A Separate Peace

Rating:
Summary: I LUV THIS BOOK!
Review: This was such a good book. I really enjoyed it. Although it was sad, it really made u think. It had a wonderful flow. I had to read it for school and it was the best book I have ever read! I'm a big reader and this is up there in my top ten books! I hope u all read this book and luv it as much as i did!

Rating:
Summary: the worst book ever
Review: This book was part of my required summer reading for highschool and I am afraid to say it was horrible. The plot was weak and unmoving. There was no climax (the attempt at a climax was pathetic), and I had to FORCE myself to finish the book.

Rating:
Summary: QUITE WELL DEVELOPED AND ENJOYABLE!
Review: Our class was required to read this novel this year and I was actually quite surprised by how good it was. Gene Forrester and Finny, Gene's friend, are the main characters in this novel. Gene is quite disturbed and jealous of his friend because he is so good at sports. Gene goes to great length to try and be even with Finny, he even shakes a tree limb, which makes Finny fall to the ground and become paralyzed. This novel probes into the mind of crazy, obsessive, people and the extent that they will go to to be considered "part of the group."

Rating:
Summary: NOT BAD FOR A SCHOOL REQUIRED READ!!
Review: Since I am a junior in high school, I have read many novels that we are required to read and to be honest I hated everyone of them, except for "To Kill A Mockingbird." In "A Separate Peace," I was impressed with the story. It held your interest a lot more than other school Core-Literature novels. Gene, one of the main characters, is very intelligent when it comes to schoolwork. Finny, on the other hand, is not very smart but excels when it comes to sports. Gene, after being jealous of Finny for a long time, shakes a tree branch where Finny is standing on and Finny falls a dangerous drop to the hard ground. He must go to the hospital and he is somewhat paralyzed. Gene is obsessed and jealous of Finny, so he goes to the extent of hurting him. Later, Gene feels that since he is "part" of Finny, that he not only hurted Finny but himself. Gene is quite "off." "A Seperate Peace" comes to an interesting conclusion. Overall, "A Separate Peace" is a worthwile novel read for school.

Rating:
Summary: BORING
Review: I never thought I'd say this, but this book is worse than Of Mice and Men. A Separate Peace barely had a plot. I bet no one will agree with me. But this book had bad writing, and was not interesting to read. It was definitely not a page-turner. My english teacher has been telling the class that when we write anything, we have to have an opening sentence that grabs the reader's attention. NOTHING in this book makes me want to keep reading. Yes, I had to read this for my english class, and yes, I had to write an essay about symbolism, blah blah blah. So that probably made me hate the book even more. But I would never read this if I didn't have to. Speaking of symbolism, can't the author just write a good book without having all those deep meanings embedded in the.. well.. "plot"? To all you authors out there, just write an interesting book! Don't make it something you have to analyse! And to all you students out there who have to read this book, just hope you don't have to watch the movie...

Rating:
Summary: What i thought about "A Seperate Peace"
Review: I read " A Separate Peace" as a required reading book over the summer. I wasn't particularly thrilled about summer reading and this didn't sound like it would be the most exciting book ever, but I was pleasantly surprised to find it pretty interesting, with a much deeper meaning then casually met the eye at a glance. This story took place in New England at Devon ( a private high school for boys) during World War II, and involved mainly two boys, Gene and Phineas, who were best friends. It tells of how Gene, who represents the experienced grown up, is overcome by jealousy and anger towards his friend. The jealousy that he holds within himself eats away and eventually leads him to push his friend from a tree and permanently injure him in a way that will eventually lead to his death. As Phineas is representative of the innocence we have as a child, this is very symbolic; Gene, the symbol of experience, "destroying" Phineas, the symbol of innocence.( growing up, losing our innocence) The tree is also symbolic , it is like the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (The Garden of Eden). In the story it is Phineas's idea to climb the tree that has thus far been used for military training as a fun new thrill. When he decides to climb it and jump and convinces Gene to do the same, it is symbolic of taking the forbidden fruit that will lead to death and pain in the end. This is especially true for Gene who, when he "destroys" Phineas he is really destroying the innocent half of himself. He had forebodings at first when Phineas wanted him to climb the tree, but he ended up brushing them aside and in a sense, with that decision , it was the beginning of the end. I think this was a good book. It was sad in some ways but it was a meaningful and interesting story.

Rating:
Summary: I liked it.
Review: A Separate Peace is a novel that goes deeper than a narrative story. It is a window into the human heart, and the evil that lurks there. There is symbolism in every page. One of the main themes or motifs in the book is the loss of innocence. The characters themselves are perfect examples. Gene represents the "adult human," who has lost his innocence. He is aware of the world and the bad in it. Finny, on the other hand, represents "the child." He is good and innocent. He sees the world in its glory, not its shortcomings. Devon, the school, is a symbol. It is a microcosm of the outside world. Throughout the book the world is encroaching on Devon and the students. By the end of the book, when the military troops are moving in, Devon and the outside world have become one. The book is excellent. A Separate Peace is well worth reading. I enjoyed it and you will too.

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Summary: my first internet -wide book rewiew
Review: A Separate Peace, an exquisite tale by John Knowles about jealousy, betrayl, trust, and friendship, ranks as an awesome literary piece. The story which takes place at a distinguished college called The Devon School during a war, begins as a reminiscence of the main character, Gene, who is visiting his old school. Gene remembers his athleticlly gifted friend, Finny and what happened to him that summer session of 1942. He recalls his reluctant adolescence and how, out of a fit of jealousy and rage, he shook a tree branch that Finny was standing on, causing him to fall and break his leg. Finny then restores their truthful friendship, but one night when a fellow classmate, Brinker holds a fake trial, blaming Gene for Finny's disability, a change of events would change their lives forever. Mr. John did a wonderful job making his characters real, tangible, and life-like and the conflicts very believable. A Separate Peace is an extraordinary piece that should be cherished,and recieve noteworthy praises.

Rating:
Summary: pretty good book
Review: A Separate Peace is a tragic "modern classic" concerning the complicated nature of adolescence. Gene is an emotional, intellectual boarding student at Devon Prepatory Academy. His roommate, Phineas, is more athletic and outgoing. When Phineas falls out of a tree, with Gene beside him, the seemingly straight forward accident begins to take on the possibility of an intentional act of violence on Gene's part. The author, John Knowles, plans this masterpiece of a novel to perfection. Knowles, as J.D. Salinger, author of Catcher in the Rye, tends to write about tragedies or struggles of teenagers. His use of language and symbols, such as the relation between the Devon River and Naguamsett River, is magnificent. A Separate Pieve is a spectacular novel of extreme adolescent conflict that must be read by all. It brings the reader to a new depth of thinking as Knowles moves the reader toward the turmoil and tragedy in the denouement.

Rating:
Summary: reviewing A Seperate Peace
Review: A Separate Peace is about two young men and the experiences that they go through together during the year 1942. Gene Forrester is the narrator. He recalls what had happened 15 years ago. Phineas is his friend and he is very athletic. This novel strongly suggests the theme of war and all the personal wars that people go through. A Separate Peace is a really good novel and I think that everyone should read it. I hope you do to when you read it.