Boy's Life

Rating:
Summary: Did Cory Recapture the Magic?
Review: This is one of the most asventurous books that I have ever read. It was like a mystery all the way through. Cory Mackerson was trying who was the killer of the person at the bottom of the lake, but there was another main idea in this. Cory is always trying to know if you lose your magic once you grow up. The epilog at the end of the book was supposed to show if he had recaptured the magic. I think that he didn't recapture it becuse he didn't talk about it at all. Maybe some other people like id the story recaptured it, like Vernon Thaxter, but not Cory. This was a great book and I recommend that other people read it too.

Rating:
Summary: A book that will please all.
Review: This is no regular mystery book. It wraps science-fiction, adventure and tragedy all into one. It is one of the most well-rounded books I've ever read. It has something for every reader's interests. It definitely should be taught at school.

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Summary: Incredible...
Review: Of all the books I've read, none has ever been able to stir as much emotion within me as this book. The humanity of the characters amazed me, as did the way the author captured(warning: cliche follows) the essence of boyhood. Whether you are a fan of mysteries, comedies, sentimental novels, or tearjerkers, you'll find something in this book to enjoy.

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Summary: A Wonderful Book
Review: This book is wonderfully written, portraying the life of a 12 year old and how he goes about lingering between innocence and evil as he tries to solve a murder mystery that has baffled everyone and driven his father to pieces. The book will take you back to your own childhood memories reminding you of how you too once believed in magic. It will take you back to the time you thought everything around you was mysterious and you just wanted to discover everything. The characters of the book are beautifully created. Each character is created with emotion and you will easily be able to relate to any on one them. Their adventures and mishaps will effect you deeply and cause you to rethink what you consider important to you. Cory's affectionate pleas with his dad will inspire you to go to your fathers and thank him for everything he has done for you. His relationship with his mother will make you strengthen your relationship with your own mother. Cory's friends will remind you of your own friends and how they motivate you every day. The book ranges in emotions. One minute you'll be laughing, the next holding back tears, the next trying to be a detective and solving the mystery. The range of emotion will keep you at the edge of your seat waiting for the next scene. There is no end to the surprises in this book and will be one of the best books you ever read.

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Summary: Boys will be boys
Review: An intensifying novel that recapture's the magic of pre-adolescense and the experience of an eleven year-old boy's life. Though I have not read McCammon's other books, I must say that this boys took me on a rollar coaster ride. It was very interesting and hard to put down. The group of friends and Cory (the main character and narrator of the book) share a special bond and adventures. The books riveting events make you want to live life the old fashion way and make an adventure out of anything, such as a simple ride on Cory's bike, "Rocket". The story is so connected that even explaining one single event would make it very hard not to rush into the next. No one would belive that a town small as Zephyr could have so many things happing in such little time. This book is written in the late 1950s through the 1960s, where many may think nothing exciting happened but this book makes anything possible. I loved it very very much and consider it a must read.

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Summary: A fifteen year old's review of Boy's Life
Review: A dash of suspense. A bit of mystery. A tad of compassion. These ingredients and many more make Boy's Life, by Robert R. McCammon, as captivating and entrhalling as it truely is. Boy's Life, the story a young, adventurous boy named Cory Mackenson, conveys a positive message--a bold message, that may appear even cynical to most. Even as people age, the magic will never be lost. The book centers around a murder in Zephyr, a small, tightly-knit town in Alabama during the 1960's. As the book details vividly, Cory's father, Tom, is overcome by grief, and anguish because he is unable to rescue a man from drowning. This causes many sleepless nights, and much anxiety/bewilderment throughout the town of Zephyr. Besides this tragic incident, the novel details the life of Cory -- his experiences with different people, and his reactions to different events/adversaries. For example, McCammon describes Cory's regular fights with the Branlin brothers; how each and every time Cory and his friends would be severly beaten up. Also, the novel tells of the ghost of Midnight Mona, as well as Old Moses, a monster that resides in the depths of Saxon's Lake. Cory, a keen, and intelligent boy, unveils the killer, and through the help of chracters such as his father, The Lady, and friends such as Ben and Johnny, solves the mystery. A book for those who enjoy reading about the unimaginable, Boy's Life is a sure-fire for children aged 12-18, and will undoubtedly leave most readers on the edge of their seats.

