A review by helendipietro
Pax by Sara Pennypacker

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Pax and Peter’s bond will stay with me; this is definitely a memorable book which is told from alternating viewpoints. I’m a huge animal-lover and so I was fully invested, expecting huge things from this story. The quality of the writing is good and I can imagine schools using this one to discuss some difficult themes including the impact of war etc. It’s quite a bleak book but told in a beautiful way. 

There were more sad parts than heartwarming parts and I think content warnings are beneficial for younger readers who might find some of this particularly upsetting. 

I found the setting to be vague/ confusing and made it difficult for me to picture where they were and what it felt like to be there. Along with an unsatisfying ending, I had to drop another star for that personally! 



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