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kim_j_dare's review
4.0
During his freshman year and the summer after, Lucky Linderman recounts his experiences at the hands of a bully, his thoughts on suicide, and his attempts to rescue his grandfather, who has been MIA in Vietnam since 1972. A Greek chorus of ants helps him get through the moments that his world is at its most ridiculous. Each one of [a:A.S. King|1651879|A.S. King|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1323437957p2/1651879.jpg]'s novels stands so uniquely on its own and breaks new ground; their commonality lies in wonderfully drawn main characters you come to care deeply about. I just love her.
librarydoc's review
4.0
Book Talk: Lucky is pretty much anything but. He is bullied relentlessly at school. His relationship with his dad is strained at best. His mother avoids confrontation with obsessive exercise. He can't talk to girls. Everything changes when Lucky and his mom go to Arizona. Lucky learns the secret of his grandfather's disappearance in Vietnam, and gains confidence in himself.
My Thoughts: This is a thoughtful, interesting book. It was painful to read about the bullying that Lucky incurred at school, but it was also very real and thought-provoking. I was a little put off by the dream sequences in Vietnam, but I think the author brought it around nicely in the end. All in all, a powerful book.
Recommendation: 4/5 stars
Grades 9+ (language, adult situations)
My Thoughts: This is a thoughtful, interesting book. It was painful to read about the bullying that Lucky incurred at school, but it was also very real and thought-provoking. I was a little put off by the dream sequences in Vietnam, but I think the author brought it around nicely in the end. All in all, a powerful book.
Recommendation: 4/5 stars
Grades 9+ (language, adult situations)
itstoniy's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
kmparsons's review
5.0
This book was like my childhood. I was also very harshly bullied. This made it more difficult for me to read. I got very emotional at some parts. I loved this amazing book. It should really open the worlds eyes too bullying.
reader4evr's review
5.0
Another book that I love by A.S. King. I don't know what it is but I was really hesitant to read this one because it had been getting a lot of buzz in the literary world but I thought I would give it a chance since I loved Please ignore Vera Dietz. I'm glad that I read it and now I want to share it (even though I think this would be a hard book to book talk).
A.S. King deals with things in her books that people are scared to talk about. Bullying is such a huge topic lately and with this book, it had that twist in it that would be a great read for any teen. Although I do not believe in violence but I am so glad that Nader got beat up at the end! What a flippin punk and its sad because every high school has at least one of those kids there.
Even though Lucky was a very depressed kid from having to go through those awful acts of bullying, I honestly say that he was kind of "saved" by this trip that his mom made him take to visit his aunt and uncle in Arizona. He was actually a really strong character and I loved his voice especially when it came to the ants, kind of weird but went with the story. It kind of made me mad when the his parents wouldn't do anything about the bullying even though they saw the physical and mental effect of what it was doing to their kid.
I have to admit, some of the "dream" sequences that he had with his grandpa were so weird and made me think did that really just happen but I really think it gave the book much more depth.
Overall, a good book about bullying and a great recommendation to any students in high school.
A.S. King deals with things in her books that people are scared to talk about. Bullying is such a huge topic lately and with this book, it had that twist in it that would be a great read for any teen. Although I do not believe in violence but I am so glad that Nader got beat up at the end! What a flippin punk and its sad because every high school has at least one of those kids there.
Even though Lucky was a very depressed kid from having to go through those awful acts of bullying, I honestly say that he was kind of "saved" by this trip that his mom made him take to visit his aunt and uncle in Arizona. He was actually a really strong character and I loved his voice especially when it came to the ants, kind of weird but went with the story. It kind of made me mad when the his parents wouldn't do anything about the bullying even though they saw the physical and mental effect of what it was doing to their kid.
I have to admit, some of the "dream" sequences that he had with his grandpa were so weird and made me think did that really just happen but I really think it gave the book much more depth.
Overall, a good book about bullying and a great recommendation to any students in high school.
andrea2428's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
gabrielab's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0