Review of A Bloody Book
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JayRaams
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Review of A Bloody Book
[Following is a volunteer review of "A Bloody Book" by Chris Bowen.]
A Bloody Book is the heartbreaking story of Maxx and his life leading up to the moment when he stops “giving a crap” about school. Maxx has been in Reading Hell, a special class for the students that his school cannot be bothered with, for most of his life. Already given up on the dreams most kids his age has, Maxx’s world is shaken up by Mr Foxx, a crazy teacher with very unconventional methods which get through to Maxx, even getting Maxx to write down his story, and to reveal his darkest secrets, which he had hidden deep down inside. As the Author, Chris Bowen puts it, “Stay for the twist.”
Maxx is a sweet young boy, who has put up a tough exterior to survive in the difficult world he lives in. I liked that we get to see that even though he is always in trouble he has a good heart, often trying or wanting to help others. We also see him look after his younger sister, Rosie, you can see that he truly loves her, even going so far as putting himself into danger to try to give her a better life. All this gives Maxx depth as a character.
I did not like the character of Mr Foxx, he is presented as a crazy, hero of a teacher, getting through to even the most problem students. But his methods are unrealistic and would have traumatised the students of Reading Hell. An example of this is when Mr Foxx teaches the students that knowledge and the ability to read and write is important. He does this by telling them about how slaves used to have their fingers cut off if they got caught teaching each other to read and write. Then, he starts screaming like a maniac and slams a butcher´s knife into his desk, which was the moment that made me want to put down the book for good . Does the Author really expect us to believe a teacher would be allowed to bring a weapon to an American school and not get arrested? Also, it was specified many times that the class is full of at-risk kids, children from violent homes. It is so unrealistic to present a scene where none of the students was triggered by a teacher wielding a knife and yelling. This scene and the ending spoiled the realism of the book for me.
This is a 2 out of 4 stars for me. The editing is exceptionally good, which is why I decided it should be 2 stars instead of 1. The ending however really disappointed me because even though it is a good twist it also takes away from the message that some students are struggling at school because of situations that are not their fault. Unfortunately, the ending reveals that at least in Maxx’s case, a lot of his problems are a result of his own actions. Though this is a short book it was unenjoyable to read, and this makes it hard to finish.
From the last chapter and the way the book is written from the perspective of Maxx, I feel the author wants this book to be read by young readers who struggle to read. I cannot recommend it to them though because as someone who was in that category growing up, I would have found this book insulting and, I am unable to think of another group of people that would enjoy this book. That’s why I do not recommend this book to anyone.
******
A Bloody Book
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
A Bloody Book is the heartbreaking story of Maxx and his life leading up to the moment when he stops “giving a crap” about school. Maxx has been in Reading Hell, a special class for the students that his school cannot be bothered with, for most of his life. Already given up on the dreams most kids his age has, Maxx’s world is shaken up by Mr Foxx, a crazy teacher with very unconventional methods which get through to Maxx, even getting Maxx to write down his story, and to reveal his darkest secrets, which he had hidden deep down inside. As the Author, Chris Bowen puts it, “Stay for the twist.”
Maxx is a sweet young boy, who has put up a tough exterior to survive in the difficult world he lives in. I liked that we get to see that even though he is always in trouble he has a good heart, often trying or wanting to help others. We also see him look after his younger sister, Rosie, you can see that he truly loves her, even going so far as putting himself into danger to try to give her a better life. All this gives Maxx depth as a character.
I did not like the character of Mr Foxx, he is presented as a crazy, hero of a teacher, getting through to even the most problem students. But his methods are unrealistic and would have traumatised the students of Reading Hell. An example of this is when Mr Foxx teaches the students that knowledge and the ability to read and write is important. He does this by telling them about how slaves used to have their fingers cut off if they got caught teaching each other to read and write. Then, he starts screaming like a maniac and slams a butcher´s knife into his desk, which was the moment that made me want to put down the book for good . Does the Author really expect us to believe a teacher would be allowed to bring a weapon to an American school and not get arrested? Also, it was specified many times that the class is full of at-risk kids, children from violent homes. It is so unrealistic to present a scene where none of the students was triggered by a teacher wielding a knife and yelling. This scene and the ending spoiled the realism of the book for me.
This is a 2 out of 4 stars for me. The editing is exceptionally good, which is why I decided it should be 2 stars instead of 1. The ending however really disappointed me because even though it is a good twist it also takes away from the message that some students are struggling at school because of situations that are not their fault. Unfortunately, the ending reveals that at least in Maxx’s case, a lot of his problems are a result of his own actions. Though this is a short book it was unenjoyable to read, and this makes it hard to finish.
From the last chapter and the way the book is written from the perspective of Maxx, I feel the author wants this book to be read by young readers who struggle to read. I cannot recommend it to them though because as someone who was in that category growing up, I would have found this book insulting and, I am unable to think of another group of people that would enjoy this book. That’s why I do not recommend this book to anyone.
******
A Bloody Book
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: The Legacy of Job's Wife by Cynthia Koelker
