Review of The M&M Boys
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Hannah Yi
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Review of The M&M Boys
[Following is a volunteer review of "The M&M Boys" by Lara Reznik.]
The M&M Boys by Lara Reznik is an engaging novel about growing up, sportsmanship, and the strong impact that family and friends can have on our lives. The story opens with young Marshall's failure to win a critical baseball game. Things spiral downward from there. His father is extremely disappointed in him. Problems arise between his parents. On the other hand, we also meet baseball stars Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris, also known as the M&M boys. They’re not having the time of their lives either. Between Mickey’s constant state of being drunk and surrounded by girls and Roger’s inability to win over the press, their coach urges them to get away from the public eye for a while. That’s exactly what they end up doing, moving to a dingy old house right next to Marshall. Roger and Marshall bond over their shared love of baseball. Sometimes, they’re the only things that keep each other motivated. Marshall’s heroes helped him improve his skills. Things finally look up for Mickey and Roger’s team, the Yankees. But Mickey still has bone disease. Roger still feels out of place. Marshall’s parents’ relationship only worsens. Will things really be able to end on a positive note?
This was a fascinating story. One of the main things I liked was how relatable it was. Any teen can relate to Marshall’s experiences while on the field. We all feel or have felt the crushing weight of our parents' expectations. We’ve all experienced the bitter feeling of loss, but also the sweet taste of success. The M&M Boys is a coming-of-age story like no other.
Mickey and Roger also grow on the reader. All three of our main characters are affected by their families, whether close by or far away. Mickey feels as if he got married too early and constantly argues with his wife. Roger loves his family, but they’re really far away from him. Marshall loves his parents, but it’s practically impossible for him to please both of them.
This novel deeply explores the bonds of family and friendship, and paints every child’s dream scenario: meeting their heroes. But does that really mean all your problems will go away? The M&M Boys also has themes of domestic and child abuse. It portrays everything realistically. Marriage isn’t the end. It could come with its own share of issues. Families all have their difficulties. The whole story was beautifully written, and I can’t find any issues with it except for the excess of grammatical or punctuation errors.
As such, I rate this novel 3 out of 4 stars. If you’re looking for down-to-earth, realistic fiction, then this is the book for you. I highly recommend that you try it and I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.
******
The M&M Boys
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
The M&M Boys by Lara Reznik is an engaging novel about growing up, sportsmanship, and the strong impact that family and friends can have on our lives. The story opens with young Marshall's failure to win a critical baseball game. Things spiral downward from there. His father is extremely disappointed in him. Problems arise between his parents. On the other hand, we also meet baseball stars Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris, also known as the M&M boys. They’re not having the time of their lives either. Between Mickey’s constant state of being drunk and surrounded by girls and Roger’s inability to win over the press, their coach urges them to get away from the public eye for a while. That’s exactly what they end up doing, moving to a dingy old house right next to Marshall. Roger and Marshall bond over their shared love of baseball. Sometimes, they’re the only things that keep each other motivated. Marshall’s heroes helped him improve his skills. Things finally look up for Mickey and Roger’s team, the Yankees. But Mickey still has bone disease. Roger still feels out of place. Marshall’s parents’ relationship only worsens. Will things really be able to end on a positive note?
This was a fascinating story. One of the main things I liked was how relatable it was. Any teen can relate to Marshall’s experiences while on the field. We all feel or have felt the crushing weight of our parents' expectations. We’ve all experienced the bitter feeling of loss, but also the sweet taste of success. The M&M Boys is a coming-of-age story like no other.
Mickey and Roger also grow on the reader. All three of our main characters are affected by their families, whether close by or far away. Mickey feels as if he got married too early and constantly argues with his wife. Roger loves his family, but they’re really far away from him. Marshall loves his parents, but it’s practically impossible for him to please both of them.
This novel deeply explores the bonds of family and friendship, and paints every child’s dream scenario: meeting their heroes. But does that really mean all your problems will go away? The M&M Boys also has themes of domestic and child abuse. It portrays everything realistically. Marriage isn’t the end. It could come with its own share of issues. Families all have their difficulties. The whole story was beautifully written, and I can’t find any issues with it except for the excess of grammatical or punctuation errors.
As such, I rate this novel 3 out of 4 stars. If you’re looking for down-to-earth, realistic fiction, then this is the book for you. I highly recommend that you try it and I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.
******
The M&M Boys
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Singularity by Jayme A. Oliveira Filho and Jayme S. Alencar
