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thecriticalreader's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Why I Read It: I picked up Paperboy by Vince Vawter from my local library because I enjoy historical fiction and middle-grade literature.
Review:
The book does a good job representing the perspective of a young boy with a stutter growing up in 1950s Memphis. It is clear that the author possesses an intimate understanding of living with a disability that goes beyond the stereotypical. Particularly, I was struck by how the book demonstrated that Little Man’s stutter and experiences with ableism affected every aspect of his life and worldview, both positively and negatively. Vawter writes with intention and the descriptions of Little Man’s experiences and thoughts come alive on the page.
As I read further into the book, I developed a suspicion that the book is more of a fictionalized autobiography than a fictional story. The events and locations seemed too oddly specific to be fictional and the events in the plot did not fit neatly together like they do in most fictional stories. My confusion detracted from my enjoyment of the story, as I could not tell whether the author was simply bad at constructing a plot or if he was describing real events that happened to him. Additionally, the representation of race puzzled me. Another StoryGraph user’s review of the book, patchhadley, articulates my thoughts on this far better than I can:
I question whether the representation of people of colour was thoughtful enough for a book published in 2013. I appreciate that Paperboy represents the social norms and attitudes surrounding people of colour in ’50s Memphis – specifically how PoC were viewed by white, middle class families. That said, Vawter uses alcoholism and violence in the black community as the basis of the plot’s climax. This made me uncomfortable because I couldn’t decide if this portrayal was intended to be accurate to Vawter’s experience (Paperboy is loosely autobiographical) or a case of harmful stereotyping.
The book acts as though there is some ‘big reveal’ when it finally lets the reader know that Little Man is actually Vince Vawter, the book’s author. I would have appreciated this information up front; there is no need to withhold it from the reader, and the reveal adds nothing substantial to the story.
Overall, I enjoyed some aspects of Paperboy but found other aspects to be slightly boring or vaguely confusing. It failed to generate strong feelings in me.
The Run-Down:
You will probably like Paperboy if:
· You want to read a book with good representation of stuttering and disability
· You have nostalgia for paper routes and 1950s Memphis
You might not like Paperboy if:
· You do not want to read a fictionalized autobiography
· You dislike coming-of-age stories that try to tackle many social issues at once
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Ableism
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Stalking, Violence, Alcoholism, and Bullying
Minor: Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Animal cruelty, Blood, Racial slurs, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, and Mental illness
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