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From: Karen L. Simonetti <karensue>
Date: Mon, 04 Aug 1997 16:15:28 -0500
Okay, first a quick plug: If you haven't seen Stephanie Zvirin's terrific review in Booklist (February 1, 1997, p.935) you may want to check it out. Ironically, I read the book before reading the review and I think if I had read the review, I would not have read the book. This is not the kind of subject matter that usually interests me. But, I was quite surprised to be, almost seductively, lured into the plot and finished the book in one night. I would credit the excellent characterization and literary gaps (Cormier is so good at not telling all) that kept me engaged.
Now, back to some of Megan's comments and questions: I, too, found the book riveting; but not so unsettling. It wasn't unsettling (and I don't think it will be for older YAs), because: 1/ look at all the actual serial killers that are out there, getting high profile in the press; 2/this is the kind of "evil" we worry and warn are kids about (I'm thinking John Wayne Gacy, Jeffrey Dahmer, etc.); 3/compare certain episodes of "NYPD Blues" or "Law and Order" (which I know older YAs are watching) and 4/as Megan points out: "Cormier's ability to engender a kind of compassion....for Eric without ever making him fully understandable, and certainly not condoning his actions." does provide the reader will a means to access or process (certainly not completely understand) all this ugliness or evil.
So, do I sound insensitive or hardened? I hope not, but some pretty awful things are happening in the world and while YAs are exposed to it
(via Holocaust studies, etc) this novel succeeds in examining an everyday kind of evil that is often ignored, while not demanding that we accept it or truly understand it. Megan, if this is what you meant by
"unsettling" then I would agree with you. I don't think this is challenging reading in terms of accessibly (versus Buffalo Tree which was impossible for me). I think the true challenge will be if the YA reader can read the story and walk away with more than "good entertainment." (Why is violence so captivating anyway?) Seriously, I hope YAs will take the time to think beyond "what a chilly little story" and examine the tension that Megan refers to "...knowing and feeling a level of understanding and compassion for someone whose behavior can't be condoned." I believe YAs will due by necessity do that due to my earlier comment on Cormier's literary gaps. By not spelling everything out, certainly the reader must bring more to the reading or at least, stop and think...now why is this character doing this?
So, yes Cormier is successful in creating "tensions that challenge readers to think and feel and respond to what they've read." I would compare this novel to the Onion Fields or one of Norman Mailer's books, which title currently escapes me. Except Cormier maybe succeeds better in "not just telling a story" but getting us involved with the characters. (Was that a complete sentence?)
Then, there's Lori, this character truly made me sad. Her loneliness and history of constant abuse and abandonment was heart-breaking. Cormier certainly did his (psych) research on abused & neglected children such as Lori. Yes, I reverted to the term "child" for surely Lori is a child, a victim who has had to struggle to find safety and love. The entire time I was reading the novel, I kept thinking "Would Lori ever be able to recognize "healthy" love? Would she know how to exist in a non?usive situation?" Her lack of self-esteem and willingness to use her body, her sexuality to get what she thinks she wants/needs really rang true. Now, that's another question: If you assume that certain kinds of teenage promiscuity results from early sexual abuse, will YAs recognize the pattern? And if so, what will they do with it?
Hmm...I don't think this post was written as clearly as I would have preferred...so, I'll stop now...
Karen...who yes does currently have two teenage girls reading this title
& will get back to you with those results...
Karen L. Simonetti
email: karensue at mcs.net
phone: 312.337.7114
"Walk gently, breathe peacefully, laugh hysterically."
Nelson Mandela, 1994 Inaugural Speech
Received on Mon 04 Aug 1997 04:15:28 PM CDT
Date: Mon, 04 Aug 1997 16:15:28 -0500
Okay, first a quick plug: If you haven't seen Stephanie Zvirin's terrific review in Booklist (February 1, 1997, p.935) you may want to check it out. Ironically, I read the book before reading the review and I think if I had read the review, I would not have read the book. This is not the kind of subject matter that usually interests me. But, I was quite surprised to be, almost seductively, lured into the plot and finished the book in one night. I would credit the excellent characterization and literary gaps (Cormier is so good at not telling all) that kept me engaged.
Now, back to some of Megan's comments and questions: I, too, found the book riveting; but not so unsettling. It wasn't unsettling (and I don't think it will be for older YAs), because: 1/ look at all the actual serial killers that are out there, getting high profile in the press; 2/this is the kind of "evil" we worry and warn are kids about (I'm thinking John Wayne Gacy, Jeffrey Dahmer, etc.); 3/compare certain episodes of "NYPD Blues" or "Law and Order" (which I know older YAs are watching) and 4/as Megan points out: "Cormier's ability to engender a kind of compassion....for Eric without ever making him fully understandable, and certainly not condoning his actions." does provide the reader will a means to access or process (certainly not completely understand) all this ugliness or evil.
So, do I sound insensitive or hardened? I hope not, but some pretty awful things are happening in the world and while YAs are exposed to it
(via Holocaust studies, etc) this novel succeeds in examining an everyday kind of evil that is often ignored, while not demanding that we accept it or truly understand it. Megan, if this is what you meant by
"unsettling" then I would agree with you. I don't think this is challenging reading in terms of accessibly (versus Buffalo Tree which was impossible for me). I think the true challenge will be if the YA reader can read the story and walk away with more than "good entertainment." (Why is violence so captivating anyway?) Seriously, I hope YAs will take the time to think beyond "what a chilly little story" and examine the tension that Megan refers to "...knowing and feeling a level of understanding and compassion for someone whose behavior can't be condoned." I believe YAs will due by necessity do that due to my earlier comment on Cormier's literary gaps. By not spelling everything out, certainly the reader must bring more to the reading or at least, stop and think...now why is this character doing this?
So, yes Cormier is successful in creating "tensions that challenge readers to think and feel and respond to what they've read." I would compare this novel to the Onion Fields or one of Norman Mailer's books, which title currently escapes me. Except Cormier maybe succeeds better in "not just telling a story" but getting us involved with the characters. (Was that a complete sentence?)
Then, there's Lori, this character truly made me sad. Her loneliness and history of constant abuse and abandonment was heart-breaking. Cormier certainly did his (psych) research on abused & neglected children such as Lori. Yes, I reverted to the term "child" for surely Lori is a child, a victim who has had to struggle to find safety and love. The entire time I was reading the novel, I kept thinking "Would Lori ever be able to recognize "healthy" love? Would she know how to exist in a non?usive situation?" Her lack of self-esteem and willingness to use her body, her sexuality to get what she thinks she wants/needs really rang true. Now, that's another question: If you assume that certain kinds of teenage promiscuity results from early sexual abuse, will YAs recognize the pattern? And if so, what will they do with it?
Hmm...I don't think this post was written as clearly as I would have preferred...so, I'll stop now...
Karen...who yes does currently have two teenage girls reading this title
& will get back to you with those results...
Karen L. Simonetti
email: karensue at mcs.net
phone: 312.337.7114
"Walk gently, breathe peacefully, laugh hysterically."
Nelson Mandela, 1994 Inaugural Speech
Received on Mon 04 Aug 1997 04:15:28 PM CDT
