Helpful Score: 2
A very good book that actually becomes eerie when you read the acknowledgements and see where Peter Rock got his inspiration for this mesmerizing story.
Thirteen year old Caroline lives with her father in a large nature preserve on the outskirts of Portland, Oregon. Her father, whom doesnt really have a name, has built them a very inhabitable structure that seems to fit their most basic needs. They travel to town from time to time for supplies and to pick up a monthly check from their post office box. Nothing could be simpler, except for the fact that they must not bring attention to themselves, must not look like they are traveling together and they must avoid the police at all times.
Told from the perspective of Caroline, the reader is introduced to what appears to be a typical teen. Caroline wants friends, but isnt allowed to have them, she wants to go to school, but must make due with the encyclopedias and dictionaries and an occasional book from the library. She lives a very quiet sheltered life with father.
Then one day the bottom falls out of her world, what she thought was real isnt, what she thought of as home doesnt exist and slowly the truth is revealed and Caroline must make a new life for herself. But when you dont know who you were supposed to be, how can you make a new life that isnt on the margins.
Peter Rock has a true gift for putting you right in the middle of the story, for making a nightmare believable and for showing you a side of humanity that you desperately wished didnt exist.
Thirteen year old Caroline lives with her father in a large nature preserve on the outskirts of Portland, Oregon. Her father, whom doesnt really have a name, has built them a very inhabitable structure that seems to fit their most basic needs. They travel to town from time to time for supplies and to pick up a monthly check from their post office box. Nothing could be simpler, except for the fact that they must not bring attention to themselves, must not look like they are traveling together and they must avoid the police at all times.
Told from the perspective of Caroline, the reader is introduced to what appears to be a typical teen. Caroline wants friends, but isnt allowed to have them, she wants to go to school, but must make due with the encyclopedias and dictionaries and an occasional book from the library. She lives a very quiet sheltered life with father.
Then one day the bottom falls out of her world, what she thought was real isnt, what she thought of as home doesnt exist and slowly the truth is revealed and Caroline must make a new life for herself. But when you dont know who you were supposed to be, how can you make a new life that isnt on the margins.
Peter Rock has a true gift for putting you right in the middle of the story, for making a nightmare believable and for showing you a side of humanity that you desperately wished didnt exist.
Helpful Score: 1
I've read books before where it seems like the outline for a good movie. My best example is "Ultimate Gift" not a good book, but a good story and the movie was FANTASTIC. I like the point of view of the book but there are some loose ends.
Helpful Score: 1
13 year old Caroline lives in the woods of Forest Park in Portland, Oregon with her father. They are homeless, but he takes very good care of her. This is the simple premise to a book that could just be about alternative ways to raise a child. Yet it is told from Caroline's perspective which leaves thing open for the twist that comes a bit too far into the book. The twist makes the tale much more interesting than it starts out to be. Yet Rock should have given more clues and hints earlier on that not all is exactly as it seems in Caroline's world. Additionally, the writing in the first couple of chapters is a bit off-putting compared to the rest of the book.
Overall, it is a worthwhile read that makes the reader think, although it is nothing extraordinary. I recommend it to lovers of contemporary fiction with a twist.
Check out my full review.
Overall, it is a worthwhile read that makes the reader think, although it is nothing extraordinary. I recommend it to lovers of contemporary fiction with a twist.
Check out my full review.
Helpful Score: 1
Reviewed by LadyJay for TeensReadToo.com
Caroline and her father live in a forest park just outside Portland, Oregon. Her father has taught Caroline how to survive without technology or man-made things. She does not go to school - instead she learns from reading an old set of encyclopedias. Caroline plants a garden, observes wildlife from the tops of tall trees, and accompanies her father into the city when they run low on supplies.
They are usually ignored, and are careful not to draw attention. It is almost inevitable that Caroline makes a mistake. Father and daughter are taken into police custody and given the opportunity to lead "normal" lives. This type of normalcy is not welcome, and the two flee in search of a simpler existence once again.
I will be honest; it was difficult for me to become attached to the story. The dialogue between Caroline and her father is choppy and sporadic at times. It was difficult for Caroline's father to express himself; therefore, he relied on the words of someone else, a famous author, like Thoreau, for instance.
At first, I felt nothing for Caroline, but that changed as I followed her on this strange journey. Caroline's father obviously loved her, but could not come to terms with his own inner demons. Caroline's story is beautiful, bizarre, and surreal.
MY ABANDONMENT will make you think, and perhaps be grateful for what you already have.
Caroline and her father live in a forest park just outside Portland, Oregon. Her father has taught Caroline how to survive without technology or man-made things. She does not go to school - instead she learns from reading an old set of encyclopedias. Caroline plants a garden, observes wildlife from the tops of tall trees, and accompanies her father into the city when they run low on supplies.
They are usually ignored, and are careful not to draw attention. It is almost inevitable that Caroline makes a mistake. Father and daughter are taken into police custody and given the opportunity to lead "normal" lives. This type of normalcy is not welcome, and the two flee in search of a simpler existence once again.
I will be honest; it was difficult for me to become attached to the story. The dialogue between Caroline and her father is choppy and sporadic at times. It was difficult for Caroline's father to express himself; therefore, he relied on the words of someone else, a famous author, like Thoreau, for instance.
At first, I felt nothing for Caroline, but that changed as I followed her on this strange journey. Caroline's father obviously loved her, but could not come to terms with his own inner demons. Caroline's story is beautiful, bizarre, and surreal.
MY ABANDONMENT will make you think, and perhaps be grateful for what you already have.
