sunlit's review
3.0
I really honestly did not like Matt as the lead here. I feel he screwed it up, especially with his reaction to Theo's secret. I did not understand his anger. He had made his brother out to be this amazing hero and wanted to prove his greatness, but he gets mad after wrongfully heading to conclusions. To me it seems Matt didn't really fond his brother all that great, based on the part where he felt he was stuck in his brother's shadow and felt his brother starved him of proper brotherly affection and in the book says he strives for this affection from his brother. I didn't care for the Matt-and-his-love-interest-dramatics as a sub plot. We don't even get to see Matt try to prove his brother until after some really lame floundering around where we are thrown into Ted and the father-son issues without any explanation on Ted until much, much later. All and all I think the concept was good and it didn't start the best but it took more than it could handle.
amdame1's review
3.0
Matt is in big trouble at school - although it is understandable once you realize that his brother died fighting in Iraq. It's quickly obvious that both Matt and his dad are still grieving and neither one of them is handling it well. But, dad especially, refuses to face facts and is keeping Matt from being able to move forward in the process. When all of TJ's personal effects are delivered to their house, Matt defies everyone in his quest for some answers to his pain even if it means failing school, pissing off his dad, and losing his best friend.
I would not have guessed that this was a debut novel. It is well-written and insightful. There is a LOT of swearing, especially the f-bomb, some violence. I'd steer it toward high school for sure and some savvy 8th graders.
I would not have guessed that this was a debut novel. It is well-written and insightful. There is a LOT of swearing, especially the f-bomb, some violence. I'd steer it toward high school for sure and some savvy 8th graders.
martha_schwalbe's review
4.0
I would definitely add this book to my list of books about war and the surprises that are revealed by the death or injury of a soldier who is a brother. I thought the book was about what it was although in the middle I had to rethink my way of thinking. I don't want to give away the plot.
I'd recommend this book to students who are interested in the effects of war on siblings.
I'd recommend this book to students who are interested in the effects of war on siblings.
thisgrrlreads's review
4.0
Do yourself a favor: read past the beginning info drop. The story gets very good, if intense.
ashylibrarian's review
3.0
3/5 (physical book)
CW: War, fighting, reference to parental abuse, PTSD, homophobia
This book covers a lot of really important topics and presents its readers with various ways in which people chose to cope with these topics. I think it is a good read for young adults and high-school-aged kids.
We are introduced to the main character Matt, who is struggling in school after the passing of his brother, TJ, and seems to be pretty lost about what he wants to do in the future. TJ was deployed in Iraq, where he was killed during the war, so all that Matt has left of his brother are his personal effects, something he believes will bring closure to his mourning. What Matt did not expect was to find that there was much more to his brother's life than he knew. Through TJ's personal effects, Matt discovers more about his brother and more about himself and who he wants to be.
Not only is Matt struggling with school, but he is also struggling at home, as his relationship with his father crumbles under the mourning and loss of TJ. Matt's father has extremely high expectations for him, saying that he needs to follow in his and TJ's footsteps by signing up for the military, something that Matt is not sure he truly wants. This obviously creates a lot of tension for Matt at home, and there is a clear lack of communication between the two.
I do, however, feel like the relationship between Matt and his father was not as developed as it could have been. I understand they did not have a good relationship because Matt's father became extremely shut off after TJ died and Matt has a hard time talking to him about what he wants for his future, but there was not a whole lot more explanation to the relationship outside of that. I would have liked to know more about why his father shut away TJ's items and did not open any of the letters. I just think this part could have been more developed and supported to understand the cracks in the relationship better.
SPOILERS AHEAD
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Unfortunately, I found the second half of the book to be pretty unrealistic for a contemporary read. I don't think that it would be plausible for a high school kid to run off with their friend's car and drive halfway across the country to meet someone whom he has absolutely no information about.
