A Separate Peace

Rating:
Summary: A real page turner, must read!!!!
Review: When I recieved my summer reading list for school this book was on it, I thought oh great another boring book. But once I opened it and started reading it, it was the best book I have ever read! I encourage everyone to atleast check it out. I highley recamend it!!! 5 Stars! Two Thumbs up!

Rating:
Summary: It's not excellent, but have some things good.
Review: I thing that this book have some interesting chapters, but the most chapters of the book are boring because you can now what will happen after this pages, it's good but not excellent.

Rating:
Summary: Very meaningful. Very good.
Review: A very good read. It is a startling novel of the confusions, hatred, and tortures of the students of Devon. The issues we are forced to examine can be very startling. The fear-created ambitions of young Gene Forester and the result of the ambitions drew me in-sometimes hesitanly- and saddend and shocked me. Read this book not for the thrill and action, because thrilling action you will not find. You will gain insight into the disturbed minds of adolescence during a disturbing war. Highly recommended

Rating:
Summary: a powerful message
Review: i read many of the other reviews posted for this book. there is obviously a discrepancy between readers who adored it and others who hated it. it is not a novel filled with pages of action, and yet it is gripping nevertheless. this is a psychological book, one which paints a portrait of the human mind. it is exciting and startling in the revelations that it produces about ourselves. therefore, it is easy to see why the book could be considered boring if the reader is not taking the time to look into their own mind and grasp the disquieting similarities between themselves and the characters in the novel. set against the backdrop of war, i think the author's message is that the blind spot, the jealousy, the darkness in gene's head which makes him commit that one-split second decision is the same darkness which creates humanity's greatest suffering - war. this book challenges us to look into ourselves and see that fear for what it truly is. often, it is a fear of an enemy who doesn't even exist. until we can deal with that fear, we shall never be without war and suffering. i would encourage those readers who found this book to be boring to try it again in a few years. perhaps this is not a book which should be required reading for everyone. however, i think the message of the book is one which should be understood by everyone.

Rating:
Summary: Hardly worth the effort of picking it up
Review: After hearing all of the wonderful things about this book, I must say I was very disappointed once I began reading Knowles "classic" work. The idea of the book is very good, but the approach taken by Knowles leaves much to be desired. Unless you have far too much time on your hands, avoid this book in favor of a book with more depth.

Rating:
Summary: Spellbinding Symbolism
Review: I absolutely adore this book. The imagery and symbolism are the best parts.

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Summary: This book is very sought out & has a lot of delightful insig
Review: I must admit that this book "A Separate Peace" by John Knowles is very good. I am going to be starting high School this september (1999), and I had to read this book when I was in 7th Grade. At first when all the English classes had to purcahse this book we all wined and complained about how boring the book would be, after reading it more than 68% of the classes combained liked it! John Knowles A Separate Peace is a fascinating and percise look into teenage life and the jealously and decite that it can lead to. All this book would be a good reading experience. It might be a little boring at first but it will eventually start to get better. Along with this book the reader might also want to try reading "The Giver" by Lois Lowry. Which I read in my 8th grade reading class. The Giver will suck the reader into it's world so much that the reader will not want to put down the book! Thank you for reading my review.

Rating:
Summary: Very good but slightly over descriptive.
Review: John Knowles' A Separate Peace is filled with moving symbolism and an enthralling plot, but Knowles sometimes lingers on the less important matters and begins to ramble. I believe one example of his long winded speeches is the Winter Fair. I understand that he is showing the joy, and light-heartedness of this situation before Leper's telegram but it was one of the longest chapters of the novel. I give this novel a fair rating but do not suggest it for impatient readers. Julie

Rating:
Summary: This is a classic?
Review: Uninspired dialogue, flat characterization and a cookie-cutter approach to symbolism aren't the makings of a classic. I'm amused at the righteous indignation some Knowles partisans can work themselves into. Are you bothered by the fact that people don't like this book, or rather that they have enough independence of mind to recognize a minor work when they see one?

Rating:
Summary: Only one thing to be said:
Review: AWESOME