Official Review: Before Becoming A Man by Jess Quinn

MarisaRose · Post by **MarisaRose** » 19 Apr 2020, 19:10

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Before Becoming A Man" by Jess Quinn.]

3 out of 4 stars

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Before Becoming A Man, by Jess Quinn, is a young adult novel about one boy’s journey to manhood. Ryan, a pre-teen, isn’t like most kids his age; he likes to get to school early to read about Native American history, and he is useless when it comes to any type of sport. Unfortunately, Ryan’s oddities do not go unnoticed by his peers. Ryan has caught the eye of multiple bullies. A family vacation brings Ryan to a Native American reservation where he ends up getting much more than the fact-filled vacation he had hoped for. Suddenly, Ryan finds himself a part of a tribe. He is now called Little Hawk, and he is about to embark on his Seasons Away, a test of strength all boys of the tribe must endure. Although Little Hawk revels in learning the skills he will need to survive his Seasons Away, he is also plagued by bullies in this new life. Will Little Hawk gain the knowledge and skills he needs to live on his own in the wilderness? Or will his bullies get the best of him?

This novel is a coming-of-age tale with relatable themes for preteens. Ryan is an amenable character that faces a lot of the same struggles as everyday kids: he has a hard time fitting in at school, he doesn’t see his father as much as he’d like, and he spends too much time planning creative ways to avoid his bullies. Although these themes were adequately portrayed for the intended audience, the book does not attempt to challenge its readers. The exploration of bullying and “fitting in” lacked depth, and both topics were resolved tidily in the end, which makes this book hard to recommend to older pre-teen readers.

The author adequately writes at the middle-grade level, including accessible language and some vocabulary that may challenge the intended readership. Further, Quinn writes an engaging narrative by ensuring an appropriate level of detail is provided about the many nuances of the skills Little Hawk learns while preparing for his Seasons Away. Readers will find themselves enjoying a novel while barely noticing they are receiving a fine-tuned history lesson about various aspects of Native American culture.

The only downside to the exciting storyline is the initial pacing. In the beginning, Ryan’s story is fairly mundane; it isn’t until about one-third of the way through the narrative that the story really takes off. Since the target audience is so young, the slow initial movement may be off-putting to some readers. Moreover, there were a few noticeable errors in the text that proved distracting.

Before Becoming A Man is a novel I’d quickly recommend to middle-grade readers. The author includes relevant themes and intriguing history that will appeal to young readers with an interest in adventure and historical stories. Although this book could be enjoyed by all, middle-grade boys will most easily relate to Ryan’s daily struggles and yearning for adventure. However, the slow pacing at the start of the novel and the grammatical errors lead me to rate Quinn’s novel 3 out of 4 stars.

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Before Becoming A Man
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Adanna Inya · Post by **Adanna Inya** » 27 Apr 2020, 17:38

I find it hard to see this book as realistic. He has a family who he traveled on a vacation with, right? Does it mean that he dumped his family to join a tribe? Or his family didn't return home ever? That doesn't sound realistic to me.

Kachi_Ejiogu+_ · Post by **Kachi_Ejiogu+_** » 27 Apr 2020, 17:42

Sounds like an interesting read. I'd have to find out more about how Ryan was able to rise above all those struggles. Did he fit in or stand out?. Will certainly add this to my shelve. Great review.

Mike Daniels · Post by **Mike Daniels** » 27 Apr 2020, 23:27

I think Ryan has a little harder time then most realistic kids but I can understand what the writer is getting at. Very interesting and would be a book on my shelf!

Ediomis_Enwongo01 · Post by **Ediomis_Enwongo01** » 28 Apr 2020, 00:06

Ryan's preoccupation was basically fitting into the environment he finds himself. I'll like to find out more by picking the book to read. Nice review

Revlord · Post by **Revlord** » 28 Apr 2020, 01:40

This is will be very interesting.i am really expecting Ryan to overcome his fears and become a confident man who can face the adversities of life

hasincla · Post by **hasincla** » 28 Apr 2020, 06:51

Sounds like an interesting read for the age group you mentioned (young-young adults). I'll skip it this time, but thank you for your honest review!

Nzube Chizoba Okeke · Post by **Nzube Chizoba Okeke** » 28 Apr 2020, 17:14

I think this would be an interesting read for middle-grade readers. I find the story interesting. Nice review.

FEislandqueen13 · Post by **FEislandqueen13** » 28 Apr 2020, 19:13

I want to give this book a try in spite of the its uneventful beginning.

JKO · Post by **JKO** » 29 Apr 2020, 04:54

Ryan sounds like such a special kid. I look forward to reading his journey of becoming a man. This is an excellent review.

Damis Seres Rodriguez · Post by **Damis Seres Rodriguez** » 09 May 2020, 19:19

To be quite honest that doesn't really sound like the kind of book that I would like to read. But your review was awesome. I enjoyed reading it.

Splendour0606 · Post by **Splendour0606** » 12 May 2020, 08:55

The storyline doesn't really appeal to me, but I feel for Ryan and I hope he overcomes his fears and become courageous.Nice review.

Edwin Amah · Post by **Edwin Amah** » 07 Jun 2020, 04:53

Every young boy growing up faces some challenges that is based on what they can or cannot do. Peer pressure builds in when it is noticed that you do the least among your age mates. So was the story of Ryan, though, I hope he stirs through. The part of the vacation got the story a little complicated for me. Good review.

Xenolyph · Post by **Xenolyph** » 08 Jun 2020, 16:26

I could really see this as a book pre-teen boys could enjoy. It seems like it can be used to give those who struggle with "fitting in" a new perspective. This sounds like a book that reveals what inner strength really is while educating the reader on cultural history. Thank you for the review