Rating: 
Summary: Lots of emotions
Review: A soldier displays his in-depth emotions about the war. It is a short-read of feelings of soldiers and many others during the world war. It shows how terrible wars can be and how everyone loses at the end -- leaving us a deadly memory of its actions.
Rating: 
Summary: "Wonderful"
Review: A terrific story of heroism and the truth of fighting during WWII. I would reccomend it to anyone at all!"
Rating:
Summary: 97-page Wonder
Review: Although the picture on the cover is of a soldier, this is far from a "traditional" war novel. While World War II is the turning point of the main character, John's, life, comparitively little of the book deals with John's life as a soldier. Instead, the book focuses on the period between Pearl Harbor (when John is 17), and when John turns 18 and can enlist. The author paints an excellent picure of John as a young man doing normal, ordinary things. He meets a girl (who is against the war), falls in love with her and makes plans of the future, when he is discharged. THe war, however, changes John forever; he is not changed because of a physical wound or anything similar, but in ways I think it's best to let Cynthia Rylant explain. Have I given away too much of the story? I don't think so. Like "Romeo and Juliet," the joy in this book is not the suspense that comes with the unfolding of the plot, but rather the prose and feelings evoked by the author. Highly recomended!
Rating:
Summary: 97-page Wonder
Review: Although the picture on the cover is of a soldier, this is far from a "traditional" war novel. While World War II is the turning point of the main character, John's, life, comparitively little of the book deals with John's life as a soldier. Instead, the book focuses on the period between Pearl Harbor (when John is 17), and when John turns 18 and can enlist. The author paints an excellent picure of John as a young man doing normal, ordinary things. He meets a girl (who is against the war), falls in love with her and makes plans of the future, when he is discharged. THe war, however, changes John forever; he is not changed because of a physical wound or anything similar, but in ways I think it's best to let Cynthia Rylant explain. Have I given away too much of the story? I don't think so. Like "Romeo and Juliet," the joy in this book is not the suspense that comes with the unfolding of the plot, but rather the prose and feelings evoked by the author. Highly recomended!
Rating:
Summary: I Had Seen Castles
Review: At first I saw a book lying around in my house and I grabbed the book a day before I had to bring it to class or I would've got in trouble. During the time I was reading my book I enjoyed it because it showed another point of view during World WarII. It showed how a soldier suffered in the War mentally and physically.
Rating:
Summary: I Had Seen Castles
Review: At first I saw a book lying around in my house and I grabbed the book a day before I had to bring it to class or I would've got in trouble. During the time I was reading my book I enjoyed it because it showed another point of view during World WarII. It showed how a soldier suffered in the War mentally and physically.
Rating:
Summary: this book is simply powerful
Review: I can't count the number of times I've read "I Had Seen Castles" since I first picked it up at age 14. For a confused adolescent or a pondering adult, the emotional tale of John Dante strikes a beautiful chord. The book is not long. But its simplicity and honest detail of conflict strikes one powerfully. As a teenager, Dante's remembrances of love, conflict and war introduced me to the ethically and emotionally complicated world of adulthood. His solemn tone makes real the cold realities of obligation and pain and regret. He tells of going to a war that his first love, Ginny, insists will destroy him and it turns out Ginny is right. The story is without flair, and it sounds as if it was plainly spoken by a dejected old man. But the simple words strike the reader powerfully as Rylant taps into some truths about war and life that can bring early wisdom to sensitive youngsters.
Rating:
Summary: Don't let this book be forgotten!
Review: I discovered this book last summer and was instantly thrown under its spell. Rylant has, to my knowledge, never written such a truly literary YA novel before, or since. Some of the most lush, touching, haunting and beautiful wordings and phrases appear here, from the very title alone to the final punch ending. A true masterpiece...depicitng maleness in all its contradictory slendor, with compassion and tenderness. Simply unforgettable.
Rating:
Summary: Must Read
Review: I had enjoyed reading this book from start to finish. Its antiwar message is one that must be read by all and especially young adults. I caught myself looking up to the sky quite a few times!
Rating:
Summary: Must Read
Review: I had enjoyed reading this book from start to finish. Its antiwar message is one that must be read by all and especially young adults. I caught myself looking up to the sky quite a few times!
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