Bobbie L. (nascargal) reviewed Bully: A True Story of High School Revenge on + 352 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 8
This is a shocking and very disturbing book. It is very graphic and not for the faint of heart. It is, however, a sad commentary on our society and how no one seems to feel that people are fully responsible for their own actions and choices.
Kristen S. (ULookSoPrecious) reviewed Bully: A True Story of High School Revenge on + 8 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 5
A riveting, but disturbing account of the pre-meditated murder of Bobby Kent by his closest friends. It's hard to wrap your mind around the fact that this is a true story. Very well-written, but if you're easily disturbed you might want to skip it.
Helpful Score: 4
I had this read in three evenings... I couldn't seem to put it down. I'm a Mom, and I'm glad I read it...any parent should. I don't want to give anything away, but here's some of the reveiws;
"A COMPELLING ACCOUNT THAT READS LIKE FICTION...MUST READING FOR ANYONE WHO CARES ABOUT JUSTICE...[AND]FOR ANY PARENT WHO CARES ABOUT CHILDREN AND WHAT DANGERS LURK IN OUR MALLS AND STREETS AND SCHOOLS." --Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
"A DEEPLY DISTURBINB BOOK, AN INDICTMENT OF SUBRUBAN VALUES AND OF AN AIMLESS, VIOLENT MIDDLE-CLASS YOUTH CULTURE THAT IS DEPRAVED BECAUSE IT IS MORALLY--NOT ECONOMICALLY--DEPRIVED." --The New York Times Book Reveiw
"A COMPELLING ACCOUNT THAT READS LIKE FICTION...MUST READING FOR ANYONE WHO CARES ABOUT JUSTICE...[AND]FOR ANY PARENT WHO CARES ABOUT CHILDREN AND WHAT DANGERS LURK IN OUR MALLS AND STREETS AND SCHOOLS." --Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
"A DEEPLY DISTURBINB BOOK, AN INDICTMENT OF SUBRUBAN VALUES AND OF AN AIMLESS, VIOLENT MIDDLE-CLASS YOUTH CULTURE THAT IS DEPRAVED BECAUSE IT IS MORALLY--NOT ECONOMICALLY--DEPRIVED." --The New York Times Book Reveiw
Michele R. (hampdengurl) reviewed Bully: A True Story of High School Revenge on + 6 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
Wow, this book is a page turner. While your reading this you start thinking....this can't be true,but it is. Very disturbing and shocking. Great read ..page turner.I do recommend this book for people who have teenagers.
Helpful Score: 1
This is the true story of seven kids in Florida, white, mostly middle class and loved by their parents, but who knew how to get their own way. They got together and killed the best friend of one, who was, indeed, a hateful bully and rapist, but the lack of human feeling of the seven is appalling. You also wonder why some of them, who had not been injured by the victim, let themselves go along at all. It was as if no one had any idea of the seriousness of what was being planned. Their stupidity is amazing, too, and they were speedily caught.
The most powerful writing comes at the end, after the account of how the seven were convicted and sentenced. Almost all their relatives "shrieked" that the sentences were unfair..."He wasn't the only one." "...She made a mistake, that's all." "She was a dumb kid who was in the wrong place at the wrong time."
It ends, "They did not say this: My child is a murderer. I am sick with shame. When I think of what my child did to another human being, I want to die myself.
No one said that. Not one person."
A lesson for our day.
Good literature, it isn't, and there are some annoying inconsistencies, but the case is worth knowing about, and the ending is satisfying.
The most powerful writing comes at the end, after the account of how the seven were convicted and sentenced. Almost all their relatives "shrieked" that the sentences were unfair..."He wasn't the only one." "...She made a mistake, that's all." "She was a dumb kid who was in the wrong place at the wrong time."
It ends, "They did not say this: My child is a murderer. I am sick with shame. When I think of what my child did to another human being, I want to die myself.
No one said that. Not one person."
A lesson for our day.
Good literature, it isn't, and there are some annoying inconsistencies, but the case is worth knowing about, and the ending is satisfying.
Helpful Score: 1
This was a very good book. I was surprised by this story. I usually do not feel any sympathy for the "bullies" or evil people who get killed by good people who have finally had enough (such as the "victims" in A Father's Rage or In Broad Daylight.) True, Bobby was a real jerk, but the kids who killed him were basically jerks, too. I did feel bad for Bobby when I read how he was killed.
Lauri E. (Luluette) -
Helpful Score: 1
Sobering...scary.
Lynda C. (Readnmachine) reviewed Bully: A True Story of High School Revenge on + 1453 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Chilling true crime story of aimless teens who turn on and murder one of their own.
