book takes the premise of a nuclear bomb being dropped in 1962; only Scott's family has built a bomb shelter. What happens when neighbors want to stay in it too? Will Scott's father, who took the threat seriously enough to build the shelter, have stocked in adequately in preparation? What happens when a group of adults and children are stuck in a bomb shelter for a few weeks in close quarters? This book reminded me a bit of Lord of the Flies set in a bomb shelter. It was a good, quick read. I think this book is more geared towards boys.
http://melissasbookpicks.blogspot.com
This novel is based on the premise that there was an incident during the Cuban Missile Crisis. The story begins with the sirens blaring and the family headed down to their shelter. There are the only family on the block that has built a shelter and soon their shelter built for 4 becomes filled with 10 and there are more outside trying to get in.
The next chapter goes back to the previous June when the family first considers building a shelter.
The rest of the book alternates back and forth between the time spent in the shelter - without enough food and water because it was only built for 4, with the mom injured, and with even racial tensions - and then the other chapters slowly move up to the date in October.
I enjoyed the book quite a bit....read it in one sitting. My main concern is that the boys in the book discussed Playboy and spying to see girl's breasts - you know before the end of the world and all. I am sure it is realistic to the age group of boys in the book but I currently am at a grade 1 - 5 school and I don't think I can put it into the library.
The next chapter goes back to the previous June when the family first considers building a shelter.
The rest of the book alternates back and forth between the time spent in the shelter - without enough food and water because it was only built for 4, with the mom injured, and with even racial tensions - and then the other chapters slowly move up to the date in October.
I enjoyed the book quite a bit....read it in one sitting. My main concern is that the boys in the book discussed Playboy and spying to see girl's breasts - you know before the end of the world and all. I am sure it is realistic to the age group of boys in the book but I currently am at a grade 1 - 5 school and I don't think I can put it into the library.
I read this book because I wanted to be able to discuss it with a student who was reading it in my middle school English class. This student is often a reluctant reader but read this book within a week and enjoyed it. So, keep that in mind when I say that I was not impressed with the story.
The book is an alternative history relating to the Cuban Missile Crisis and the possible immediate consequences if Russia had chosen to bomb the U.S. Although I found the premise interesting, I think it might be confusing for students who know very little about this period in history. Additionally, I couldn't really relate to some of the characters and relationships in the story. I was constantly wondering more about characters' back stories or asking myself why certain characters were friends. I was also disappointed in what I found to be a rather abrupt ending that didn't seem to resolve the conflicts in the story. I did appreciate the personal notes on the inspiration for the story found in the author's note at the end of the book, but I think some suggestions for age appropriate non-fiction reading on this subject would have also been great.
The book is an alternative history relating to the Cuban Missile Crisis and the possible immediate consequences if Russia had chosen to bomb the U.S. Although I found the premise interesting, I think it might be confusing for students who know very little about this period in history. Additionally, I couldn't really relate to some of the characters and relationships in the story. I was constantly wondering more about characters' back stories or asking myself why certain characters were friends. I was also disappointed in what I found to be a rather abrupt ending that didn't seem to resolve the conflicts in the story. I did appreciate the personal notes on the inspiration for the story found in the author's note at the end of the book, but I think some suggestions for age appropriate non-fiction reading on this subject would have also been great.
Meh. This book just didn’t do it for me. I never would’ve read it if it wasn’t required for one of my classes. Biggest part I had a problem with was giving someone else’s child wine?? Why?
This was a 5 star book until the ending. Absolutely all consuming...you just have to find out how it will end...until it ends and then you think did the author just run out of steam? I will still recommend this as a gripping and fast read but I was counting on a better ending.
Grades 8 and up due to some mild sexual content (discussion of breasts and Playboy).
For those who like Lord of the Flies type survival stories, this one will grab you.
Grades 8 and up due to some mild sexual content (discussion of breasts and Playboy).
For those who like Lord of the Flies type survival stories, this one will grab you.
emotional
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:
Yes
I liked this book but I wasn't smitten. For the first third of the book, I thought it took place in England - why? I have no idea, but maybe it was something about the language. Or I was just really tired. I liked the structure - one chapter in the now, the next in the recent past, but I felt like some of the chapters were a bit too "explained" in its follow-through. Decent.
What a messed up year for books this is so far. I've not finished multiple books that I gave a positive review to, but this first book I finished? I hated it.
Oh how I hated it.
Pat of the issue wasn't the book's fault: Who wants to read about a nuclear war happening while Trump is tweeting that his launch button is bigger than North Korea's is?
But much of my issues with it were the book's fault. What a joyless, frustrating, unpleasant story this was. It was the second oldest book on my Kindle, so I had long since forgotten what it was about. Based on the title, I figured it might be YA dystopian. Nope.
Set in 1962, a nuclear war happens. A man had planned ahead and made a shelter for his family, but before he could get everyone down there, neighbors showed up as well. His shelter had enough supplies for four people, but with the neighbors they had over a dozen people.
The book had alternating chapters, some leading up to the blast, the others after the blast.
It was just so very unpleasant reading about a dozen people trapped in a fallout shelter, short on food, water, no toilet, one of them badly injured. Two weeks of that... The adults (oh my god, so unpleasant), were fighting endlessly. The intelligent man was the most unpleasant of them all (which annoyed me).
