Official Review: Life On Base: Quantico Cave

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Tanaya
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Official Review: Life On Base: Quantico Cave

Post by Tanaya »

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Life On Base: Quantico Cave" by Tom and Nancy Wise.]
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3 out of 4 stars
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Life on Base: Quantico Cave is a young adult novel by Tom and Nancy Wise. It takes place in Virginia and tells the story of Stephen, a twelve-year-old boy who lives on a military base with his parents and sister. Stephen’s aspiration is to grow up to be in the Marines, just like his father. Speaking of which, daddy issues unsurprisingly abound in this short novel, including mentions of abuse and alcoholism.

While there is an underlying focus on parent-child relationships, the main focus of the novel is on Stephen, his friend Jimmy, and a boy named Rick. Rick is a new arrival from Stephen’s old neighborhood in California. The animosity that Rick feels toward Stephen turns into its own sort of war. They get into a physical fight early on in the story, and the animosity progressively escalates in terms of violence, tension, and rage. While these children certainly have emotional issues, they still are just kids: playing ball together, having sleepovers and exploring the base to keep themselves occupied.

The story is told in the third person and occasionally changes perspectives between Stephen, Jimmy, and Rick, though Stephen is the protagonist. There are a few brief flashbacks that add depth to the characters and that help to explain their fears and motivations. The most distinguishable aspect of the writing style is how character-driven it is. Stephen essentially hears his father’s voice in his head, particularly when he has to make a decision. He seems to almost constantly be wondering what his father would think of him in any given situation and how he should react based on the things his father has told him.

The authors very convincingly convey what it’s like to live on a base as a young person. Given the setting, readers that are unfamiliar with military life certainly learn quite a lot about the social climate. The nature of friendships among kids on bases is quite interesting, particularly due to the non-permanent nature of their living situation. Additionally, their interactions with one another are affected by their parents’ ranks in the military. Many such things are explicitly explained in a mostly smooth fashion to provide a thorough sense of what this lifestyle is like.

There were some aspects of the novel that didn’t quite work for me. As the story progressed, some elements of fantasy emerged. This included a weird scene that took place in a cave and a strange dream sequence that felt a bit forced and read awkwardly to me. I suppose I wanted the story to stay more grounded in reality, given the initial set-up of the novel. I also thought that some background characters, such as Stephen’s sister and father who seem to be quite important to him, should have been more present in the actual story so the reader could get to know them better. Even so, I did think that Stephen’s mental preoccupation with his father was very effective.

All in all, I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. I thought there were some missed opportunities given the subject matter and the established relationships that were talked about but not always fully expanded on. Overall, I found the twisted themes about family, honor, and friendships to be rather fascinating. I would recommend this book to those who want to learn more about children’s experiences living on military bases.

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Life On Base: Quantico Cave
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chytach18-
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Post by chytach18- »

Tanaya, you wrote: "There were some aspects of the novel that didn’t quite work for me. As the story progressed, some elements of fantasy emerged. This included a weird scene that took place in a cave and a strange dream sequence that felt a bit forced and read awkwardly to me. I suppose I wanted the story to stay more grounded in reality, given the initial set-up of the novel". I wonder if the writer wanted the book fit into the most popular genre for young adults, which is fantasy. I personally like realistic young adult stories about real young people. I think this story is just like that.
Your review is awesome, though.
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Tanaya
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Post by Tanaya »

Thanks for your comment. I think it's just a matter of personal taste, and I'm sure many readers (especially young adults as you mentioned) would find those moments enjoyable. Every reader is different!
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Post by kimmyschemy06 »

Given the realistic setting of the story, I think the fantasy part would be a down side for me as well. However, my teenage daughter might find it perfect :D Great review!
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Post by ashley_claire »

Nice review! Sounds like a nice change of pace from the typical young adult novel that everyone seems to be writing right now. I think the narration switch between characters gives this book a really interesting perspective.
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Post by Rachaelamb1 »

I like fantasy a lot, but if the story starts out realistic, I prefer it to stay there. Otherwise the fantasy element just seems out of place.
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Post by bookowlie »

Great, balanced review. The premise of the story sounds interesting. I like that you were able to state what didn't work for you in a tactful way, while still highlighting the wonderful parts of the book. Nice job!
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Post by Bigirimana Celestin »

Great annotated review. The story sounds good.
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Post by KeriCraven »

Nice review. This sounds like it would be a breath of fresh air for the young adult genre. Thank you for your review.
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Job Njoroge
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Post by Job Njoroge »

This is a great review though am disappointed that the author tried to introduce fantasy later on when it was not part of it at the start
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Post by Mercelle »

I've always wondered what life on military bases is like. Although the authors had a great idea, this could do with a little more editing.
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Post by Itskai88 »

Parents are always the first role models that children get to emulate, the acceptance of a child by a parent usually means a lot in those early stages. This novel seems to be rooted deep in the minds of troubled children who just want to be children. I am curious to know how Stephen and Rick buried the hatchet, that is if they ever did and what cause all the trouble in the first place. Great review.
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