Review of Slider

[Joyful17]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Slider" by Chris Malburg.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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School shootings have brought unimaginable pains and sorrow to affected families and individuals. It is difficult to understand the degree of grief often endured by loved ones of the deceased. Getting on with life can be a major challenge. Slider by Chris Malburg tells the sad tale of a school shooting and of baseball.

It was a horrible day when a high school student, Caleb, decided to pick up a gun and shoot. He gunned down twelve students and Coach Kel. Thankfully, his mad shooting spree was halted by Ms. Solarz who shot the gun out of his hand. However, she got charged with breaking the law. Now, the Panthers have lost their beloved coach. It seemed the baseball team would sink into oblivion. In fact, team members have lost their drive and are wallowing in grief. Surprisingly, Ms. Solarz, the English teacher, came to their rescue. The main body of the book focuses on Ms. Solarz's efforts to energize the young team and drive them to excellence and also on the court proceedings of Ms. Solarz.

I absolutely love the development of the story. It was captivating and engaging. The dual theme of baseball and gun possession was expertly interwoven throughout the story. None of the two subjects suffered at the expense of the other. Details about baseball games and court proceedings were in depth.

The writing style of the author was impressive. This made the book a page turner. It flowed smoothly in simple grammar. The high school characters were consistent and well developed. Zap, one of the baseball team members, is consistently described as having a nervous tic in his eye while Andi is portrayed to be a videographer. These roles and many others are consistently maintained throughout the book.

Although not wholly a crime book, the author excellently depicted the court proceedings. The comments and reactions of the judge, jury, defendant, and other personalities are believable and interesting. Also, the outcome of the case was well orchestrated.

My favorite feature of the book is the emotionally charged scenes in the story. I was particularly touched by the scene described on page 102, where Bernie had to publicly admit that although he had good intentions, he had betrayed the trust of Ms. Solarz and would face consequences for it.

I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. It was exceptionally well edited. It is an incredible story about solidarity, self-sacrifice, resilience, and also about controversial issues surrounding gun laws. I have no dislike about this book. Readers who love stories about baseball and high school themes will find this book interesting.

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Slider
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[Summer Henrietta]

This book is well detailed and interesting.
I like the storyline and the characters development. I look forward to reading this book.

[abstactlemon]

After a glowing review like this, an interesting premise, and my penchant for emotional stories, how could I not pick this up?