Gentlehands

Rating:
Summary: Greatest Book Ever!
Review: Gentlehands, by M.E. Kerr, is a great book describing the problems of a young man, Buddy, whos grandfather is accused of being a leader in the concentration camps during WWII. I gave this book five stars, and it definitely deserves five stars!

Rating:
Summary: Awesome!
Review: I cannot even begin to say how much this wonderful novel has affected my life. I first read it in junior high school ( I have just graduated college), and have re-read it about four times! The story, dialouge, and characters completely draw you in, and Kerr is able to comment on some incredibly fundimental issues while still keeping the reader's attention. In fact, although Gentlehands is a young adult novel, it is better off read by someone at the college level, so that all of the subtleties can be understood. One of the few books every American should read.

Rating:
Summary: A very interesting story
Review: I liked this book so much I read two more times after reading it the first time. This book was a reading assignment for my freshman year in high school.Not to many guys liked it because it did not have any action. I think it would have still been good if they did put action.But it was a good book and I think every English teacher should have teir students to read it.

Rating:
Summary: Caitie's Review of Gentlehands!!!!YAY!!!
Review: I started reading this book not expecting to like it very much. It started like many young adult novels, describing one unforgettable summer, blah blah blah.
Then I started to get into it, and get caught up in the story...I thought I was through having that experience with a young adult novel. I figured I had graduated onto bigger and better things. This book caught my intrest, and was much better then the typical, 135 page adolescent novel. I really enjoyed it, especially since I have always enjoyed WW2 stories.
I had a wonderfull time reading this book, and it was short which was ok considering that it was a project and I needed to get through it before SAT's, but bad because it could have evolved into more. The story could have gone on longer, I like long books that I never get bored reading. I didn't find Gentlehands boring at all.
I found the ending to be sort of anti-climactic. It didn't resolve any of the conflicts. What bothered me most was the way M.E. Kerr seemed to abandon the relationship with Skye. I don't want to ruin it for anyone, but it seemed like there was too much of a connection between them to have it end the way it did.
I definatly recommend this book, although the ending could have been better. It is a nice "quick read". It wasn't as historically educational as I had hoped, but it was an enjoyable novel. If you are looking for a book that is more focused on the holocaust or just WW2 in general, I recommend Number the Stars, or Sophie's Choice, or In My Hands, or The Devil's Arithmatic, or I Have Lived a Thousand Years. Happy Reading!!

Rating:
Summary: a very interesting book. great author
Review: I think that this is a very interesting book for readers of any age. I live in New Orleans, and the author of the book, M. E. Kerr, came to our school and talked to us this afternoon about her books. according to her, some of the charcters in this book are based on real life people that she knew. I believe she said that (billy) lived next door to her. (a charcter in her book) I think she's a facinating author, and gentlehands is a facinating book so far. (i haven't finished it yet) After she told us about an old nazi in the book, being all nice and sweet and everything, i started to think about this 90 year old man who lives across the street from me. He's rather amazing. He walkes a mile to the win dixi everyday, and he tries to hit on my mom! It was kinda strange, the similarity. Anyway, it's a very good book, so you should read it!! (besides, it's only four bucks!)

Rating:
Summary: Gentlehands
Review: I think this is a very well written book for teens AND ADULTS! I think it moves along well and has very thought provoking topics.

Perhaps it should be rated at a Young Adult level because of the topics and the main character's age. I think older teens would appreciate the issues Buddy has to deal with in regards to his little brother, his parents, his boss, and his rich girlfriend. I think his interaction with his parents fairly typical for a son testing new waters, ones in which his folks have never journeyed.

This book really made me think about the humanity of the grandfather and his relationship to his grandson. It made me think how a single person can appear as a beast to some and yet be a source of love to another. I read this book a month ago and I'm still struggling with my feelings on that issue.

To me, this is the sign of a very good book - when you are still pondering it's messages long after you have closed it's pages!

Rating:
Summary: Gentlehands
Review: I think this is a very well written book for teens AND ADULTS! I think it moves along well and has very thought provoking topics.

Perhaps it should be rated at a Young Adult level because of the topics and the main character's age. I think older teens would appreciate the issues Buddy has to deal with in regards to his little brother, his parents, his boss, and his rich girlfriend. I think his interaction with his parents fairly typical for a son testing new waters, ones in which his folks have never journeyed.

This book really made me think about the humanity of the grandfather and his relationship to his grandson. It made me think how a single person can appear as a beast to some and yet be a source of love to another. I read this book a month ago and I'm still struggling with my feelings on that issue.

To me, this is the sign of a very good book - when you are still pondering it's messages long after you have closed it's pages!

Rating:
Summary: Gentlehands
Review: I'm only on the 9th chapter, the book, is kinda boring, but most people say it will get better at the end.This book is about a boy named Buddy who has a rich girlfriend, which Buddy is trying to impress her by buying all these nice clothes. His dad is not really happy with him about to doing this. I know, I would not go by clothes to impress a guy, because then that guy is not worth goign out with.This book teaches people about religion & Jewish people. Also, about life with guys and ladys. I wouldn't say this si a very good book so far, but it is a good book to learn from.

Rating:
Summary: An interesting but sort of predictable story...
Review: It was a summer that Buddy Boyle would remember all his life. Only, one thing that irked me was it was never stated when exactly the book took place! Anyways, Buddy starts dating a rich girl, Skye Pennington, who summers in his hometown on Long Island. In order to impress Skye, he introduces her to his grandfather, who is pretty much not a part of his family's life. He grows to love his grandfather and spend more and more time with him, something his policeman father and mother (whose father is the one Buddy is getting close with) do NOT like. However, a writer that is at Skye's house is also looking for a SS Nazi, who he believes lives on Long Island. Everything comes together, and since you feel you really know Buddy, that makes it all the more heartbreaking. Not a bad read.

Rating:
Summary: This book is amazing!
Review: Like all of M.E. Kerr's books, this one is once again remarkable. I just loved it. The way this author captures your attention. She also writed it from the boy's opnion so that it is even more interesting to read. She is also great at putting so many stories into her novels. WOW!