Monday, April 2, 2012

Spring Break is over!

Well, Spring Break is over.  I did finish reading Dead End in Norvelt.  On the cover, Dave Barry is quoted as saying that this is "a brilliant book".  It's written by Jack Gantos who is considered a good young adult author.  This book didn't keep my interest as much as I wanted though.  This book takes place after World War II and there is discussion about different aspects of the war such as Guadalcanal which my Grandpa fought at.  If a reader didn't have knowledge about World War II though, the connections probably wouldn't make sense.  The main character and his family are rather strange.  Mom is an absolute control freak and even Dad seems to cower to her.  The main character develops a close relationship with Miss Volker who had promised Eleanor Roosevelt that she would write all the obituaries for all the original citizens of Norvelt.  (Interesting fact...Norvelt was named after Eleanor Roosevelt and is an actual town.)  Miss Volker can't physically write, so Jack becomes her "hands".  Many of the original citizens are passing away and Jack becomes suspicious.  There are many different suspects in this plot, but it's rather easy to figure out who the author is going to pin for these murders.  The ending is predictable, but not believable.  I would think that someone who had a role in the death of more than 4 people would probably have the cops after them.  Not in this book.  So, would I recommend this book?  I'm not sure.  I almost want someone else to read it and let me know what they think.  Maybe, I'm missing something in this book.  I did read it while sitting on the beach or riding in a car home from Spring Break.  My mind might have been elsewhere, especially when we were driving through Atlanta traffic. 

I also finished reading The Lying Game.  This was a much better book.  I've never seen the TV show, but wanted to read the book because an 8th grader recommended it.  The only thing that I didn't like about this book was that the conflict isn't solved.  I guess that you have to read the second book to find out the climax.