A Separate Peace

Rating:
Summary: Worth reading
Review: Although the book is not a "page turner," it does give a valuable message. It is clearly not the best book you will ever come upon, but it is worth the read.

Rating:
Summary: A great book full of local color and character development
Review: This book pits best freinds against each other in a classic settind of the all-boys private school. A class leader is permantly disabled by his best friend who hides his deep resentment for Finny. In a time of war, tempers explode and friendships are shattered. A must read for anyone!

Rating:
Summary: An Awesome book
Review: At first, since this was a school summer reading book, I had no intention of liking it AT ALL! After a while I couldn't help but liking it. I love to learn things that took place in WW2 and this book had a interesting way of telling us what was going on in the rest of the world. I found it interesting because the characters were my age. They acted my age and had to do a lot of the same things we have to do. I thought that John Knowles captured youth at this age exceptionally well, and I enjoyed this book and recomend this to anyone.

Rating:
Summary: An alum of "Devon School" gives her opinion
Review: I attended Devon's real world counterpart -- Phillips Exeter -- for four years. After looking over these reviews and seeing the number that note the impact the book has on boarding school and college students, I think it is safe to say that those who have never experienced living in a closed environment -- surrounded by perfectionists, ultra-competitve students, and the people who teach them -- can never truly understand this book. I would never have said this before, but the reviews posted here have led me to this conclusion. I have seen the spot by ther river where the tree stood, I have felt those well-worn marble stairs beneath my feet, and I have looked over the quad on a warm spring night. Finny is not an anomaly -- he reminds me of five or ten people I knew in high school. And Gene's jealousy of him is not unusual either. I saw many friendships like this in my time at boarding school, and see them still in college. Strangely enough, I read this book on my own -- my English class never read it. So, to all the sophomores who malign this book: read it in four years, and see how you feel about it.

Rating:
Summary: began with a small bang, ended in an inaudible whisper
Review: The book was well enough written, but it could have been a bit more interesting. It started it very fascinating, but it really petered out toward the end, like a car out of gas. Gene came off as a jealous wimp, unable to overcome anything without his best friend, who happens to come first on his 'hit list'. The boy was self-destructive. Not only that, but the book was so dull-ly written, that after I finished it, I had no reccollection of what I'd just read. I'm going to have to read the Cliffs Notes on it just so I'll remember what happened. My advice, don't read the book unless you absolutely have to.

Rating:
Summary: a pathetic excuse
Review: I just finished reading this book for my sophomore honors English. I hated it. The book was well written and interesting, but depressing and sickeningly nostalgic. Gene is whiny and self centered, and hasn't changed a bit since the "accident". What a joke. John Knowles created a very likable, good character in Phineas, but you had better not get too attached to him. I'm awfully sick of disgusting "classics" such as this. Don't waste your time or money.

Rating:
Summary: I hated it!!!
Review: Perhaps it's because it was forced upon me at school..perhaps it's because I can't relate to a book about boarding school boys during WW2 because I am a teen girl in the 90's. However, I liked Catcher in the Rye well enough... I know it's got a moral, and is probably interesting to some...but imho it was boring and pointless. I could not connect or feel any emotion for Finny and the other guy. The only thing I liked was Leper Lepellier, and I can't remember why. I completely agree with Lisa Simpson.

Rating:
Summary: The best book ever written about the turmoils of friendship
Review: A friend sent this book to me as a birthday present, and it took me only a day and a half to finish it. All I can really say is that the characters in it were so real to me that I felt like I had known them all my life. Their problems while in school and how they dealt with them was so very close to what many friends face in their lives, and how they deal with problems that arise between them. I know some people may find the book boring, but to me, it is one of the finest pieces of literature ever written.

Rating:
Summary: I think the book sucked!
Review: Well, the part about friendship was the only thing half way decent about it, because the book made me think about dying and it was all so gloomy and sad. It was a waste of my time!!

Rating:
Summary: One of the most important and compelling books ever.
Review: It took me a while and careful reading to truly appreciate this great work. Not only is the plot of this book an intellectual treat, but it is written ingeniously. Yes -- it can be read as simple entertainment or for its plot value, but a deeper reading reveals much more. Various themes continue to popup, and Knowles uses his language brilliantly. A second reading will also show parallel plots -- and the relationship between the two main characters develops interestingly, and their character traits frequently merge and switch. Its ultimate conclusion about civilisation v. savagery and its role inside all of us is chilling. Very similar to Lord of the Flies in several respects. Worth a read, and your experience will be greatly enhanced if you take time to read it multiple times.