I think the reasoning behind going to Madison, WI, and the actions that took place were caring and developmental for Matt, but I just can't see a high school student with so many troubles realistically traveling by themselves across the country to understand who their brother's potential lover is. I think if there was some form of communication beforehand, like an email or a phone call, that may have helped make things feel more real.
With this aside, I think that E. M. Kokie developed Matt's character really well and they show the different areas of his personal and emotional growth. His character did feel realistic and it was interesting to watch him discover a new side of his brother while also discovering more about himself.
Many of Matt's ideas were clearly shaped by his father. He was raised with a live-tough, fight-hard, homophobic, war-centered mindset. This is what his father ingrained into Matt growing up, so when he learns certain truths about his brother, and about himself, Matt has to learn to challenge these mindsets he has always known and believed in order to create his own beliefs.
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SPOILERS OVER
Overall, I did not love this book, but I think it was a good story about personal growth and discovery and familial understanding, it just fell short in a few places.
CW: War, fighting, reference to parental abuse, PTSD, homophobia
This book covers a lot of really important topics and presents its readers with various ways in which people chose to cope with these topics. I think it is a good read for young adults and high-school-aged kids.
We are introduced to the main character Matt, who is struggling in school after the passing of his brother, TJ, and seems to be pretty lost about what he wants to do in the future. TJ was deployed in Iraq, where he was killed during the war, so all that Matt has left of his brother are his personal effects, something he believes will bring closure to his mourning. What Matt did not expect was to find that there was much more to his brother's life than he knew. Through TJ's personal effects, Matt discovers more about his brother and more about himself and who he wants to be.
Not only is Matt struggling with school, but he is also struggling at home, as his relationship with his father crumbles under the mourning and loss of TJ. Matt's father has extremely high expectations for him, saying that he needs to follow in his and TJ's footsteps by signing up for the military, something that Matt is not sure he truly wants. This obviously creates a lot of tension for Matt at home, and there is a clear lack of communication between the two.
I do, however, feel like the relationship between Matt and his father was not as developed as it could have been. I understand they did not have a good relationship because Matt's father became extremely shut off after TJ died and Matt has a hard time talking to him about what he wants for his future, but there was not a whole lot more explanation to the relationship outside of that. I would have liked to know more about why his father shut away TJ's items and did not open any of the letters. I just think this part could have been more developed and supported to understand the cracks in the relationship better.
SPOILERS AHEAD
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Unfortunately, I found the second half of the book to be pretty unrealistic for a contemporary read. I don't think that it would be plausible for a high school kid to run off with their friend's car and drive halfway across the country to meet someone whom he has absolutely no information about.
I think the reasoning behind going to Madison, WI, and the actions that took place were caring and developmental for Matt, but I just can't see a high school student with so many troubles realistically traveling by themselves across the country to understand who their brother's potential lover is. I think if there was some form of communication beforehand, like an email or a phone call, that may have helped make things feel more real.
With this aside, I think that E. M. Kokie developed Matt's character really well and they show the different areas of his personal and emotional growth. His character did feel realistic and it was interesting to watch him discover a new side of his brother while also discovering more about himself.
Many of Matt's ideas were clearly shaped by his father. He was raised with a live-tough, fight-hard, homophobic, war-centered mindset. This is what his father ingrained into Matt growing up, so when he learns certain truths about his brother, and about himself, Matt has to learn to challenge these mindsets he has always known and believed in order to create his own beliefs.
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
SPOILERS OVER
Overall, I did not love this book, but I think it was a good story about personal growth and discovery and familial understanding, it just fell short in a few places.
beergeekgirl's review
1.0
I really wanted to like this book. I went into it with a positive attitude. Nick Podehl is one of my favorite narrators. But I just never connected with the story in a positive way.
Part of the issue for me was the side story of Matt dealing with his feelings for Shauna. At first, it was okay and lent a certain depth to their relationship. But after the first few chapters, if I heard the word "tits" one more time, I was going to become a road rage statistic (I was listening in my car). The constant inner monologue of "she has tits! I like her tits! I have a hard on because of her tits!" made me just hate both Matt and Shauna so that I lost any investment in where they ended up.
