Review: Captures Well the Insecurities and Emotional Instability Of An Average High School Student
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 12 6, 2013
For most of us, even those who are just a few short years removed from the once familiar halls of high school, the experience of what it was actually like growing up as a typical American kid has already faded.  We tend to remember the extremes -- the best of times and the worst of times -- as sanitized memories while forgetting the actual emotional experiences behind them altogether.  Perhaps, in some situations, this is a blessing.  Still, it is remarkable when a work of art such as a movie or book successfully taps into those feelings and allows for even us adults to re-live the experiences all over again.  One such work that accomplishes that well is Heist School Freshmen by Allan Gallauresi.Heist School Freshmen is a young adult novel, as one would expect.  Yet even the most snobbish of readers have come to realize over the last few years that the YA genre sometimes offers interesting, short reads for people of all ages.  Heist School Freshmen is certainly one of those books that anyone, regardless of their age, can enjoy.  The protagonist is Angel Bastillo, who at the start of the novel feels that his life is in shambles because the girl of his dreams has just broken up with him.  To make matters worse, he is just starting high school.  While looking forward to the possibilities that a new school brings, he is still apprehensive about the change.One of the things that permeates through the first part of the book is a sense of desperation on the part of Angel, who, along with his friends Drew and Lionel, wish to transcend their dreary lower middle class lives.  But like most people their age, they have no experience and simply don't know how to start.  This all changes when out of the blue the three of them discover a cache of hidden money.  Over the course of the book, they embark on their own adventure to try and retrieve the cash.  With dreams of striking it rich, the three form a group of friends with the intention of pulling off one of the boldest heists ever seen in their hometown.Heist School Freshmen is a perfect blend of emotional twists, adventure, action, and even a little danger that will keep the reader turning the page.  The best part, however, is the character development, specifically the author's ability to create realistic characters that come to life on the page.  Each one is unique in their own way, just like real people.  This helps to make the story all the more enjoyable as we see Angel and his friends change over the course of the school year while planning the heist.  I highly recommend this book for all fans of YA thrillers.