Tracy S. (Bernelli) reviewed on 5/27/2011 + 266 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 2

I read this book based on the rave reviews its getting (many "top books of 2010" lists). I didn't NOT like it, but I also didn't find it was a "best"... but I can't stop thinking about the characters. Obviously, attachment is there -- the writing is really really interesting.

There are many points that the author seems to make with this story: Hypocrisy runs rampant among positions of supposed "caring" (school teacher, principal, priest); It's painful to be a teen; It's painful to be an adult; Adults in pain hurt teens in pain...on and on. The book is definitely thought provoking. And I love the banter between the teenage boys -- so funny. This author has a knack for making the reader feel for each character, for making the reader feel the feelings of the character even when said character doesn't understand his own feelings.

It's hard to put this book in a tidy nutshell of a review because it's just too broad of a story. It's a story about people, situations, life, progress, sacrifices, sin, science, lighting farts on fire, talking to the dead, and so on and so on....

Interesting to say the very least.

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