Rating: 
Summary: Best of Friends
Review: A Review by Zach
Dillon Hemmingway is not your average high school kid with your average high school kid's life. For starters his only brother committed suicide right before his very own eyes. His best friend Jen is having problems of her own and the girl of his dreams, Stacy, is still in love with his dead brother. And that's only the half of it.This was a great story, in fact almost perfect. It is filled with the perfect mix of laughter, excitement, drama, and suspense. Everything falls into place perfectly, though it was slightly slow at some points. This, however, didn't take away from the wonderful character development. Chris Crutcher painted colorful pictures in your mind with his wonderful wording. The one major complaint I had was the fact that the book jumped around a lot. It seemed to switch main characters to the point where you couldn't tell who the main character was. This also made it hard to hang on to the plot as fascinating as it was. All in all it was a good book and it kept my attention throughout the entire thing. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a good book. It is a fairly easy reader so I would recommend it to the middle school crowd, grades seven and eight. It would keep the attention and be enjoyable to an older crowd too.
Rating: 
Summary: WOW! A STUNNING BOOK!
Review: Chinese Handcuffs is a suprisingly realistic book. It was so filled with heart-wrenching emotion I was unable to stop myself from weeping all thoughout the novel. I won't go into detail about the story, but it left me emotionally drained. I recommend this novel to anyone prepared to be completely enthralled in its tale.
Rating:
Summary: My Opinion
Review: Chinese Handcuffs, written by Chris Crutcher, is a good novel for the young adult age group. It is written about two teenagers who have to suffer through life. The main character, is Dillon has to go through life after watching his brother commit suicide. The female character in the story is Jenn, who has to go through life without trying to tell people that her dad is abusing her. The novel is written in the way that a normal teenager would talk. Chris Crutcher knows what a teenagers emotions are and tries to express them in the kind of explicit language that some teenagers would use. I think the book is best for kids who are around the teenage years. I also think that some adults should read it to see what some kids go through. I rank this book a four because some of the details are very shady, and I did not like the ending of the story very well. On a final note, I would like to say that this book is pretty good and I would read it again if I ever get the chance to do it.
Rating:
Summary: A Must Read!
Review: Chris Crutcher's novel, Chinese Handcuffs, is a must read for everyone. This author has an amazing way of showing readers what life is truly about, by reading about the struggles and triumphs of others. Never before have I read a book that has moved me so deeply. Jennifer Lawless is an amazing athlete and talented student; these qualities are obvious to everyone. However, what people don't realize is that Jennifer is also very good at keeping secrets, especially one big, awful one. Dillon Hemmingway is living with the guilt of his brother's suicide, not being able to convince himself that it is not in fact his fault. By writing him letters, Dillon feels like he can almost communicate with his brother, though none of them will ever be answered. Jennifer and Dillon are connected with each other through the pain they have both experienced. Together, they must now face the horrors before them and attempt to let go of the past that has forever haunted them. Crutcher is an amazing author. Through this novel he shows the undeniable theme that sometimes you have to face your fears if you ever want to be rid of them. No one can deny just how true that is. If you should choose to read Chinese Handcuffs, I guarantee you will not regret it.
Rating:
Summary: A Must Read!
Review: Chris Crutcher's novel, Chinese Handcuffs, is a must read for everyone. This author has an amazing way of showing readers what life is truly about, by reading about the struggles and triumphs of others. Never before have I read a book that has moved me so deeply. Jennifer Lawless is an amazing athlete and talented student; these qualities are obvious to everyone. However, what people don't realize is that Jennifer is also very good at keeping secrets, especially one big, awful one. Dillon Hemmingway is living with the guilt of his brother's suicide, not being able to convince himself that it is not in fact his fault. By writing him letters, Dillon feels like he can almost communicate with his brother, though none of them will ever be answered. Jennifer and Dillon are connected with each other through the pain they have both experienced. Together, they must now face the horrors before them and attempt to let go of the past that has forever haunted them. Crutcher is an amazing author. Through this novel he shows the undeniable theme that sometimes you have to face your fears if you ever want to be rid of them. No one can deny just how true that is. If you should choose to read Chinese Handcuffs, I guarantee you will not regret it.
Rating:
Summary: Five Stars
Review: Full of hidden secrets, friendship, love, and self-understanding Chinese Handcuffs is one book you won't be able to put down. The harsh, yet true, reality of Dillon Hemingway, Jennifer Lawless, and Stacy Ryder's story of life is so heart renching and so compelling at the same time that anyone who is reading it will not be able to get it out of their mind. A book filled with emotion and many lessons to teach no matter what your age, I give this book two thumbs way up!
Rating:
Summary: Interesting Viewpoint
Review: I like the how the author handled the point of view in this book. Some of the action takes place in the present, some in the past. Sometimes the story is told through Dillon writing letters to his dead brother, Preston. The only thing I objected to was the slick language. A good story for YA to read.
Rating:
Summary: Good Overall Idea
Review: I love this book. It was catching from the very beginning. We had to read this in our Global Bridges class and after we were done I went out and bought it for myself. The book was very intriguing and it definitly made me think. Good work Chris!
Rating:
Summary: Suicide and Sex
Review: I loved the book Chinese Handcuffs! It was a great story. The only parts that got me confused were the 2 (yes, 2) plot lines and the first flashback. Everyone who likes other Crutcher books should read this one!
Rating:
Summary: Read this book!
Review: I often struggle to get students to read, yet it's difficult to offer ideas to kids sometimes. Chinese Handcuffs is ALWAYS a hit with my high school students, boys and girls alike. They relate to their characters, their conflicts, and the dialogue and structure of the novel. I highly recommend this novel for anyone not afraid of challenging subject matter.
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