Rating: 
Summary: Confusing
Review: I give this 3 stars because it was boring . I say this
because the chapters jump from one thing to another. But I won't like to read a book like this anymore because it was confusing.
Rating: 
Summary: Overrated and Unnecessary Book
Review: Point blank, I don't like this book. I see little value in it, and much like the other Cormier book I read (I am the Cheese) it is intended for a teen audience, attempting to show it's audience that life is a miserable existence, where their place on this earth is dubious at best and any act of individuality will be crushed in the gears of the uncaring populace. I cannot subscribe to this message, because it's an absurd inaccuracy.This will certainly put an end to my reading of Cormier. After my experience with the first book, I wonder why I would have bought this. I have no good answer to that question other than to say that I wanted to see what all the praise was about. It brings to mind the adage that if you burn me once, shame on you; if you burn me twice, shame on me. Well, shame on me for reading this book. I get what I deserve. Do yourself a favor and don't repeat my mistake. I imagine the story is meant to show its readers they are not alone. That, and to sell books. That's fine, either way you look at it. However, in the end the bad guys essentially, for lack of a better word, win. There are no good guys, nor are there bad guys. So the assessment is subjective, in a sense. We're dealing with kids, and these kids represent a thoroughly absurd un-reality in the story. Through it all I found myself interested in the story, I'll admit this much. But in the end, I still come back to the question of, "What's the point?" It's so thoroughly pointless I found myself entirely disgusted with the book, as well as the author. Just as I didn't see the point of 'I am the Cheese', I don't see one here. I can't recommend this book by any stretch of the imagination. Books that would be better for the intended audience include Catch-22 (Heller), Brave New World (Huxley), or Catcher in the Rye (Salinger).
Rating: 
Summary: Bittersweet chocolate
Review: It's difficult to review "The Chocolate War" because so much has already been said about it. The painful story of one boy's steadfast refusal to sell chocolates for his high school, and the consequences he faces for such a decision is as brilliant and difficult to read as ever. This isn't to say that the book is difficult to read stylistically. Instead, it's a well written tour de force that slyly invites the reader to know more about the characters, even as the situations described grow worse and worse. Cormier is to be commended for creating one of the world's first young adult psychological thrillers. Though the end of the book does disintegrate into needless violence, most of this story concerns mental anguishes and locked horns as characters vie for superiority over their fellows without fisticuffs. There's some interest in figuring out who the book's protagonist is too. Our sympathies lie, of course, with poor Jerry Renault. Here's the single man poised to challenge the universe around him. Then there's Archie Costello. Leader of the school's secret society and an interesting portrait of someone both evil and amazingly confident he works his hardest to bring Renault down. Both boys (men?) fight. One for what he believes is right, and the other for his own selfish desires. In the end, it is difficult to accept that the man who has ended up on top is entirely less deserving. The book's downbeat ending, in which our hero declares that it is never wise to buck the system, has always brought the book under a certain amount of fire. Adults who read this book find themselves trying to shield it from their own kids. Which is, of course, patently ridiculous. Any kid who has ever attended activities with others their own age will instantly recognize the fear and intimidation their peers can inspire. The book's excellent understanding of how large groups of people will stay silent when one of them is being persecuted, because none of them want to be singled out, is drilled home in the story's final climactic boxing match. Better still, Cormier truly explores the nature of violence in every human being. Archie understands it, and sets up a situation where the kids of the school participate in something akin to the gladiator fights of ancient Rome. The final atrocity Archie manages to perpetuate against Jerry is that he makes the kid himself want to taste blood. To give in to the violence around him. It's heartbreaking and amazingly well written. The fact that there's a sequel to "The Chocolate War" depresses me on some level. This is one book I really felt stood on its own. We can imagine the repercussions that occur later well enough without having to rely on a continuation of some sort. Either the sequel will simply establish the first book's moral (disturbing the status quo may well kill you) or it will trump everything the first book ever proposed (now the good guys win and the bad guys suffer). In any case, "The Chocolate War" is well worth reading. Painful reading, yes. Sometimes difficult and sometimes unsentimental. I myself am going to go curl up with "Charlotte's Web" to get the taste of the book out of my mouth. But every kid in the world should read it. It is perhaps the best young adult novel ever written.
Rating: 
Summary: The Chocolate war
Review: The book is about a secret school society known as the vigils. Archie Costello, leader of the vigils and best friend of Jerry Renault. Jerry devastated by his mother's recent death, his father also mourning the death of Jerry's mother now lives a depressing life. Jerry learns to stick up for himself when he is forced to defy his best friend Archie and refuse to participate in a fun raiser. Archie however, skilled at intimidation turns his best friend into an outcast and forces him to leave the vigils. Jerry then find himself alone all because, he refused to sell chocolates for an annual school fund raiser. " Good book but it could have been better!" One thing that could have been changed was the fundraiser. Because, it seems kind of lame how you could possibly write a book about a chocolate fundraiser. Jerry might as well have been a Girl Scout selling cookies. The best thing that this book has going for it is the character usage. Never before have character's been so easy to follow and relate to. This is probably because the Author explains every little thing in full detail he can take five steps and turn them into five paragraphs, and that takes talent because, you have to be able to do this without boring the reader and Robert Cormier unlike most authors found a way. If you think the characters are great you'll love the ending. The ending is where all the magic happens. The characters come together and start to relate and express them selves by the time you get to this part you will find it hard to put the book down.
