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tnorthcu's review
5.0
This book touches on some very controversial topics, such as the relationship between the teenage boy and the male adult. The author deals with major issues such as homophobia in a way that is exceptionally precise and not the least bit overdone. The thing that struck me the most about this book was the way the author managed to depict the lack of communication in a family and the frustration and confusion inherent to miscommunication. It was done absolutely perfect. The characters were interesting, the plot was intriguing, and the writing techniques were used to advance the underlying ideas of the story. A quick read, and a story I won't soon forget.
joejoh's review against another edition
2.0
The Child is about a gay fifteen-year old named Stew. Stew travels to Manhattan in order to meet up with an adult gay couple, David and Joe, that he met online. He has gone to their apartment a few times, and has engaged in sexual activity with them while there. Stew then propositions a police officer in a public restroom, and his world comes crashing down.
The officer convinces Stew to turn in David and Joe through deception. David and Joe are arrested, and because David has a prior conviction, he'll likely get a stiff sentence. The book also follows two attorneys, Hockey and Eva, and Eva's partner, Mary, a playwright who's had little success in NY's theater scene. Hockey is approached by a friend who wants him to represent David. Hockey brings in Eva to assist him.
I'm torn about how I feel about this book. The book is literary LGBT fiction wrapped up in a legal thriller wrapper. The problem is, I don't think it entirely works as either. For starters, most of the dialogue felt inauthentic. It reminded me, in fact, of a pastiche of A.M. Homes and her very weird, but very realistic dialogue. I'm not a fan of legal thrillers, but I've read a few, and this just didn't flow in the same way as legal thrillers I've read. In fact, the tempo felt off. (I can't really explain why. That's just the way I felt).
On the other hand, there was a lot about this book that I liked. The ambiguity of Stew's fate seemed natural, since the fate of any teenager (and gay teenagers in particular) is always ambiguous. I also appreciated that Schulman's treatment of David and Joe's actions was fairly objective. While the characters all seemed to have opinions about it, I didn't get a sense that the author's opinion was presented anywhere in the novel. Were David and Joe pedophiles? Legally, yes. Is growing up different for gay teens and straight teens? Absolutely. Does that make David and Joe's actions appropriate? No. Does it make their actions understandable? Possibly.
For me, though, the book fell apart at its most crucial scene. While I won't give the specifics away, it's fairly obvious that Stew is filled with rage, mostly directed towards his family. When that rage finally erupted, it erased any amount of empathy I had for Stew. I was extremely frustrated by a decision that Mary made late in the book, but I was even more frustrated by Eva's reaction to it. I don't expect tidy endings all wrapped up in a bow. I do expect that decisions characters make have a connection to their thoughts or behaviors earlier in the novel. I also expect characters to demonstrate some emotional depth. Schulman's tone was so objective, that her characters felt flat.
So how do I judge this book. I usually go by three criteria. Did I enjoy reading it, would I read it again, and would I recommend it to specific people. I did enjoy reading it, though I wouldn't read it again. There are too many great books out there to settle down with a mediocre one twice. As to recommending it: I couldn't think of a single friend that I thought would like this book.
This book gave me the impression that while Schulman is an adequate writer, she's neither a good writer nor a great one. But I'll read at least one more of her books to get a better impression of her talent.
The officer convinces Stew to turn in David and Joe through deception. David and Joe are arrested, and because David has a prior conviction, he'll likely get a stiff sentence. The book also follows two attorneys, Hockey and Eva, and Eva's partner, Mary, a playwright who's had little success in NY's theater scene. Hockey is approached by a friend who wants him to represent David. Hockey brings in Eva to assist him.
I'm torn about how I feel about this book. The book is literary LGBT fiction wrapped up in a legal thriller wrapper. The problem is, I don't think it entirely works as either. For starters, most of the dialogue felt inauthentic. It reminded me, in fact, of a pastiche of A.M. Homes and her very weird, but very realistic dialogue. I'm not a fan of legal thrillers, but I've read a few, and this just didn't flow in the same way as legal thrillers I've read. In fact, the tempo felt off. (I can't really explain why. That's just the way I felt).
On the other hand, there was a lot about this book that I liked. The ambiguity of Stew's fate seemed natural, since the fate of any teenager (and gay teenagers in particular) is always ambiguous. I also appreciated that Schulman's treatment of David and Joe's actions was fairly objective. While the characters all seemed to have opinions about it, I didn't get a sense that the author's opinion was presented anywhere in the novel. Were David and Joe pedophiles? Legally, yes. Is growing up different for gay teens and straight teens? Absolutely. Does that make David and Joe's actions appropriate? No. Does it make their actions understandable? Possibly.
For me, though, the book fell apart at its most crucial scene. While I won't give the specifics away, it's fairly obvious that Stew is filled with rage, mostly directed towards his family. When that rage finally erupted, it erased any amount of empathy I had for Stew. I was extremely frustrated by a decision that Mary made late in the book, but I was even more frustrated by Eva's reaction to it. I don't expect tidy endings all wrapped up in a bow. I do expect that decisions characters make have a connection to their thoughts or behaviors earlier in the novel. I also expect characters to demonstrate some emotional depth. Schulman's tone was so objective, that her characters felt flat.
So how do I judge this book. I usually go by three criteria. Did I enjoy reading it, would I read it again, and would I recommend it to specific people. I did enjoy reading it, though I wouldn't read it again. There are too many great books out there to settle down with a mediocre one twice. As to recommending it: I couldn't think of a single friend that I thought would like this book.
This book gave me the impression that while Schulman is an adequate writer, she's neither a good writer nor a great one. But I'll read at least one more of her books to get a better impression of her talent.
rpmirabella's review against another edition
5.0
WOW WOW WOW! This one was a page-turner. Serious-minded and deeply disturbing, but there are moments of love and friendship that lighten it. Schulman's brilliant mind, her understanding of culture, social constructs, and sexuality, add a depth and intelligence to the family drama. Heartbreaking, and now more than ever, its exploration of familial homophobia and its effects is vital.
snax's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
smellthepage's review against another edition
4.0
It’s interesting to go back and read older Schulman work, when you started with conflict is not abuse. The general theme that communication would be the easiest and quickest way to solve an issue is very present here as well.
axmed's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
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