The Lottery

Rating:
Summary: An intense sentimental book
Review: A Review by Erin

This book is about a 15 year old girl, Sal getting chosen to be a secret societies (Shadow Council) victim. For nearly 4 months she is harassed and made fun of by the students at her school, do to the fact that she is Shadow's "victim". Her job is to deliver mischeivious duties to the students at Saskatoon Colligant High School.

The thing I really liked about The Lottery is that I never wanted to stop reading. The characters all play interesting rolls in the whole scheme of the book. I also liked how Sal, the main character goes on a spiritual journey throughout the book; and ultimately ends up changing her whole view life by the end. For example, Sal ends up forgiving herself for her dad's death. This proves a major change, since for the last 8 years of her life she had blamed herself. In addition, the vocabulary presented a challenge to my level of linguists. It forced me to learn new words and metaphors, expanding my understanding of the English language. The reason I only gave this book 4 stars, is because some of the words were a little bit too difficult for this type of book.

I believe that most people between the ages of 13-25 would like this book. I think this book is geared toward high school to college level readers. The story has and extremely deep message about high school peer pressure, and I think it would teach people is this reading level an insightful lesson about being your own person.

Rating:
Summary: Powerful!
Review: Beth Goobie is an amazing writer. The storyline of this book is unbelieveable, yet so true in today's society. It is difficult being a teen because there is always considerable pressure to conform and be part of the "group" Furthermore, what a person will do to remain part of the "group" is mind boggling. People's needs for kinship and acceptance are very strong, which makes people conform to peer pressure to such a degree. Images from this story haunted me long after I finished reading it.

Rating:
Summary: Tense and realistic
Review: Beth Goobie must have been an outsider as a teen, because she writes with brutal honesty in many of her books about what it is to be alienated. The Lottery is no exception.

Modeled on Shirley Jackson's classic story, a contemporary high school clique posing as an activity club selects one student to be the shunned prankster and scapegoat for one year. When Sally Hanson is the victim/winner, she succumbs at first to the tradition, but as the expectations of the Shadow Club deepen and the head of group takes an unusual interest in her, she struggles with her decision to go along with all they ask.

Subplots such as a dead father and a handicapped friend/possible romantic interest complicate the basic plot and weaken the drama of Sal vs. Shadow Club, but Goobie presents a believable character and plausible plot, and everything comes together neatly in the end.

Recommended for most school and public libraries, may have possibilities for use in literature classes.

Acclaimed Canadian novelist Beth Goobie's newest book for young adults is a sometimes-frightening tale of a quasi-secret society of teens whose sole purpose is to control the daily lives of fellow students at Saskatoon Collegiate School. The 'Shadow Club' has been around for years there, and is both feared and accepted by the students, yet it is unknown to teachers and administrators - they think the group's purpose is aiding, promoting, and staging school events.
The novel's main character, 15 year-old Sally `Sal' Hanson, must not only navigate the normal adolescent trials of school, classmates, and family - she now must also deal with being chosen by lottery as the Shadow Club's 'victim' for the year. The victim is the
one student that the Club relies on as its gofer and slave, and by tradition is thereby totally shunned by all students for the entire year.
Sal knows that what she's doing is often hurtful to many of her classmates, but she feels powerless under the Shadow Club's domination of student affairs, and she is also becoming enamored of the Club president - the handsome and well-liked Willis Cass.
Sal struggles to play the game without losing friendships or making enemies, as the club ultimately requires her to set in motion more and more terrible events at the school. The reader is caught up in many tense moments as Sal deals with her predicament and looks for a way out.

Rating:
Summary: Tense and realistic
Review: Beth Goobie must have been an outsider as a teen, because she writes with brutal honesty in many of her books about what it is to be alienated. The Lottery is no exception.

Modeled on Shirley Jackson's classic story, a contemporary high school clique posing as an activity club selects one student to be the shunned prankster and scapegoat for one year. When Sally Hanson is the victim/winner, she succumbs at first to the tradition, but as the expectations of the Shadow Club deepen and the head of group takes an unusual interest in her, she struggles with her decision to go along with all they ask.

Subplots such as a dead father and a handicapped friend/possible romantic interest complicate the basic plot and weaken the drama of Sal vs. Shadow Club, but Goobie presents a believable character and plausible plot, and everything comes together neatly in the end.

Recommended for most school and public libraries, may have possibilities for use in literature classes.

Acclaimed Canadian novelist Beth Goobie's newest book for young adults is a sometimes-frightening tale of a quasi-secret society of teens whose sole purpose is to control the daily lives of fellow students at Saskatoon Collegiate School. The 'Shadow Club' has been around for years there, and is both feared and accepted by the students, yet it is unknown to teachers and administrators - they think the group's purpose is aiding, promoting, and staging school events.
The novel's main character, 15 year-old Sally 'Sal' Hanson, must not only navigate the normal adolescent trials of school, classmates, and family - she now must also deal with being chosen by lottery as the Shadow Club's 'victim' for the year. The victim is the
one student that the Club relies on as its gofer and slave, and by tradition is thereby totally shunned by all students for the entire year.
Sal knows that what she's doing is often hurtful to many of her classmates, but she feels powerless under the Shadow Club's domination of student affairs, and she is also becoming enamored of the Club president - the handsome and well-liked Willis Cass.
Sal struggles to play the game without losing friendships or making enemies, as the club ultimately requires her to set in motion more and more terrible events at the school. The reader is caught up in many tense moments as Sal deals with her predicament and looks for a way out.

Rating:
Summary: This Book Sucked
Review: Never buy this book. It sucks. NO plot. NO charcters. Nothin'. And its SO BORING!!! Anyhoo, does anyone want to buy some cheese?

Rating:
Summary: This Book Sucked
Review: Never buy this book. It sucks. NO plot. NO charcters. Nothin'. And its SO BORING!!! Anyhoo, does anyone want to buy some cheese?