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c_serpent 's review for:
A Separate Peace
by John Knowles
Lots of reviews of this book state that there's nothing relatable in it, because it's old, or set in 1942, or whatever.
But haven't you ever had a best friend you were jealous of? Haven't you ever misunderstood someone, and hurt them badly because of it? Haven't you ever projected your own twisted and unfair thoughts onto another person, only to learn that they were actually kind, and much kinder than yourself?
I would argue this book isn't about the war at all. It's about being sixteen and insecure and the tension of having hurt someone you really love. It's about not knowing what to do with that. It's about trust and communication and understanding and not telling the truth.
It's literally just about growing up and having a best friend. And if that's not relatable I actually don't know what is.
What got me about this book was the interiority of it. We get to see inside Gene's head, all the ways he misunderstands, all the secrets he harbors against Phineas for no good reasons. We watch him try to rationalize, excuse, and cope. Man is really out here fighting for his life. Meanwhile Phineas is easygoing and good. I could probably argue that Gene is the bad guy of the book, because he, objectively speaking, ruined Phineas's life.
But how can I, when I am Gene? When you are Gene?
Sometimes we behave in ways we aren't proud of. There's ugliness in us that we don't want to come into the light. And so I love him, because he's sixteen, and a child, and he's trying, and I can see myself in him.
The pacing of this book is so good. The story is so good. The writing is delicious. The characters are excellent.
I get hating a book that's required reading. I wasn't required to read it in school, I chose to read it the summer after my senior year. But I'm really, really glad I did.
One star for blitz ball, two stars for Finny's pink shirt, and two stars for poor, poor Gene.
Total score: 5/5 stars
But haven't you ever had a best friend you were jealous of? Haven't you ever misunderstood someone, and hurt them badly because of it? Haven't you ever projected your own twisted and unfair thoughts onto another person, only to learn that they were actually kind, and much kinder than yourself?
I would argue this book isn't about the war at all. It's about being sixteen and insecure and the tension of having hurt someone you really love. It's about not knowing what to do with that. It's about trust and communication and understanding and not telling the truth.
It's literally just about growing up and having a best friend. And if that's not relatable I actually don't know what is.
What got me about this book was the interiority of it. We get to see inside Gene's head, all the ways he misunderstands, all the secrets he harbors against Phineas for no good reasons. We watch him try to rationalize, excuse, and cope. Man is really out here fighting for his life. Meanwhile Phineas is easygoing and good. I could probably argue that Gene is the bad guy of the book, because he, objectively speaking, ruined Phineas's life.
But how can I, when I am Gene? When you are Gene?
Sometimes we behave in ways we aren't proud of. There's ugliness in us that we don't want to come into the light. And so I love him, because he's sixteen, and a child, and he's trying, and I can see myself in him.
The pacing of this book is so good. The story is so good. The writing is delicious. The characters are excellent.
I get hating a book that's required reading. I wasn't required to read it in school, I chose to read it the summer after my senior year. But I'm really, really glad I did.
One star for blitz ball, two stars for Finny's pink shirt, and two stars for poor, poor Gene.
Total score: 5/5 stars