Review by AKShanmar12 -- A Bloody Book by Chris Bowen
Posted: 07 May 2019, 15:53
[Following is a volunteer review of "A Bloody Book" by Chris Bowen.]
4 out of 4 stars
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In 7th grade, Maxx receives an assignment that he isn’t ready to write yet. His teacher, Mr. Foxx, gives him an A anyway because he knows that someday Maxx will write it. Several years later and 150 pages too many, Maxx is ready to share the story about when he stopped caring.
A Bloody Book by Chris Bowen has a shocking title and cover, but Maxx’s tale is intense, raw and emotional, making for one of the best books I have read in quite awhile.
Maxx’s life sucked. It was one big round of poverty, violent abuse, neglect, hunger, and fear until by the age of thirteen he had “put a whole lot of effort into never feeling a thing.” The insight into the assumptions made by teachers and the damage adults can cause with just a little comment was eye-opening.
Maxx met Mr. Foxx in the class where they stuck all the kids they didn’t know what to do with, officially called Reading Lab, or as Maxx referred to it, Reading Hell. Mr. Foxx was like no teacher Maxx had met before. He shocked the class with some pretty dramatic measures. His goal was to make them realize they had value, and there was hope.
This deep dive into a world of drug abuse and neglect was painful, but the description and emotions were artful in their depth and detail. Bowen skillfully illustrates the loss of innocence, for a child who feels the world opening when he learned to spell his name into a teenager who brags about how many F’s he has.
This book would appeal to almost anyone. It could be read by middle-schoolers, although it has some pretty hefty content and violence. It should be required reading for those who want to pursue a career in education.
My favorite part of the book was the insight that Maxx shows in regards to his specific way of looking at the world, and understanding the suffering and pain of others. The book is a study in psychology while still feeling like a teenager wrote it.
The only thing I didn’t like about the book was the cover and the title, neither of which match the content of the story. Because the story was being told by an uneducated individual using quite a bit of slang and poor grammar, the few typos I noticed didn’t take away from the reading.
I am glad to give this book a rating of 4 out of 4. It transported me, educated me and made me cry. I look forward to reading more from this author.
******
A Bloody Book
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
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4 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
In 7th grade, Maxx receives an assignment that he isn’t ready to write yet. His teacher, Mr. Foxx, gives him an A anyway because he knows that someday Maxx will write it. Several years later and 150 pages too many, Maxx is ready to share the story about when he stopped caring.
A Bloody Book by Chris Bowen has a shocking title and cover, but Maxx’s tale is intense, raw and emotional, making for one of the best books I have read in quite awhile.
Maxx’s life sucked. It was one big round of poverty, violent abuse, neglect, hunger, and fear until by the age of thirteen he had “put a whole lot of effort into never feeling a thing.” The insight into the assumptions made by teachers and the damage adults can cause with just a little comment was eye-opening.
Maxx met Mr. Foxx in the class where they stuck all the kids they didn’t know what to do with, officially called Reading Lab, or as Maxx referred to it, Reading Hell. Mr. Foxx was like no teacher Maxx had met before. He shocked the class with some pretty dramatic measures. His goal was to make them realize they had value, and there was hope.
This deep dive into a world of drug abuse and neglect was painful, but the description and emotions were artful in their depth and detail. Bowen skillfully illustrates the loss of innocence, for a child who feels the world opening when he learned to spell his name into a teenager who brags about how many F’s he has.
This book would appeal to almost anyone. It could be read by middle-schoolers, although it has some pretty hefty content and violence. It should be required reading for those who want to pursue a career in education.
My favorite part of the book was the insight that Maxx shows in regards to his specific way of looking at the world, and understanding the suffering and pain of others. The book is a study in psychology while still feeling like a teenager wrote it.
The only thing I didn’t like about the book was the cover and the title, neither of which match the content of the story. Because the story was being told by an uneducated individual using quite a bit of slang and poor grammar, the few typos I noticed didn’t take away from the reading.
I am glad to give this book a rating of 4 out of 4. It transported me, educated me and made me cry. I look forward to reading more from this author.
******
A Bloody Book
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like AKShanmar12's review? Post a comment saying so!