Rating: 
Summary: Unrealistic depiction of Western PA...
Review: I bought this book for two main reasons: first, Oprah recommended it and I have thoroughly enjoyed the other books on her list; second, I am from the same area of Western Pennsylvania as the main character Harley and the author are from. In fact, I live only a few miles from the town of Black Lick, PA and the kids from Black Lick went to the same high school as me. I thought this was a disgusting book. I was very upset with the way it portrayed Western PA. I do not know anyone whose life has been at all like Harley's. I think Ms. O'Dell is giving a bad impression of this area through all the talk of murder, incest, adultery, etc. She is obviously enjoying her new life in Illinois! If she feels that Western PA is such a "beautiful" place (as noted on the back cover) then next time I hope she writes a "beautiful" story!
Rating: 
Summary: Is It Over?
Review: Although I hate to admit it, I have become addicted to Oprha's books. I ordered Back Roads only because of this; once again I was NOT let down. Tawni's insight to the male brain was shocking! The only thing I would change about this book is the ending. Tawni left too many question marks! I do hope she is planning a Back Roads II. Although I love books that leave you to finish it in your mind; this one didn't give enough information to finish. Come on MS O'Dell let's hear some more!!
Rating: 
Summary: a gem
Review: Harley is unforgetable as are his three sisters. Ms. O'Dell did a fantastic job!
Rating:
Summary: Get Ready to Read Non-Stop
Review: Want to read a book this weekend that you simply can't put down? You don't have to be a follower of Oprah's Book Club to enjoy this one. From the first page on, I was completely hooked. You know a book is good when you don't want to stop reading it to do anything else, like sleep or eat. Harley may seem to some as an unsympathetic and down right negative character, but he is mostly justified in his feelings and actions. He is in a horrible situation, his family life is atrocious, his mental health seems to be in question, and everything seems to be working against him. Yet he seems to give it all the best he's got, even when that isn't so great. The writing is fast-paced and engrossing; you just can't stop wondering what is going to happen next. I didn't figure out the ending ahead of time, so it wasn't written too obviously, yet the conclusion was satisfying and didn't seem too absurd (as some endings so often are). This is a book I plan to read again and recommend to friends.
Rating:
Summary: The Road Most Traveled . . .
Review: Back Roads is a wonderful, yet shocking depiction of a teenage boy having to grow up fast. While the circumstances surrounding Harley's life are extreme and intense, O'Dell succeeds in revealing the challenges, struggles and courage of a typical adolescent. The character of Harley portrays a typical adolescent who is concerned, yet confused; proud, yet insecure; courageous, yet afraid; immortal, yet self-destructive; restless, yet lethargic. O'Dell successfully portrays the "back roads" as being synonymous to the search for one's self-identify in order to find a place in the world - a search that is done by all people in different ways and in various situations.
Rating:
Summary: FEMALE AUTHOR, MALE BRAIN- - - - - -AMAZING
Review: What amazes me about this book, is how the female author nails the "mindtalk", that voice inside us, of a 20 year old virgin male and his nascent sexuality. Ms. O'Dell, the author, is an attractive woman ( her photograph is on the back cover of the book). Her description of a young man struggling with big issues is astounding. Harley, the 20 year old male narrator in this story, is losing his virginity, while trying to support his three sisters after their mother is imprisoned for murdering their father. Wow. That's a pretty full plate for Harley. What amazes me is the author's descriptions of Harley's sexuality with accurate descriptions of male sexual excitement and what goes on inside the mind as Harley grows into his sexuality while his younger sister is more experienced. Also, Harley finds certain words troublesome. Words such as CRISIS and EXCEPTION. He repeatedly asks others to DEFINE what they mean by a certain word. Also, Harley sees certain words and phrases in neon above the people who speak these words. This device, used by the author, had a powerful effect on me. Harley was beaten by his father and abuse victims can often times be hypersensitive to abusive language, even though their physical abuse has stopped. This device developed by the author for this character was quite interesting.
Rating:
Summary: A true page-turner
Review: I literally stayed up all night reading this book-every time I thought I had the plot figured out, something shifted. Somehow, depite the subject matter (incest, child abuse, murder), I ended up with a real affection for the characters and a positive feeling about the ending. Harlan is a truly touching narrator. I'm tempted to dive right back in and read this again!
Rating:
Summary: Oprah's book list reader in Seattle
Review: At the beginning of the story, I thought "I'm not going to get into this book." I pushed myself to read the first chapter but after that I could not put the book down. I felt sorry for Harley, he was under so much pressure and I did not understand the feelings his sisters had towards him. As he continued his affair with Callie, I was sure that one of the girls was to blame for Callie's demise. I would sure recommend this book to anyone, in fact, I have passed this book on to many of my friends who have also enjoyed this story.
Rating:
Summary: Deeply moved
Review: Backroads is one of the best books I have read in a long time. Granted, the reason I picked it up was because it was a selection for Oprah's Book Club, but I am so glad that I did. This book captures the reader's emotions and draws them into the lives of the characters whether they like it or not. I felt like I could go to Pennsylvania and actually find Harley and his sisters. Ms. O'Dell has a gift that she shares with the rest of us. It is that rare book that you will keep thinking about long after you have finished reading. I highly recommend this first novel by a very talented writer.
Rating:
Summary: Very Pleased and Suprised
Review: Back Roads is truly a journey into raw, disconnected emotion fueled by love and the desire to survive. I am familiar with small town PA, having lived there four years..the characters are true, sound and developed. I highly recommend this book.
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