Why did I keep reading it? Why did I finish it? I wanted to know how the author would end it. Would the people get out? What would they find? What would they do after?
But ugh, even the ending was annoying. Spoiler: They got out, but the book ended right there. And, after two weeks in the shelter, they ate the food that had survived the blast. Yes they were starving, but then what was the point of the whole thing? They suffered for two weeks, then were going to die from eating the radiated food.
Ugh. I was so angry about having read this book, I couldn't sleep after I finished it.
Oh how I hated it.
Pat of the issue wasn't the book's fault: Who wants to read about a nuclear war happening while Trump is tweeting that his launch button is bigger than North Korea's is?
But much of my issues with it were the book's fault. What a joyless, frustrating, unpleasant story this was. It was the second oldest book on my Kindle, so I had long since forgotten what it was about. Based on the title, I figured it might be YA dystopian. Nope.
Set in 1962, a nuclear war happens. A man had planned ahead and made a shelter for his family, but before he could get everyone down there, neighbors showed up as well. His shelter had enough supplies for four people, but with the neighbors they had over a dozen people.
The book had alternating chapters, some leading up to the blast, the others after the blast.
It was just so very unpleasant reading about a dozen people trapped in a fallout shelter, short on food, water, no toilet, one of them badly injured. Two weeks of that... The adults (oh my god, so unpleasant), were fighting endlessly. The intelligent man was the most unpleasant of them all (which annoyed me).
Why did I keep reading it? Why did I finish it? I wanted to know how the author would end it. Would the people get out? What would they find? What would they do after?
But ugh, even the ending was annoying. Spoiler: They got out, but the book ended right there. And, after two weeks in the shelter, they ate the food that had survived the blast. Yes they were starving, but then what was the point of the whole thing? They suffered for two weeks, then were going to die from eating the radiated food.
Ugh. I was so angry about having read this book, I couldn't sleep after I finished it.
It was fitting to read this, as earlier this week, I read "Tofu Quilt" about a Chinese girl growing up in the 60's, then "Hokey Pokey" about growing up, then "Countdown" about an 11-year-old during the Cuban Missile Crisis... and Fallout is also about an 11-year-old during the Cuban Missile Crisis! Both deal with issues of growing up during October, 1962... however, "Fallout" imagines what would happen if a bomb HAD been dropped on us... and one particular family has the only bomb shelter in the neighborhood.
I liked "Countdown" much better, and would recommend it to kids over "Fallout". They not only would learn a whole lot more history (I'm thinking if you didn't give a little background information before reading Fallout, some kids would get confused on what really happened), but scenes in Fallout seem a little too lewd to be included in a YA book, in my opinion. I know we see Scott learning through experiences and deciding for himself what it is to be a good person... but I don't think that necessitated all the talk about naked mothers. Maybe the author has some Freudian issues he needs to clear up with a good psychologist. I know had I had read that as an 11-14 year old, I'd have been horrified!
I liked "Countdown" much better, and would recommend it to kids over "Fallout". They not only would learn a whole lot more history (I'm thinking if you didn't give a little background information before reading Fallout, some kids would get confused on what really happened), but scenes in Fallout seem a little too lewd to be included in a YA book, in my opinion. I know we see Scott learning through experiences and deciding for himself what it is to be a good person... but I don't think that necessitated all the talk about naked mothers. Maybe the author has some Freudian issues he needs to clear up with a good psychologist. I know had I had read that as an 11-14 year old, I'd have been horrified!
I read this one during my summer internship. It seemed like a short read that wouldn't be too heavy, and [b:Fallout|17262252|Fallout|Todd Strasser|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1367256635s/17262252.jpg|23859052] was just that!
I loved the premise. The Plot is set in 1962, where there is a huge risk of nuclear war. Scott's dad, Richard, is the only one in the neighborhood who builds a bomb shelter. The others are certain the worst won't happen - until it does. How everyone works together to brave the fallout is the rest of the story.
The book isn't large by any means, but it goes through a lot of scenarios where a person's humanity is put to the ultimate test. At many instances, people are forced to pick between what's right, and what'll help their survival. The characters are all relatable, each of the ones trapped in the bunker a synonym for real life characters. You also felt how their lives would never be the same after that day, which was all props to the writing.
Minor gripes included how I'd have liked more writing on the world above after the event, but besides that [b:Fallout|17262252|Fallout|Todd Strasser|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1367256635s/17262252.jpg|23859052] was a sublime read.
I loved the premise. The Plot is set in 1962, where there is a huge risk of nuclear war. Scott's dad, Richard, is the only one in the neighborhood who builds a bomb shelter. The others are certain the worst won't happen - until it does. How everyone works together to brave the fallout is the rest of the story.
The book isn't large by any means, but it goes through a lot of scenarios where a person's humanity is put to the ultimate test. At many instances, people are forced to pick between what's right, and what'll help their survival. The characters are all relatable, each of the ones trapped in the bunker a synonym for real life characters. You also felt how their lives would never be the same after that day, which was all props to the writing.
Minor gripes included how I'd have liked more writing on the world above after the event, but besides that [b:Fallout|17262252|Fallout|Todd Strasser|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1367256635s/17262252.jpg|23859052] was a sublime read.