Rating:
Summary: A response to those who deem this book unrealistic...
Review: Would you describe 'Animal Farm' as unrealistic? Or '1984' or 'Brave New World'? This book works on more than one level - both as a rattling good tale and as a metaphor for the ways in which fear permeates and often controls society. Yes - the idea of a war over chocolate sales in a school is fantastical, but the basic premise of a group of bullies maintaining an iron grip over their peers is not. I read this as a 13 yr old girl and adored it. I read it again as an adult and, although the issues in it that I responded to were different, my overall opinion was the same. It's a chilling story that parodies the operations of Mafia-type groups or the way in which Russia was dominated by criminal organisations post-communist rule. Although the authorities are aware of the Vigils they are powerless to stop them as they require their support in order to maintain authority. But a warning - if you're easily offended by the type of language and the acts of teenage boys when they're out of hearing distance of their parents, I wouldn't read this!
Rating:
Summary: Adolecence Suck
Review: The Choclate war is one of the greatest book I have ever read when I was a young adult.
I'll Be frank here because I hate reading humoungous reviews and I'm sure not to many people do. The choclate war was a story about a secret society and their abuse of power. They pretty much control the school, everyone knows of their excistance but no one talks says anything becuase of thier great power.
Jerry Renault is the only one who cares to challange their power. When you hear that this book is for young adults your thinking seventh graders right? Wrong If I had a seventh grader I would not my child read it. It has colorful language that is true with teens today. And it has almost adult experiances. Great read! I would suggest it to anyone!
Rating:
Summary: The Chocolate War
Review: I never read books. The only time that I like to read books is if I have to for school, or I really love the book. In this case The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier was one of them. My tutor recommended me to read this book. In the beginning of the book I was not sure that I wanted read it, but when I read more and more of the story it got more and more fascinating. I have never finished a book in one day but when you read this book you will never want to put the story down.
The story is about this new kid named Jerry Renault who goes to this school called Trinity. The school is pretty much ran by a gang. Jerry gets caught up in this game that ends up making Jerry's life a living (...). Jerry must over come harassment, ostracization, and many more horrible things. All through the story one saying is going through Jerry's mind and that is "Do I dare disturb the world?" The author uses these simple words to make you keep on reading the story till you finish. One great part I really enjoyed in the story was when ten people jumped Jerry. The author writes the book as if it was a movie. For example, you get to see each and every character in depth just like in the movies. The author also uses a lot of descriptive words to explain every event happening in the story.
I would recommend this book to everyone. This book will probably the best book that you have ever read. It will keep you on the edge of your seat. I give the book three thumbs up. I hope that you enjoy the book as much as I did.
Rating:
Summary: This book makes absolutely no sense
Review: I remember reading this book when I was in seventh grade, and I had to stop myself from falling asleep (maybe because we were forced to LISTEN to it on audio tape). Anyway, I tried reading it again, and it's just too bizarre for words. The only part I vaguely understood was that there were some chocolates being fund-raised at school for a baseball game, I think. But from there things got crazy, because it seemed like new "storylines" and new characters were popping up on every page. Also, this is supposed to be a children's book, but the "s" word is thrown around an awful lot. If you can understand any part of this book, give yourself a pat on the back. Anthony Rupert
Rating:
Summary: BE YOU!
Review: TRINITY HIGHSCHOOL IS A BOYS HIGHSCHOOL IN NEW ENGLAND. aT TRINTY, THERE IS A "SECRET" GROUP KNOWN AS THE VIGILS(EVERYONE KNOWS ABOUT THEM BUT NO ONE SAYS ANYTHING). iF THERE WERE NO TEACHERS THE VIGILS WOULD PRACTICALLY BE THE LEARDS OF TRINITY.jERRY, A TRINITY STUDENTS DECIDES TO DO HIS OWN THING EVEN IF IT MEANS GOING AGAINST THE VIGILS, GETTING BEAT UP,LOWERED GRADES, AND A TATSE OF TRINTY AT IT'S WORST, JERRY WILL FIGHT TO GIVE HIMSELF A VOICE, THE VIGILS WILL NO LONGER SPEAK FOR HIM.dESPITE THE DEATH OF HIS MOTHER JUST LAST SPRING AND THE SPLITING RELATIONSHIP FORMING BETWEEN HIM AND HIS FATHER, THRUOGH IT ALL JERRY WILL STAY STRONG.
Rating:
Summary: The Chocolate War
Review: Robert Cormier's The Chocolate War is a terrific book. A feature that makes the book interesting is the fact that every chapter the story is told from a different character's point of view. This changes your outlook on the plot, especially when an event is first told from the protagonist's point of view, and then from the antagonist's point of view. Jerry Renault, the protagonist, is an appealing character. Renault's witty battles with his adversaries make the book interesting. The ending of this book is slightly questionable. It is almost too sudden, and the reader would expect more of it. I liked The Chocolate War; and I would recommend it to all mature 7th grade and older readers.
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