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Summary: A Literary Wonder
Review: Boy's Life, by Robert R. McCammon is an incredible novel about recapturing the magic as well as the problems of childhood that we all must face or must have faced at one point or another in our lives. What is remarkable about this novel is that the reader is able to follow through a rough season in the life of Cory Mackenson, the protagonist, and witness the simplicity and innocence of a kid who is hurled into situations wherein he uses his imagination and cunning to get out of. This book is written in the point of view of a little kid who is a spectator to everything around him and this hint of magic the McCammon adds is appealing to all ages because we are reminded of the magic that we have or once had and have possibly forgotten as well as the importance of keeping in touch with that magic. Boy's Life starts out with a perfect town, Zephyr, in Alabama where the people are friendly and the atmosphere is pleasant and welcoming. However, one day as Cory and his father are driving along their milk route, a car plunges into Saxon Lake, and its victim is forever gone, except in the memories of Cory and his father, which begin to haunt them. This perfect little town is not so perfect anymore and in the same way, we are reminded that no matter how wonderful something seems, it is not without flaws. Cory is given a chance to find the murderer and act as a detective piecing together important information, however with his role as a detective comes the harshness of reality, like death and hate. Cory notices this reality occurring around him and to people he loves, but it is not strong enough for him to lose the magic within him. This utopian society that Cory lives in is shattered by the hatred that some of Zephyr's citizens carry for those of Bruton. Cory is forced to acknowledge the Ku Klux Klan and racial segregation because it is such a big force which gives him, as well as the rest of the town, no mercy. But Cory must recognize and accept it, though he hates it. He befriends the Lady, a prominent figure in Bruton, and he sees up close the control that racism possesses, even though it ought not to. I would recommend this book to everyone because it rekindles the magic that some people have simply "misplaced." This book, which is truly a masterpiece, does not allow us to put the book down because it creates a suspense which keeps our eyes glued to the pages. It truly is a loss if one does not get the chance to read such an amazing book in their lifetime.

Rating:
Summary: Boy's Life
Review: Robert McCammon has created a magical adventure in his book, Boy's Life. The 1960's in the deep South in the town of Zephyr, Alabama is the setting for a year in the life of eleven-year-old Cory Mackenson. What a year it is! Get set for a roller coaster ride of danger and adventure. McCammon captures the innocence of childhood with a bit of mystery, magic, and suspense to make the reader not want to put the book down. Every time I thought I had everything figured out, something else happened to change it all. Cory and his father find themselves in deep trouble that just keeps getting deeper. The characters of Boy's Life are plentiful and full of life. Cory and his best friends, Ben Sears, Johnny Wilson, and Davy Ray Callan encounter an intriguing array of people along their childhood journey. The hilarious Demon, the eccentric Vernon Thaxter, the bigger-than-life Owen Cathcoate, and the Lady are just a few of the characters you'll be introduced to. Some are comical, mysterious, and endearing. Other characters will make your skin crawl. Their twists and turns through life in Zephyr will keep you turning the pages. Perhaps you'd like a little fantasy thrown in. Just wait. Boy's Life has just enough fantasy to make it magical, but at the same time, I found myself saying "Maybe it really could happen." Ghostly apparitions, swamp monsters, demonic monkeys (Lucifer is hilarious), messages from the grave, and an extinct carnival attraction are just a few of the fantasies waiting for the reader. Whatever you're looking for in a book, Boy's Life has it all.

Rating:
Summary: A masterpiece!
Review: I wish I could give this book more than 5 stars! I have read many, many books in my life and most have faded from memory. This one remains. I cried when the book was over because I didn't want it to be finished. Mr. McCammon most have stumbled on to some of the Lady's magic, because this book transports you. Besides the fact that the characters are realistic and admirable, yet flawed, the story draws you in. It is a week-end book, because everything else will have to wait until you find out about the feather, Old Moses, the Lady...A story about family love, friendship and the magic of childhood. Please read it!

Rating:
Summary: One of my all-time favorite books!
Review: I loved this book! It has a little of everything - magic, suspense, horror, a detective story, a glimpse of life in a Southern town. McCammon captures the wonder and mystery of childhood with richly developed characters and settings. It was a read I wished would never end. Though I have enjoyed most of McCammon's other books, this is, by far, my favorite and it has become a favorite for all I have recommended it to.