Scan barcode
A review by bookph1le
The Best Man by Richard Peck
4.0
This is a really sweet and funny book with plenty of heart, and just enough wackiness to keep things interesting. Though the title emphasizes Archer's role at his uncle's wedding, that's actually a small part of the book. It's a nicely done novel about approaching puberty and leaving childhood behind. Some spoilers to follow.
This is the first book I've read by Peck, so I don't know if this is a hallmark of his style, but he manages to pack in a lot of important themes and a good dose of humor, all while using fairly spare prose. The book covers everything from a vicious episode of bullying to anti-gay prejudice to multiculturalism to a boy's search for rule models, all without being preachy or precious.
I found the passages about Archer's grandfather that are woven throughout the book to be particularly touching. Peck's hand is light and his touch deft, but I felt the fullness of both Archer's grief and his father's. Peck does such a beautiful job of letting a few well-chosen words to convey the depths of human love.
As for the LGBTQ angle, I thought that was well-done too. The book doesn't make a big deal of it, but it doesn't shy away from addressing the curiosity a child might feel about the topic. I especially liked a scene where Archer asks Uncle Paul when he decided to be gay, and his uncle replies that being gay isn't a decision, how you live your life is. I also liked that Uncle Paul is fully-fleshed to the extent that it's obvious why Archer looks up to him. He's not a main character, but he is prominent in Archer's life, so he never comes across as a token character.
If I have one quibble, it's that several female characters are underdeveloped. I liked Lynette lot, and her personally shines through--though I do wish her trip to "fat camp" had been addressed more. His mother isn't very vividly drawn, and his grandmother especially isn't. I'd also say their relationship is straight up stock, as is the portrayal of Holly, his older sister.
Still, I enjoyed this book and welled up several times. I think it's a good bet for any middle-grade reader who enjoys realistic fiction about growing up, and it also serves as a nice message book that doesn't get too heavy-handed with its message.
This is the first book I've read by Peck, so I don't know if this is a hallmark of his style, but he manages to pack in a lot of important themes and a good dose of humor, all while using fairly spare prose. The book covers everything from a vicious episode of bullying to anti-gay prejudice to multiculturalism to a boy's search for rule models, all without being preachy or precious.
I found the passages about Archer's grandfather that are woven throughout the book to be particularly touching. Peck's hand is light and his touch deft, but I felt the fullness of both Archer's grief and his father's. Peck does such a beautiful job of letting a few well-chosen words to convey the depths of human love.
As for the LGBTQ angle, I thought that was well-done too. The book doesn't make a big deal of it, but it doesn't shy away from addressing the curiosity a child might feel about the topic. I especially liked a scene where Archer asks Uncle Paul when he decided to be gay, and his uncle replies that being gay isn't a decision, how you live your life is. I also liked that Uncle Paul is fully-fleshed to the extent that it's obvious why Archer looks up to him. He's not a main character, but he is prominent in Archer's life, so he never comes across as a token character.
If I have one quibble, it's that several female characters are underdeveloped. I liked Lynette lot, and her personally shines through--though I do wish her trip to "fat camp" had been addressed more. His mother isn't very vividly drawn, and his grandmother especially isn't. I'd also say their relationship is straight up stock, as is the portrayal of Holly, his older sister.
Still, I enjoyed this book and welled up several times. I think it's a good bet for any middle-grade reader who enjoys realistic fiction about growing up, and it also serves as a nice message book that doesn't get too heavy-handed with its message.