From: WMMayes at aol.com <WMMayes>
Date: Mon, 25 Aug 1997 20:52:44 -0400 (EDT)

The language in the book was a barrier to me at first, I will admit. It reminded me of A CLOCKWORK ORANGE in that way, except Burgess included a glossary at the back of his book. However, after a couple of chapters I sank into the poetry of the piece.

The book was reminiscent of two other books, ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST in its almost hallucinogenic descriptions of instituition life, and OF MICE AND MEN, Sura standing in for George and Coly Jo representing Lennie. I think these obvious references had to be deliberate, almost as an homage to the earlier classics.

I think this is one important piece of fiction, a book that deserves to be read and taught to teens and pre-teens and will reach a readership that much of fiction has left behind. I could easily see it used in a lit class on the same list as the above-mentioned works.

Walter the Giant Storyteller WMMayes at aol.com

"Love, Food, Shelter, Clothing...Books!"
Received on Mon 25 Aug 1997 07:52:44 PM CDT