Rating: Summary: A let down Review: I recently had to read "A Seperate Peace" for school and I gradually began to regret the experience. The book looses steam as it chugs on. In the beginning, Gene and Finny are mildy interesting characters, but as Knowles begins to flesh out Finny, he becomes too perfect (aside from his grade problem) and too eccentric to be interesting. His views and attitudes become very tiresome. Midway through, Gene succombs to just sitting around and wallowing about all his problems while making an occasional reference to the war, bashing us over the head with "subtlety." A few major plot points go unexplained. When Gene "jounced" the limb of the tree so Finny would fall, we never get a satisfactory explanation of why he did it. When Leper, one of the calmest characters in the book, enlists in the army, all I could ask myself was "Why?" I would be willing to accept these manufactured aspects of the plot if the novel could manage to be a more interesting. The novel does pick up a little speed in the end, but it can't make up for this dull and tritely themed novel (We Are Our Own Enemies). Stay away from this book--its guarunteed to bore the pants off you.
Rating: Summary: 30 years later Review: As I was researching a book for my twin Boys, I remembered a book that I thought so much of while in high school in 1970. I am glad that many people have been so positively touched by a book that I thought never reached its acclaim due to the more read Catcher in the Rye. I always had a stong interest in math and science and hated, hated, hated english--until I read this book. I have not read this book since but still remember vividly the impression this book left me thus I still remembered the title. For the first time I was moved by a book and was able to express those emotions where this was the time I did not need to find Cliff Notes to give me insight. My feelings also moved the teacher for she saw my obversations were not the typical garbage I usually stated. Getting an A and being set on fire by the right books such as this was a big step. What shcools need to realize for those of us that do not/did not like to read, is that they must find the right books. Silas Marner, Witch of Blackbird Pond--no way, I would have stayed illeterate, but with books like this, Look Homeward Angel and Ken Follet I learned to enjoy reading. Teachers take note, if your students don't like what you are asking them, you need to do more research and find books that are page-turners.
Rating: Summary: Lyrical Master Review: This book is easily one of the best I've read. And I have read a lot of books. It is about a teenager named Gene growing up during World War II and him facing many battles as a teenager. It may sound cheezy, but is very good. While you are reading it you kind of have to pay attention and notice all the symbolism and extra things that Knowles adds in. Its not as simple as a book as you think. This is definitly a book every teenager and adult should read. However dont regard it as stupid if you dont understand all the techniques used to write it with.
Rating: Summary: A Seperate Peace Review: A Seperate Peace is about two friends who are going to a college during World War 2. Gene is careful and intellegent. While Phineas (Finny) is wild and carefree. Although they are best friends, both are jealous of the other. Realizing that they are competitors, Gene pushes Finny out of tree. Personally, I didn't enjoy this book. I didn't seem to have a climax and didn't flow properly. The author also seemed to leave out a lot of major details. I don't recommend this book. I usually enjoy books on World War 2, but I hated this one.
Rating: Summary: A Separate Peace Review: I had to read this book for school.....I think I fell asleep in class everyday we read it. This was so boring, I mean what kind of so-called FRIEND would push his "FRIEND" out of a tree? That's not exactly what a true friendship is all about! My advice, if you don't have to read it for a grade, don't read it!
Rating: Summary: beautiful Review: I am a 16-year-old sophomore and I just finished A Separate Peace for English. All I have to say is that this is one of the best books I've ever read. Period. The emotion, historical elements and carefuly thought out plot made it so wonderful that I couldn't put it down for hours.
Rating: Summary: A Separate Peace of Trash Review: I really was expecting the type of novel that would persuade me to tell others about. Not only did the story run sour, but the plot seemed to start at the climax and work downhill from there. Also, the novel should be taught, but only to classes who like Knowles' work.
Rating: Summary: suprisingly good Review: I had to read this book and Great Expectations over the summer for school. Great Expectations was so boring. But A Seperate Peace was very good.
Rating: Summary: A Separate Peace Review: We had to read this book for school and I was a little wary of it. It wasn't the type of book that I normally like to read. But when I started it, it was hard to put down. It was a strange, mysterious, sad book. It was also made for great discussion. I would recommend this book to anyone.
Rating: Summary: Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Review: I force my 10th grade class to read "A Separate Peace," and force is the perfect description of what I do; they don't like it. And (to be honest) I don't really like it either.It is the story of Finny and Gene--two sixteen-year-old boys in a private school in New England. Gene knocks Finny from a tree early in the novel, leaving the reader several questions: Why did Gene do it? Does Finny know Gene did it? What does the tree symbolize? What is the relationship between the school and WWII? Why is this young-adult classic putting me to sleep? This isn't a bad novel for a kid, but I would suggest that anyone with above a 5th-grade reading level stay away from it--unless you are having trouble sleeping.
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