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3.41 AVERAGE
3.41 AVERAGE
*3.5 stars
I'm not too sure how I feel about this one. Rage is about Charlie Decker, who comes to school one day with a gun, shoots two teachers dead, and then takes a class hostage. The adults outside are worried about a massacre. Inside, however, the teenagers are having a discussion. They talk about their dreams, about their worst experiences and their best. They talk about who they hate and why. They all come to an understanding with Charlie - except for one boy, Ted. And when Ted refuses to play along, it's not Charlie who hurts him, but the entire class, acting as one, leaving him catatonic and unresponsive.
I did not care for all of the reminisces the various characters got up to, but they all sort of set the stage, describing not just why Charlie is there but why everyone else is. It becomes clear to all of his classmates early on the they don't really have to be worried about Charlie - again with the exception of Ted who very much wants to leave and can't.
I'm not too sure how I feel about this one. Rage is about Charlie Decker, who comes to school one day with a gun, shoots two teachers dead, and then takes a class hostage. The adults outside are worried about a massacre. Inside, however, the teenagers are having a discussion. They talk about their dreams, about their worst experiences and their best. They talk about who they hate and why. They all come to an understanding with Charlie - except for one boy, Ted. And when Ted refuses to play along, it's not Charlie who hurts him, but the entire class, acting as one, leaving him catatonic and unresponsive.
I did not care for all of the reminisces the various characters got up to, but they all sort of set the stage, describing not just why Charlie is there but why everyone else is. It becomes clear to all of his classmates early on the they don't really have to be worried about Charlie - again with the exception of Ted who very much wants to leave and can't.
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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
challenging
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Physical abuse, Violence, Mass/school shootings, Murder
Moderate: Bullying, Misogyny, Blood
Mi curiosidad por este libro ha sido saciada. Un poco más diferente de lo que imaginé, pero muy buen relato. Bastante torcido, oscuro y reflexivo. Stephen King, como Richard Bachman, vuelve a sorprender con esta novela.
challenging
sad
fast-paced
A SK book that I don't like much
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Physical abuse, Murder
It's an interesting attempt at a psychological thriller, and there is something to be said about its exploration of teenage angst; however, I was overall unimpressed with the characters and the climax - I was expecting the build-up to resolve in a much more emotionally satisfying way than it did. I was intrigued by the dynamics that shape up between the different classmates, but I kept feeling like I'm waiting for something *more* to happen, besides the classmates beating on Ted Jones, which was cool but not as cathartic as I would've hoped .
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Murder
Moderate: Sexual content
dark
funny
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
funny
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This short story, banned from print due to American sensibilities is a nice little read. Ok, so the subject matter is probably going to touch a nerve for many people in the US, but personally I just took it at face value. It surprisingly detailed for a story of less a couple of hundred pages. The protagonist, like many others in similar stories, just oozes charisma. He has an almost admirable level of confidence and even temperament that makes him likable. Equally, his class mates' reaction to the situation seems to tell a story of its own, suggesting that the situation itself is less important than the few hours of earnest connection they all shared and how dissatisfied they all are with the mundane reality of their lives. Realism is not the aim here, of course. Like many times before, King/Bachman paints a vivid picture of a variety of characters that feel very real and familiar. I liked it.