The Chocolate War

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Summary: A Book for All Ages
Review: Robert Cormier's novel, THE CHOCOLATE WAR, is one of the most powerful novels I've ever read. It forces the reader to realize the harshness of evil and to face the disappointments of reality. The characters are unforgettable!

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Summary: A Character Builder at it's best
Review: Cormier writes a great discription of one child's growth and change do to the cruelty of bullies. It gives new meaning to the words "character builder"

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Summary: Stunning! Orwell would be proud!
Review: This is probably the most moving and eloquent novel I have read on the theme of conformity and totalitiarianism since 1984. I read it at the same time as A Seperate Peace by John Knowles and I think it is disgusting that while this peace of garbage gets such critical praise, The Chocolate War is still considered a "young adult" novel. It is one of the great books of our time. For all of us, young and old.

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Summary: An outstanding book that actually deals with reality!
Review: Robert Cormier has done it again! The Chocolate War is a refreshing change to the average Joe's image of what books can be. This book deals with peer pressure, and the world around us in a new light. Yes, any person who can write can write a book with the same setting, but the realism that Cormier has added is outstanding! Charlie and Brother Leon are just the tip of the iceburg. How in a Catholic high school for something to happen is quite unusual. Cormier has added that aspect and more to this book.

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Summary: Is this book still relevant?
Review: I read this book as a young teenager in the late 1970s, and loved it. But some of the themes of this book may no longer be part of popular culture.

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Summary: Robert Cormier delivers masterpiece about a boys prep school
Review: Robert Cormier goes into the mind of Jerry Renault, a regular high school boy. Jerry is persued by a school mob and is told by them to refuse to sell chocolates in the school chocolate sale. Jerry follows the mob's orders and refuses to sell the chocolates. When his ten days of not selling the chocolates are up the mob tells him to begin to sell the chocolates. But Jerry refuses. This sets off a exciting (and grusome) war betwewn Jerry and the mob. Robert Cormier seems to know what depression for teenage boys is like, though he was a teenager long ago. Not many writers like him can do this.

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Summary: The Chocolate War from the perspective of a 15 year old
Review: The Chocolate War is well written, and describes violent events in graphic detail. The ending was an anti-climax, in that things just go on the way they are (which is terrible), but this is really the point of the book: the goodies don't always win, active evil will triumph over passive good, apathy and conformism breed corruption and violence. This is not a feel-good book, but the writer's craft is apparent all the way through.

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Summary: Don't let power ruin you
Review: I just read this book for a Graduate course and I can't believe I never had the chance to read it earlier. The story made me very angry but that is a good thing. When a book leaves you feeling that way, you begin to think. Adolescents should definately read this book. They will learn a powerful lesson. Question: Who is the real wimp in the story- Jerry, Archie, or Leon? Brother Leon is a real jerk! Read this book!!!!

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Summary: This book is pitiful!
Review: The Chocolate War has got to be the absolute worst book I have ever read! It is inappropriate and excessively offensive, not to mention boring. If you appreciate good literature, you will not like this book at all! Don't waste your money or your time on The Chocolate War!

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Summary: I am 13 and Thought it to be very uneventful
Review: After reading this book I felt as though the something was missing. It was very non appaeling for me and it took me an extremely long time to read. It was so bad my mother had to force me to read so for all of you people who loved well i hated it