Helpful Score: 1
It is a very good story based on a True Story. This book is about a Bully and the people that took revenge on him. It happened in Florida so I am interested because I live there.
Oh this was good. I don't remember hearing about this in the news. I was left wanting more, what are they doing now type thing.
A little graphic, but interesting if you are into True Crime.
Surprising and compelling true crime story. I was amazed how little common sense many of the kids had--it's not until about page 110 or so that a kid says, "You witnessed a murder? Why don't you tell the police?" Some of the adults lacked common sense as well--one of the families' conversations with their relative's lawyer amazed me. I won't say more because I don't want to give too much away.
Shannon C. (shannypoo) -
i thought it was a bit boring. i mean I'm not a gruesome person but everyone was all like eww so graphic... it really wasn't. even the pictures that were supposed to be icky really weren't. i did enjoy the book on the whole. it made me laugh and reinforce why i don't like drugs and people on drugs. my favorite part however was like the last line....
"In almost every case they shrieked that the sentences were unfair. he wasn't the only one, marty puccios grandmother cried.
she's innocent, one of lisa connellys relatives said, she made a mistake thats all.
ali willis's stepfather said she was a dumb kid who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
They did not say this:
my child is a murderer. i am sick with shame. when i think of what my child did to another human being, i want to die myself
no one said that. not one person"
and i just really liked this part because its like the truth. and it goes to show just how they really were raised. they did it and they just tried shuffling all the blame to each other. instead of taking responsibility for what they had done. if i had been the judge i would have ruled more harshly on account of the obvious disregard for life and the fact none of them felt truly bad that they killed someone.
"In almost every case they shrieked that the sentences were unfair. he wasn't the only one, marty puccios grandmother cried.
she's innocent, one of lisa connellys relatives said, she made a mistake thats all.
ali willis's stepfather said she was a dumb kid who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
They did not say this:
my child is a murderer. i am sick with shame. when i think of what my child did to another human being, i want to die myself
no one said that. not one person"
and i just really liked this part because its like the truth. and it goes to show just how they really were raised. they did it and they just tried shuffling all the blame to each other. instead of taking responsibility for what they had done. if i had been the judge i would have ruled more harshly on account of the obvious disregard for life and the fact none of them felt truly bad that they killed someone.
This is a true crime book about a bully. I liked it, but it is very disturbing.
This book is a lot like the film. The main difference is you get more background on the kids and more insight into the trial. The callousness of these kids is shocking. A must read.
Well written story about a group of kids who murdered a friend that bullied them. Did he really deserve what they did?
Michelle C. (michellica) reviewed Bully: A True Story of High School Revenge on + 10 more book reviews
Very interesting story.
Cindy F. (johnnysangel) -
True Crime. School Bully gets taken out and leaves you wondering who the real bully is.
This is a great book and really makes you think! This book is also a movie and a great one! I would highly recommend both!
Bridgett A. (soapykitties) reviewed Bully: A True Story of High School Revenge on + 58 more book reviews
This is a must read for anyone who thinks they know what today's teenagers are really like.
Wow, amazingly vicious stupid thoughtless kids...frightening that this is real. Be warned, there is a photo section (black and white) in this book....yeesh!
this book was kinda slow at first but once you started reading. this book was very hard to put down it just makes you want to keep reading. it only took 2 days to read it.
BONE CHILLING.... because it is based around a true story.
Good true crime, but I wonder why the lawyers didn't play up the bullying part more in the defense.
Dana W. (SouthWestZippy) -
Fascinating yet disgusting true story about a group of kids who killed thier bully. Writing is wonderful and pulls you in slowly to the tangled story.
Very good book! Hard to put down.
This was a true crime book that read like a novel. It wasn't just a 200 page essay, it had an actual story and it was great. I will definitely recommend this to anyone.
this seems to be a good book, i didnt finish it as it is just not my type of book anymore. :)
Bobby Kent was a bully - a steroid-pumped 20-year-old who dominated his peers in their comfortable, middle-class Ft. Lauderdale beach community through psychological, physical and sexual abuse. But on a summer night in 1993, Bobby was lured to the edge of the Florida everglades with a promise of sex and drugs...and was never seen alive again. The tormentor had become the victim in a bizarre and brutal act of vengeance carried out with rughless efficiency and cold-blooded premeditation by seven of his high school acquaintances - including his lifelong best friend - and instigated by one overweight, underloved teenager who believed her life would be perfect...if only Bobby Kent were dead.
