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A review by lisaortiz1221
Flight by Sherman Alexie
5.0
i read this short, quirky and wonderful book in a single sitting. it doesn’t have a lot of depth; the characters aren’t all that complex; but, you’ll fall head over heals into the story and be swept away with it all nonetheless.
"I am Irish and Indian, which would be the coolest blend in the world if my parents were around to teach me how to be Irish and Indian."
Zits (an unfortunate nickname that our protagonist earned due to the epic nature of his acne) is a conflicted teenage boy, unsure of his place in the world. he is understandably angry, abandoned by his own father and orphaned after his mother dies, forcing him from one bad foster home to another. at the height of his troubles, he finds himself in a bank with a gun in hand, ready to reenact his own version of the fabled Ghost Dance in an effort to bring back his Indian ancestors and kill all the white people of the world.
in his need to define and quite possibly save himself, he is propelled through a fantastical journey transcending time and space, to experience the lives and identities of seemingly random, yet extremely significant individuals, to bring about his own self-realization.
"I measure men by the content of their character, not the color of their skin, and I find all of them are assholes."
as a character, Zits isn’t exactly likable, but he is honest with us and with himself. during a time when he should have been able to learn from the positive influence of his own family and friends, Zits is instead left wandering, out on his own. although he is constantly getting himself into trouble, his redeeming quality is definitely his underlying moral fiber. he knows right from wrong and ultimately desires the love of others, but hasn’t got a clue how to go about getting it.
during his time travels, he is taken back in time to glimpse life as a variety of people – corrupt FBI agent Hank Storm, a mute Indian boy, a professional Indian tracker, a flight instructor, and others. through these metaphysical explorations, he is shown life in its best and worst moments and glimpses the opposite ends of good and evil, cowardice and bravery, wading through his own emotions to solidify his own identity.
the writing, though not technically categorized as Young Adult, definitely felt YA to me. it is simple and clean, fast-paced and punchy. Alexie demystifies the American Indian in a highly accessible novel that is both meaningful and enjoyable to read.
highly recommended!
"I am Irish and Indian, which would be the coolest blend in the world if my parents were around to teach me how to be Irish and Indian."
Zits (an unfortunate nickname that our protagonist earned due to the epic nature of his acne) is a conflicted teenage boy, unsure of his place in the world. he is understandably angry, abandoned by his own father and orphaned after his mother dies, forcing him from one bad foster home to another. at the height of his troubles, he finds himself in a bank with a gun in hand, ready to reenact his own version of the fabled Ghost Dance in an effort to bring back his Indian ancestors and kill all the white people of the world.
in his need to define and quite possibly save himself, he is propelled through a fantastical journey transcending time and space, to experience the lives and identities of seemingly random, yet extremely significant individuals, to bring about his own self-realization.
"I measure men by the content of their character, not the color of their skin, and I find all of them are assholes."
as a character, Zits isn’t exactly likable, but he is honest with us and with himself. during a time when he should have been able to learn from the positive influence of his own family and friends, Zits is instead left wandering, out on his own. although he is constantly getting himself into trouble, his redeeming quality is definitely his underlying moral fiber. he knows right from wrong and ultimately desires the love of others, but hasn’t got a clue how to go about getting it.
during his time travels, he is taken back in time to glimpse life as a variety of people – corrupt FBI agent Hank Storm, a mute Indian boy, a professional Indian tracker, a flight instructor, and others. through these metaphysical explorations, he is shown life in its best and worst moments and glimpses the opposite ends of good and evil, cowardice and bravery, wading through his own emotions to solidify his own identity.
the writing, though not technically categorized as Young Adult, definitely felt YA to me. it is simple and clean, fast-paced and punchy. Alexie demystifies the American Indian in a highly accessible novel that is both meaningful and enjoyable to read.
highly recommended!