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Summary: A (Very) Realistic Tour-de-Force
Review: This book was a brutally honest look into the underworld of drugs, racism and the corruption of virtual reality. As the Crusader statue looks on, Roberta Ritter finds the courage in herself to become her own crusader. I thought this book was extremly realistic. Most books that cover topics like this avoid racial slurs and swearing, but somtimes that is exactly what makes things more real. But because of this, like other reviewers, I think this book is definatly for people 10 and up. Notice I said people; this book should be read by both adults and children.
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Summary: A great book!
Review: Roberta is a shy, plain girl who spends most of her free time working at a failing arcade in a failing mall. She dosen't have many friends and spends most of her time being silent. She looked upon as a normal girl but she's not. Seven years ago her mother was murdered in her family's old aracde and Roberta still hasn't recovered. When a spree of hate crimes against a store owner Samir breaks out, it's only the beginnging of a few very painful and equally powerful months for Roberta and everyone around her. As she works hard to save the arcade, find out who's committing the hate crimes, and find out her mother's murderer she picks up friends and learns things that she never thought she would learn.When I first saw the gigantic book sitting on the shelf in a local bookstore I was shocked. I've seen very few books of this size in the young adult section that weren't fantaasy books. The back of it looked interesting so I bought it. I was not dissapointed. This was a powerful book. It told the story of racism, murder, a glimps into the dark world of polotics, and journalism, and the story of one girls courage and growing up. I reccomend this book to any young adult. It's really an amazing book. It definatly deserves 5 stars.
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Summary: Holy cow what a waste of money
Review: Okay. I read Tangerine 7 times and loved it more each time. I read this and hated it. It is a disgrace to Edward Bloor. It is very bland and boring. It took me about a month to finish reading it and it would of taken me about 10 days if I liked it. Don't read it. It is hard to get into (because you don't ever get into it). It is a waste of money. I didn't even buy it and I felt sorry for my aunt for wasting the money on it. DON'T BUY IT
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Summary: Crusader, the best book I've ever read.
Review: I know people always say, "I couldn't put it down," but I am serious, I literally couldn't. When I first picked up this book I planned on reading it over the course of a month, and finished it in just one day. The Characters each have certain mysteriousness's, and quirks that keep the book interesting. Bloor cleverly mixes together all the strange things going on in this Florida community, including a failing Mall, a violent game, the loss of loved ones, a series of hate crimes, a neglected teenager, a 7-year-old murder, and a girls journey of self-discovery. You can really relate to the characters; I found myself comparing each character to someone I knew. With it's racial tension it may be to intense for some readers, but serious young adult readers will definitely appreciate it. I would highly recomend this book, not only is it an elaborate, roller-coaster ride mystey, but in every incident there are hidden moraals, and secrets revealed if you bother to look closely. Don't hesitate, it's not a waste of money, BUY THIS BOOK. I gurantee you you'll be glad that u did.
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Summary: Never Give Up
Review: One must always decide for himself what is the truth and never back down from what they believe in. This is effectively portrayed in the novel Crusader by Edward Bloor, in which Roberta Ritter, a fifteen year old girl, works at a failing arcade in a failing mall. Roberta's father co-owns the arcade with his brother, Roberta's Uncle Frank. Roberta's father fails to acknowledge her, and she cannot keep herself from thinking about her mother's murder seven years ago. Roberta is studying to be a journalist, and she uses her skills to uncover details that have gone unnoticed to discover what really happened. At the same time, Roberta has other things to worry about, such as the hate crimes that are being committed at the mall where she works. A politician is trying to ruin the very same mall and she has to try and save the mall from bankruptcy. She must cope with the deaths of two friends - one elderly and one just a teen. Roberta must look underneath the surface to decide for herself the truth behind on one of the deaths. Bloor writes in a simple and yet easy to understand style. The book deals with many different topics including handling difficult family issues and hate crimes. At the end of it all, though, Roberta manages to show us that the only way to survive is to continue believing in what you know is true and never to give up. "'I'm standing here at the edge of your ditch, and I'm looking at you, with all your money, and all your people, and I'm saying, I will not jump in the ditch like all the others. You will have to shoot me. I will not give up! Do you understand? I will not give up - no matter what you do, I will never, ever give up!'" (pg 358). This book helps to provide a positive message. It showed that you have to find your own way. I really enjoyed reading it. Although it is nearly 400 pages, it will keep you reading until the last page!
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Summary: This is the best book of all time.
Review: I'm serious. I am an avid reader, and I think this book sits right up in the ranks of Gone With the Wind and The Outsiders. Set in a steamy and perilous urban area of Florida, Crusader starts very slow (like Tangerine) and then roars to a final, shocking, and horribly ironic climax. I nearly cried when it was over, because I wanted to keep reading it all the time. The characters are sharply drawn, and you are forced to form your own opinions about them, they are not simply given to you. Perhaps the most beautifully crafted character is Roberta Ritter, the main protagonist in the story. When you first begin, Roberta is very indifferent to the complex world around her. However, as the story moves on, you begin to see that nothing is as it appears, another characteristic of Tangerine.
The final, terrifying, shocking ending will take your breath away as Roberta confronts the demon in her life. Also: Don't be surprised if someone whom you've never suspected turns out to be a killer. You have to read this book.
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Summary: A great Victory For Edward Bloor
Review: For the past three days I haven't been able to set this novel down and now that i have successfully finished it in a record time, I wanted to share with everyone a review of this extraordinary book!
It starts off in a mall on the brink of bank rupcy, in an arcade that offers realistic 'experiences', and into the life of a few wonderfully diverse characters.
The main character, Roberta Ritter, lives with her dad in a run down apartment just a few blocks away from the family arcade located inside the mall.
The story intruduces various characters such as Hugh Mason A.K.A Hawg, whom is an avid football player and is always found helping out in the arcade along with his silent counterpart, William Royce A.K.A Ironman. Colonel Uncle Frank, and Roberta's cousins, Kristin and Karl.
With great writing details and odd situations between the main character's tragic past, the family arcade business, and hate crimes that begin to erupt around the mall; it's impossible to stop reading this story once you've begun.
This is one story that I intend to read again and if you haven't read it yet I strongly suggest that you do. You won't regret it!
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Summary: WOW
Review: Okay, first of all, don't be turned off by the name. When I first saw the book, i was like Crusader? I hate fantasy books, but this one was by the author of tangerine, and i needed a good read. I READ THIS BOOK IN JUST ONE DAY! If you have seen it or read it you know that this comes close to the harry potter books in length! I just couldnt put it down! I thought that Roberta was a really intriguing character. This long book kept me hooked by MORE and MORE surprises i couldnt get over. Read this book! And take your time with it!
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Summary: the best of the best
Review: no way! that is all i could think of as turned every page of this amazing book. no way this could be happining to poor Roberta Ritter, shy innocent school girl who is as normal as any of us. This is definatly the best book i have ever read! if u r about to read this book than take my advice: buckle ur seatbelt because u are in 4 a wild ride throgh Roberta's eyes!
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Summary: This is a really good book!
Review: The book was great. I liked it because you never knew what was going to happen next. It started out with a girl named Roberta whose mother was murdered seven years ago. She is out to find who murdered her mother. While she is trying to find her information, she ends up helping out at the family arcade. The story takes place in Miami, Florida. Most of the action is at a mall. Many different things happen which make the story exciting. I also read Edward Bloor's other book, Tangerine, which I also liked. This book was better than Tangerine!
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