Book Review via
Amazon.com. Lucky Linderman didn't ask for his life. He didn't ask his
grandfather not to come home from the Vietnam War. He didn't ask for a father
who never got over it. He didn't ask for a mother who keeps pretending their
dysfunctional family is fine. And he didn't ask to be the target of Nader
McMillan's relentless bullying, which has finally gone too far.
But Lucky has a secret--one that helps him wade through the daily mundane
torture of his life. In his dreams, Lucky escapes to the war-ridden jungles of
Laos--the prison his grandfather couldn't escape--where Lucky can be a real
man, an adventurer, and a hero. It's dangerous and wild, and it's a place where
his life just might be worth living. But how long can Lucky keep hiding in his
dreams before reality forces its way inside?
Book review three for Arizona. There is a lot in this book
that can be discussed in terms of YA Lit. There are dysfunctional family
relations, gender relations, peer relations, depression, suicide, and the Vietnam
War. This type of novel is often referred to as the Problem Novel or the
Troubled Teen genre. This genre is one of the more disturbing, gut-wrenching
styles. A famous example is “Push” by
Sapphire. The situations in these books deal with a variety of topics; drugs,
violence, sexual abuse, parental abuse, eating disorders, depression, suicide,
and bullying. At the end of this discussion I will list some suggestion and
other authors for anyone interested. In “Everybody Sees the Ants” the main
topic of discussion is bullying.
It is reading books like this one that make me fearful of
having children. Bullying is a major role in this novel and has been played all
over the media, especially recent. I am afraid I won’t know what to do if I
have a child who is a victim, let alone a child who is bully. The common feeling throughout this novel is
the feeling of powerlessness. Not only in Lucky Linderman’s case, but even his
parents who want to confront the d-bag Nader McMillan’s parents can’t help. The
complex situation Lucky is in is one that all of us can relate. Powerless
against bullies, parents, unfair treatment, even the school administration. This
book can teach parents and teens the importance of treating fellow students
with respect. Remember from my post
on Alabama that many people enjoy stories that have relatable characters
and situations. Unfortunately, many of us can relate to the situations these
teens deal with on a day to day basis.
There are many other books that exist in this genre. I have
read a few of them and they can be quite disturbing. The situation in “Thirteen
Reasons Why” by Jay Asher is one of saddest I have read, until “Everybody Sees
the Ants.” Not gonna lie, this review will be one of my shortest for this
reason. I have listed some companion books below if this is a genre you could
be interested in. So that’s three, 47 more to go.
Push by Sapphire
Wintergirls by Laurie Halse
Anderson
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
America by ER Frank
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
The Outsiders by SE Hinton
First Part Last by Angela Johnson
Just Listen by Sarah Dessen
Crank by Ellen Hopkins
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
by Stephen Chbosky
No comments:
Post a Comment