High School Book Review

 Set in India, this novel is crafted in a very unique style, and opens eyes to the poverty and disparity found in the world’s largest democracy.  The story follows a boy who has been accused of cheating after winning a record amount on a game show, and each chapter examines how the boy knew the answer to each of the increasingly difficult questions. 

This style is quite unique, but creates a storyline that can jump around at times, and may have hurt the novel overall in terms of plot and character development.  Still, the trivia challenge nature of the chapters helps to build and develop a picture of the main character’s life, and exposes us to the incredible experiences and challenges that everyday life holds in Indian society.

Recommended for any grade university level, and grade 11 and 12 college level students.  Some concern for violence.

3 lifelines out of 5.

Found an author that you really like, but now you’ve read everything that you can find by them?  Check out a site called Literature Map to see what other authors you may enjoy. 

The site is quite simple, and there are a few gaps in its coverage, but it’s still a great place to help with your search in finding other great reads.

Gritty.  That’s the first word that comes to mind after reading this book.  The author really doesn’t hold back in describing the chaotic lifestyle of 1930s circus folk, and the story is really better for it.  The characters are raw in their emotion, and experience a series of events that both compound and contribute to their evolving story.

 Having really not known much about circus life in general before reading this book, I was immediately compelled by the harshness and extreme difference from our current lifestyle.  The author does a good job of discussing the trials and experiences of this life, without belabouring too much on the finer details and foreign jargon.

The story transitions easily between an elderly man in a nursing home and his memories of days gone by, but sometimes you’ll find yourself hurrying the author along to get back to the action.  Ultimately, this story is one of love and relationships, but also of a coming of age and the development (for better or worse) of both a man and the society that he is a part of.

Great read, highly recommended for grade 11 and 12 university level students.  Some concern for language and sexual content.

4 flying trapeezes out of 5.

This book is dystopia at its best.  Dystopia is the idea of a future that is less than perfect, and is a theme that has been written about many many times before (think: Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, and a Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood).  Cormac McCarthy’s take on the theme is simple in its language, but dark and disturbing in its content.

The story follows a man and his son as they struggle to survive in a post-apocalyptic world.  The pair travel from place to place trying to eek out an existence, and encounter various obstacles and challenges along the way.

The writing style and language used make this book a fairly quick read, but there are many deeper themes and ideas to be explored throughout the story.  The father occasionally remembers back to a time when things were better, but really, the focus of the story is on the immediate demands of survival.

A very good read, highly recommended for grade 11 or 12 college or university level students.  Some concern for graphic and disturbing content.

4 cans of food out of 5.