Over the End Line
By Alfred C. Martino
**** stars
I just finished reading this book last night and I can say from a teen guy's perspective it is far more interesting than the way Mrs. Crawford painted it.
The emotions are a very accurate portrayal of what it is like to be a guy who works as hard as he can and doesn’t succeed. Of someone who tries very hard to be popular and again isn’t successful. If you have ever been to high school, or even junior high school than this a great way to see yourself in a novel. Every emotion felt in this book, I have felt at least once. Every thought, especially the ones that sound uncaring and thoughtless are true to the mind of a young man in school. The thoughts that Jonny is ashamed of are exactly the thoughts that I would think of and then be immediately ashamed of if I were in his shoes.
Mrs. Crawford is also not a fan of the book because it lacks a strong moral. I agree that it lacks a traditional moral that can be written out. What it leaves you with instead is a feeling of what you might do if you were in Jonny's place. You see what Jonny does and realize that without thinking ahead, you might do exactly the same things that he does. After I read the book I was laying in bed for almost an hour thinking about what went wrong for him, and what I would try, what I would feel and what I would wish I had the strength to do in that situation.The ending is also non-traditional, it is not something that plows the moral right in your face like almost every other YA book would who tried to give one. Yet again the character suffers the consequences of his actions. Yet again you wonder if you would be there with him. Or if you would have taken a different path and your life would be different than his turned out.The story in itself was good, maybe four stars. The thoughts that the book makes you have after reading are worth the couple hours you spend reading. Picture yourself in Short Hills, New Jersey and you will get as much out of this novel as you would from one three times its size.
Admittedly you also should be a guy in junior high, high school or recently out of it to get the most from it.
3 comments:
Great rebuttal. And I don't mind that you disagree with me...good discussion and I am glad you did like the book.
As the author "Over The End Line" I am pleased that Chance enjoyed my novel. It seems that the characters and story line elicited some introspection, and for that, I am really thrilled. In the end, if I can make the reader think a little bit yet 'enjoy the ride' while he or she does, then I believe I have done the important part of my job.
Sincerely,
Alfred C. Martino
I personally liked the book. I loved how Jonny described the way he felt and how he saw the world. My favorite moments were when he would go into the attic just to imagine.
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