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tignorjl's review against another edition
1.0
I had higher hopes for this book, and instead, ended up with a lot of things that bothered me about it. A list will be below the cut because it will include spoilers.
Problem #2: Eric's dad having schizophrenia. Honestly, I didn't see how this played into the story. It almost felt like the author went, "I need a way to explain why this kid's father isn't in the picture... let me give him a highly stigmatised mental illness and add to the stigma that's attached to it." It just felt like the author took the easy way out and didn't think about the consequences it could have. Need an excuse to have a minor character not involved? Give them a mental illness. Honestly, I didn't understand how it played into the story. I think the author could have handled the aspect of Eric's father not being a part of his family in a much better way.
Problem #3: The characters and plot. The characters felt cliché, and the plot felt like it was hastily thrown together with little planning. There were parts of the book where I felt like I was reading the literary version of some cheesy teen drama TV show. And the ending of the book... it came out of nowhere. There wasn't any resolution. It was as if the author went, "OK, I'm out of ideas. Time to end," and just stopped writing. It was really abrupt, which I could understand if this was going to be a series and the author was going for some sort of cliff-hanger ending (which this ending did not meet the requirements). However, this book seems like it's going to be a stand-alone. The ending could have been so much better with some resolution, such as the consequences I mentioned earlier in the review.
It makes me sad that I have to give such a poor rating to a book that was really being pushed by my library system and that seemed to be receiving so much praise. But there's really nothing good I can say about this book other than thank god it was a quick read.
Spoiler
OK... problem #1: In a book that's supposed to be about bullying, the bully doesn't suffer any consequences. Sure, Griff loses some of his friends, but that's it. School officials don't take any action despite the repeated insinuations that they know he's bullying other students. Other parents are the same way: they seem to know that Griff isn't the golden boy he portrays himself as. And if that wasn't enough, there aren't any legal consequences for him stealing Eric's bike, which I'm pretty sure is larceny of some sort. So... yeah... the fact that there were no consequences for Griff's actions really bothered me.Problem #2: Eric's dad having schizophrenia. Honestly, I didn't see how this played into the story. It almost felt like the author went, "I need a way to explain why this kid's father isn't in the picture... let me give him a highly stigmatised mental illness and add to the stigma that's attached to it." It just felt like the author took the easy way out and didn't think about the consequences it could have. Need an excuse to have a minor character not involved? Give them a mental illness. Honestly, I didn't understand how it played into the story. I think the author could have handled the aspect of Eric's father not being a part of his family in a much better way.
Problem #3: The characters and plot. The characters felt cliché, and the plot felt like it was hastily thrown together with little planning. There were parts of the book where I felt like I was reading the literary version of some cheesy teen drama TV show. And the ending of the book... it came out of nowhere. There wasn't any resolution. It was as if the author went, "OK, I'm out of ideas. Time to end," and just stopped writing. It was really abrupt, which I could understand if this was going to be a series and the author was going for some sort of cliff-hanger ending (which this ending did not meet the requirements). However, this book seems like it's going to be a stand-alone. The ending could have been so much better with some resolution, such as the consequences I mentioned earlier in the review.
It makes me sad that I have to give such a poor rating to a book that was really being pushed by my library system and that seemed to be receiving so much praise. But there's really nothing good I can say about this book other than thank god it was a quick read.
taralorraine's review against another edition
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I think this book would have been so much better if written in first person.
It was a fast read and I enjoyed it... but it came across a little cheesy and like it was written by a grown-up making up a story to teach a lesson to kids rather than an authentic 7th grade voice.
It was a fast read and I enjoyed it... but it came across a little cheesy and like it was written by a grown-up making up a story to teach a lesson to kids rather than an authentic 7th grade voice.
konkie44's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars, very realistic, kept me on the edge of my seat. wish the ending had been a little stronger though.
bookworm_mommy's review against another edition
4.0
Synopsis from B&N: Eric is the new kid in seventh grade. Griffin wants to be his friend. When you�re new in town, it�s hard to know who to hang out with�and who to avoid. Griffin seems cool, confident, and popular. But something isn�t right about Griffin. He always seems to be in the middle of bad things. And if Griffin doesn't like you, you�d better watch your back. There might be a target on it.\nAs Eric gets drawn deeper into Griffin�s dark world, he begins to see the truth about Griffin: He�s a liar, a bully, a thief. Eric wants to break away, do the right thing. But in one shocking moment, he goes from being a bystander . . . to the bully�s next victim.\nStarting third quarter, we will be reading through this book with our Advisory classes. So I figured I should probably read it first. And I was pretty impressed with this.\nPreller doesn�t take a one-dimensional approach to his bully characters. They are complicated, just like real people and real life are. You feel sorry for Eric. And mad at Eric. And mad a Griffin. And a little bit sorry for him too. \nI also like that he tackles the bystander issue as well. Some people are outright bullies. But it is just as wrong (and contributes to bullying) when others stand around and do nothing.\nAnd there is no true and final conclusion. Because, again, bullying in real life just isn�t like that. \nI think that it is a great approach that looks at all angles of the �bullying problem�. I see a lot of potential for good dialogue with the students in class. \n\n
grab_life_by_the_book's review against another edition
2.0
This book managed to tip-toe around bullying. The bullying described was not concrete enough for any kid to truly recognize that it was bullying. Sometimes kids need to read about extremes. I feel like it was too nice of a book to be about bullying!
amdame1's review against another edition
4.0
Eric and his mom move to a new town when he is in 7th grade. Right before school begins he witnesses a kid escaping from a group of bullies - and then is confronted by the group himself. Soon after, when school begins, he is summarily accepted into the group. While never an active participant in any subsequent bullying behavior, he also never does anything to stop it. Finally, he has to confront his actions - or lack thereof - and decide what he is going to do about this situation.
The end is a little bit anti-climactic, perhaps even a bit unrealistic, but overall the message about bullying, bystanding, and being bullied, is quite clear and well conveyed.
The end is a little bit anti-climactic, perhaps even a bit unrealistic, but overall the message about bullying, bystanding, and being bullied, is quite clear and well conveyed.
pforpedrox23's review against another edition
3.0
The author wanted to write about a different aspect of bullying, the "silent majority." He succeeded in painting that picture, but in telling an engaging story with good style, he failed. Read this book for a non-lesson, more like a glimpse, of a type of bullying situation. Expect no real climax, no real emotional reaction on your part to anything here. It's a book. About bullying. It gets 3 stars only because it's the first book in a while about bullying that doesn't have content that would force me to exclude it from my classroom. Otherwise, it's a 2 star book.
thisgrrlreads's review against another edition
1.0
If your kids need a thinly veiled instruction manual on how to deal with bullying, complete with lists brainstormed in anti-bullying in classes by the main character, this is your book. Felt bad for Eric but didn't feel connected to the story at all.
tangle's review
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
lauraramsborg's review
3.0
One of my students this past year ( a former reluctant reader) really liked this book. I read it based on his recommendation and also because its topic is bullying. The main character was likable and this story is very appropriate for a middle school audience. The end was a little too perfect--not all bullying stories have such a neat, happy ending...as we know from the recent news headlines.
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