The Chocolate War

Rating:
Summary: Some People Can't Handle The Truth
Review: The Chocolate War is an excellent book, that is recomended to all teenagers. It's pretty apparent that Mr. Cormier "distrubed the universe" because this a very censored book, which is very sad since it's outstanding. I'm thirteen-years-old and I can't even see the movie because it's rated R! The Chocolate War tells the truth about the darker side of high school, but it's apparent that some people can't handle the truth. Especially if it hurt

Rating:
Summary: One of the books that Young Adults should read.
Review: After your young adult reads the typical young adult novels like Lord of the Flies, and you want to encourage them to keep reading, try this one.

Usually rated in the top 20 of Young Adult fiction (usually around 13-16), The Chocolate War is more specific to the Junior High crowd. It is a bit deeper than some other Young Adult novels, but still teaches lessons that can be of valuable use to the developing teenager.

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Summary: Brilliant novel portraying a high school Mafia
Review: Archie Costello may not be the most loved guy at Trinity College, but he is certainly the most powerful. He is the Assigner of the Vigils, the organization which controls the whole school. When the assistant principal, Brother Leon, enlists Archie's help in the annual chocolate sale, he changes the life of freshman, Jerry Renault, perhaps forever, by one simple assignment.

This is a gripping novel, with a powerful ending. Usually studying a book for school ruins it, but this book is one of the best I have ever read nonetheless

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Summary: reality is sometimes refreshing!
Review: I teach The Chocolate War to 11th graders, and the majority opinion is that not only are they spellbound, but they find the stark reality of the ending refreshing! High school students like Cormier because he doesn't "protect them" with a happy ending. Instead, he portrays the way things sometimes really are. This book evokes great discussions of the importance of individualism, and the occasional loneliness of daring to disturb the universe! This is a MUST READ for anyone who deals with teenagers

Rating:
Summary: A good book for all ages!
Review: A wonderfull and powerfull book. I truly enjoyed it I urge all to read it. The Chocolate War is a real page turner and a good book for all ages. On a scale of 1-10 I give it a 10

Rating:
Summary: not too bad...
Review: ...but not as good as the movie.

I feel bad saying that, since the movie CAME from the book; it's just that the movie has more twists and more depth of character development -- particularly at the end.

Brother Leon, for example, comes across as much more wicked in the film, and the supporting cast is more sharply drawn.

I also felt the book suffered from the use of omniscient narrator technique. It seemed to reduce the suspense and focus.

Also, such scenes as the evil gang of little kids are much more effective visually than they are in print.

One of the reasons, I suppose, that I found the movie so creepy and disturbing was because there was this desolated, lonely atmosphere to everything, implying, in a way, that the schoolboys were actors of mythic stature at the beginning of an empty world. Nothing but the Brothers and them. I think this is due, however, to the movie's being brought off on a shoestring budget; I'm not sure the director intended it this way. Whatever the case may be, this thing -- this central excellence of the film, in my view -- is totally missing from the book.

I think the author was going for a kind of William Golding-type idea, but I don't think he succeeds anywhere near as that other author. He depicts evil, sure enough, but it just doesn't seem to have enough grip or intensity to be compelling.

However, on balance, a worthwhile read. Who can't identify with the degrading chocolate sales that every American school -- both public and private -- "invite" their students to participate in?

More development of the reader's sympathy for Jerry, the central character, would certainly have helped.

Rating:
Summary: The Chocolate War
Review: Although this was not my favorite book, I thought it was a pretty good book. I have read a few other reviews where the book was ranked with one star and some people seem to think that the idea of the book is to just give up because things aren't going to turn out right in the end anyway. I don't think that was the point at all. Jerry, stood up for what he believed. He felt he shouldn't have to sell the chocolates; it was suppose to be optional. He may have went against what he was expected to do. I don't think that the students were really mad at him for not selling the chocolates as much as they were mad that he had dared to do something they had not dared to do. He had stood up to the school. He had dared to not be a follower, but allowed himself to be the leader.


I think this is a good book for students in high school to read. Right now I am a college senior, and this is the first time that I have read this book. I read it as part of an assignment for my adolescent literature class. Looking back on high school, though, I can see some of the groups presented in this novel. Kids like to think that they aren't mean like the kids in books, but there are people just like Archie and his friends at probably every school. By presenting these bullies, I think it helps kids to see that maybe what they are doing isn't as nice as they would like to think it is. There's probably a part of Archie inside of each of us, and I think we each at one time or another in lives wish we could be more like Jerry (minus the beatings). I know that the sort of people I respect the most are those who live what they believe is the right way to live, even if everyone else in the world hates theme for their actions. Maybe by looking at this book from the point of view of Jerry being a hero, we can each learn to like it a little more.

Rating:
Summary: Chocolate War- Inspiring
Review: The Chocolate War is a good book. It contains good writing, thoughtful ideas, and situations that kids can learn from. The book should be available to anyone who wants to read it. However, it does contain some stuff to make it ideally for kids 13 and over.
The Chocolate War starts out with the main character, Jerry Renault, trying out for the football team at Trinity High School. He gets beat up while playing, but he makes the team because of his determination. There is a gang at his school by the name of the Vigils. Archie is (unofficially) the leader of the Vigils. He writes out malicious "assignments" that designated students must do. Later in the year, Brother Leon decides that the school should strive for a higher goal in the annual chocolate sale. He overspends the budget in buying chocolates for the sale, and therefore eagerly waits for the sale to begin and for all the chocolates to be sold by the boys. Archie gives Jerry an assignment to boycott the sale for ten days. What happens next? read and find out!! I loved the book because of its message that one person can make a difference. Also I loved the message on no conforming.People do things just for the sake doing them, I loved how the book showed the flaws in that.

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Summary: A TREMENDOUS NOVEL!
Review: I have recently finished The Chocolate War in my English class at my middle school. First, I was very bored of the book, but I had to keep reading it because we would have tests on every 2 chapters. I started to like the book when we got to the middle, and I was more and more excited to read it.

I think the author Robert Cormier did a very good job describing the scenes. I loved reading this book because I could visualize everything he wrote.

This book is very true, and I can relate to it very well, and I'm excited to read the sequel - Beyond the Chocolate War.

Rating:
Summary: Worst book in the world
Review: I wish amazon put another rating under there "1-5 star" system- the new option would look like this; a quadrapalegic seven year old with down syndrome could write a better book then this!
Alright, this book was horrible. I remember being about halfway through the book and thinking to myself "Drew, where the @#$@ is the character development?" but after reading the book i thought to myself "im so glad they didnt develop the characters, that would be an extra 9-10 pages of filth."

Although i thought the plot was genius... for a 7 year old with down syndrome. What were you smoking when you outlined the plot? "O, I KNOW, SO THERES THIS KID WHO IS A TOTAL FREAKING REBEL WHO DESIDES TO STOP SELLING CANDY, BUT THE BEST PART IS, HE DOES IT FOR NO APARENT REASON! SORT OF LIKE ME WRITING THIS GARBAGE!"

Conclusion: i would rather deep throat a twelved gauge than have to read this waste of paper again!!