Review of Impact Zone

[r1chnaturally]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Impact Zone" by B.D. Roy.]

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3 out of 5 stars

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Impact Zone by B.D. Roy describes 15-year-old surfer & musician Jack McHale's summer. It depicts the many trials that Jack and his brothers have to face while navigating the emotional minefield of their parent's divorce. Jack has an intense love for the waves, the guitar & his family.

It was easy to take a liking to the main character (Jack) because of his levelheadedness & mental fortitude. Jack was intelligent when scared & placed in dangerous situations. You don't often find a main character that is as self-aware and mindful as he is. It was very refreshing to read how he escaped life-or-death situations, like when the vagrant robbed him or when the locals picked on him. There is little romance, but the parts that do exist were very wholesome to read. This book reminded me why it was necessary to stay grateful & present in each moment so that the perfect wave (or opportunity) wouldn't pass me by. It also reminded me that it's always important to lean on & trust your support system & loved ones, especially in difficult situations. It was good to know that Jack was so supported & well loved that he knew he could count on his brothers to rescue him when he was in too deep.

It was very easy to tell that a 15-year-old boy did not write this book. There wasn't enough slang usage (which would color any boy that age's vocabulary). This made the book seem too formal, especially in the first half when the main character stayed with his mother. I also noticed that there were times when the characters were too upbeat in their responses (especially after traumatic events they lived through). The fight scene with the local Paradise Beach boys & the McHale brothers was overexplained. The author writes it from Jack's perspective and then has one of his brothers relate the entire thing again immediately after.

I would rate this book 3 out of 5 stars. There was repeated use of the derogatory slang "bimbo" on pages 53, 59, 69 & 77. The author used the phrase "what the heck" on pages 106 &111. The author used the derogatory word "bugger" on page 134. There are missing closing quotations on page 151 ("We got lucky...").

This book was intended to inspire young adults between the ages of 13 & 15 that have some knowledge of surfing. Otherwise, readers will find the parts about surfing tedious or hard to understand.

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Impact Zone
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