A Separate Peace

Rating:
Summary: Well this is one Freebie I wish I would have passed by
Review: In my sophomores honors english class we had just looked over the AP book list, and were told to start thinking about a book to select and read. Our teacher had given us a short description of almost all of them just skipping fifteen or twenty. So one of the following weekends I was visiting our towns wonderful farmers market, and there was a stand set up by the local "friends of the library" offering free books. So loving books and free things in general I started looking through the books and found A Separate Peace, recognizing the title off the list, I took it home and started reading. Dragging myself through this uninteresting book, with characters I couldn't make myself sympathize with or like at all proved more difficult than I assume writing this terrible book was. I guess I'll admit it was interesting thinking about living at Devon... but come on for a book that was during the WW2 period, it really had very little of the impact of war in there, I think. Gene is a self obsessed idiot who if I knew him I'd shoot him and it would defiantly be justifiable homicide!! Please don't get offend if you absolutely loved this book, maybe I missed the point... or could it be my book had the interesting parts ripped out?? I guess I should have taken the clue that my teacher hadn't highlighted this book as special, or even described it at all!! Oh one more thing that baffles me is how this book even made the AP list!!

Rating:
Summary: Really tells you to never judge a book by it's cover!
Review: When I had this book placed on my desk I thought, "Man we never read anything good in here", boy did I learn my lesson. Overall the book was good. There was a small part that bored me, which is why the book did not receive 5 stars from me. The climax definetly came in chapter 11, which if you want to find out what happened you must read the book! The friendship of Gene and Phineas, and the problems that occur really can relate you to the life of teens today. Many forms of jealousy and regret are performed in everyday life, which is a big point in this book, which I feel should be commended! Read the book, the first couple of chapters may make you want to stop, or maybe those couple in between, but don't because for the good parts it's worth it! Knowles, great job!

Rating:
Summary: A stunning and electrifying book.
Review: An eye-opener. It shows human nature and the tension between different personalities in a way that will leave you shocked. A book about two boys studying at a countryside prep-school during the War, the contrast in their personalities is what gives this book its pungent flavor.

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.