Review: Great Story - Just Not For Me
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 09 5, 2012
Jack's father was a soldier who died in Bataan during the war. His mother now has to work in a parachute factory to try and keep food on the table, Jack in school, and clothes on Jack's back. All Jack can think of, though, is becoming a soldier and fighting with MacArthur as his father did.When Jack tells his plans of quitting school and becoming a soldier to his mother and his fiancee, Mauricette, they both become upset with him and basically tell him how foolish he's being. So, Jack writes a composition to tell about his feelings and reads it aloud in school the next day.From there ensues changes to Jack's life that he hadn't planned on: His beloved "Coco" breaking up with him, his becoming a firebug and a thief, and his running away from home and joining up with a group of hobos.Will Jack be able to return the life he left or will his pride keep him from going back and making amends?To be around 100 pages, this book has a lot going on. The writing and emotions conveyed is impeccable, as is par for the course with a Charyn work. Although the technicalities of the work is excellent, I'm afraid I wasn't as drawn into this story as I usually am with Jerome's work. I am still a huge fan of Jerome Charyn and his books remain automatic must-reads for me, but this is not one that I enjoyed as much as others.If you're looking for a quick read concerning the war during the early 1940s from a pre-teen's perspective, then this novella is for you.