The Watcher

Rating:
Summary: The Watcher
Review: 3 different characters
2 powerful messages and
1 strong story

These are the ingredients that make the book, The Watcher, an instant winner from first chapter to last.

The story of 3 differnt charatcers, Margaret, Chris and Evan, who's lives intertwine together, has got to be my favorite theme, in either in films or novels. I'm not a big fan of reading, but after realizing it's intriguing story, I had to get flipping through the pages immediately.

The 2 main messages of the book has got to be love and family. Each of these relatable charatcers has these themes in their story. The background information that we get from these characters are all heartbreaking, especially Chris', who's loss will get every reader into tears. For Evan, his family is falling apart, with the issue of his parents divorce lurking around the corner. As for Margaret, she also has a story that will be releaved in the end, with very descriptive detail that has the elements of suspense and sadness.

This book's master mind is James Howe, the author, who seemingly blends into each characters story very well giving them equal time and enough life, which gives the idea that these characters could really be living today. I would like to see this book turned into a film because It would be great to see these charatcers come to life with the great descriptions of the time and nature that seems to be around suburban California.

Overall this 1 strong story, should be read be teenagers aged 13 and up, I would also recommend this to adults; to understand what teenagers go through with the issues of Love and Family.

Rating:
Summary: a must read book!
Review: In his novel, THE WATCHER, James Howe writes about three troubled teenagers who meet at Fire Island, a seaside resort. As a result of this encounter, their lives will be forever changed and connected for all time.

Howe uses a combination of allegory, stark realism and his knowledge of what it is like to be a young person in an ever changing world where you can't always get what you want, to create a sensitive and emotionally charged novel.

Rating:
Summary: My review
Review: James Howe's novel, The Watcher, was nothing less than fascinating. It is a serious story about a broken, abused girl who finds comfort in watching the world rather than participating in it. As she sits on the beach scribbling in her notebook, she watches two young men and fabricates stories of their `perfect' lives, which are both far from perfect. Evan, a young teenage boy, fights to unlock the mystery of why his parents are getting divorced. Chris, the lifeguard, is just looking for his place in life.

Both boys notice "the watcher," Margaret, and make up their own stories about what's wrong with her. At the climax, their lives become intertwined and their troubles and struggles are revealed.

The book is beautifully written. It is extremely intense and emotional. It is the essence of the theme of `living in fear.' I recommend it for adolescent reading, grades 8-12. I further recommend it to middle and high school teachers. Heartbreaking as it is, these are the kids we teach on a daily basis....


Rating:
Summary: I Couldn't Put it Down
Review: The Watcher is one of the most amazing and beautifuly written books I've read. Words cannot express this book, but I'll try. Margaret is "the watcher", a mysterious girl who is commonly found sitting by the beach, just watching. Nobody really knows anything about her, they think she's just some weird kid. But really Margaret's life is complicated and tormenting. She is stuck in a deep, dark hole and can't escape. Her mind weaves stories of perfect familes and perfect lives, made up of the "perfect" people she sees on the beach. But are these people really so perfect? Margaret is intrigued by Chris, a seemingly care-free lifeguard. To some he appears shallow, even stupid. Really, his life is constanly being tormented by a memory which isn't even there, a memory of his brother which he lost even before he was born. Then there's Evan. Evan lives a seemlingly perfect life. He spends his time with his little sister Callie and his seeminlgy perfect parents. But behind their cheery faces, his family is in great pain. His little sister is constantly worried about her parents fighting, and their parents are constantly trying to hide their unhappiness from their children. How could all these charectars, who seem so different, really be so close? This book is, once again, amazing. The ending is thought provoking and ties everything together. I urge you to PLEASE read this book. It will stay on your mind long after you've finished it.

Rating:
Summary: Girl All Alone
Review: the watcher is one of the most powerful books about young teen life i have ever read. it gets so real sometimes you feel like your in it, living the life. theres a girl named marget and she is all alone and just sits on the top of steps and watches people. when she wants to she writes notes in her notebook. one day these two boys saw her watching them and didnt know why. everytime they saw her she was in the same spot and never with anyone else or playing on the beach. one of the boys name is even and as he watches her he ais faceing problems of his own. his sister and he both think their parents are getting a divorce. a guy named cris he is a life gaurd and not sure what he wants to do with his life and really confused. until the one day they saw the truth about the girl they call the "watcher.in a way theres sometingh that brings them all together and some how help out in there lives." i recommed this book to people who have there own problems and like to cry feel the pain marget gos though.

Rating:
Summary: Not Too Pleased
Review: This book didn't really please me. The beginning of the book was very very slow. I had a hard time keeping up with it and several times just stopped reading it altogether. I finally forced myself to get into the book and found that it was very boring until the end. The book wasn't really interesting and I wouldn't recommened it to anyone who wants to read about abuse. Seeing as how the abuse came at the very end of the book and not throughtout the whole thing.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: This book has been simply amazing. It has so many twists and turns, and I couldn't put it down, being 12 some parts upset me in a way, but I quickly got over them and continued reading. It was quite a thrill ride. Please read this book!!!!!!!