With that in mind, I skipped over whatever was going to happen with Harley. When the scene started out describing how her shorts were so short he could palm them...and he could palm her tits, too, I knew nothing good would come.
I like where the story of TJ went and how it played out, and I think that was a really important story. But by the time I met Curtis, I hated Matt so much--and particularly hated his reaction to Celia and Curtis--that I turned it off there. Matt's reaction felt really out of the blue. There was nothing in the story up to that point to indicate he would react so badly to knowing his brother was gay.
I was also put off by the nasty descriptions of the residents of the hostel. Vegans apparently are dirty, smelly, and flaky. Awesome.
Final nitpick...the location. I couldn't quite place where this was supposed to be taking place, but figured Reading/Lancaster. Which would make a day job in Johnstown seem a little far fetched. Also, not sure where along the PA Turnpike/I-80 one encounters and exit for Williamsburg...Williamsport, maybe. But honestly, by the time he was on the road, I was just doing some serious hating on the story.
I like the potential of this book, but there wasn't enough about Matt to make me care about his journey.
Part of the issue for me was the side story of Matt dealing with his feelings for Shauna. At first, it was okay and lent a certain depth to their relationship. But after the first few chapters, if I heard the word "tits" one more time, I was going to become a road rage statistic (I was listening in my car). The constant inner monologue of "she has tits! I like her tits! I have a hard on because of her tits!" made me just hate both Matt and Shauna so that I lost any investment in where they ended up.
With that in mind, I skipped over whatever was going to happen with Harley. When the scene started out describing how her shorts were so short he could palm them...and he could palm her tits, too, I knew nothing good would come.
I like where the story of TJ went and how it played out, and I think that was a really important story. But by the time I met Curtis, I hated Matt so much--and particularly hated his reaction to Celia and Curtis--that I turned it off there. Matt's reaction felt really out of the blue. There was nothing in the story up to that point to indicate he would react so badly to knowing his brother was gay.
I was also put off by the nasty descriptions of the residents of the hostel. Vegans apparently are dirty, smelly, and flaky. Awesome.
Final nitpick...the location. I couldn't quite place where this was supposed to be taking place, but figured Reading/Lancaster. Which would make a day job in Johnstown seem a little far fetched. Also, not sure where along the PA Turnpike/I-80 one encounters and exit for Williamsburg...Williamsport, maybe. But honestly, by the time he was on the road, I was just doing some serious hating on the story.
I like the potential of this book, but there wasn't enough about Matt to make me care about his journey.
themaddiest's review
4.0
Matt’s brother T.J. was killed in Iraq. His mom’s long gone, his dad’s completely absent emotionally, and Matt feels as though he’s just going through the motions of life. Except for the fights he gets into at school and his best friend Shauna, Matt doesn’t have much that makes him feel anything. When T.J.’s stuff arrives–his personal effects–Matt knows that the answers he’s been looking for are close at hand. The only problem is, how can he get at T.J.’s stuff when his dad won’t let him near it? What he learns about his brother and about himself will change his future–and his present.
E.M. Kokie’s debut novel adds depth and dimension to the growing list of novels about the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. With her tense first-person narration, Kokie brings Matt’s voice completely to life. His world is stifling, and readers will feel Matt’s pain as he struggles to come to terms with the man his brother was–and who he thought he was. Although this is Matt’s story, Kokie does a nice job with some of the supporting characters as well, though Matt’s father never rises above the stereotypical ex-military man.
Excellently paced, wonderfully written, and completely compelling, Kokie doesn’t offer readers easy answers. She also doesn’t lead them to any conclusions. Although Matt’s journey offers him a great deal of healing and hope for his own future, she doesn’t present a totally unrealistic view of what his life will be: he still has to graduate high school under the thumb of his father, after all.
Definitely a stand-out read this year, Kokie’s debut is one that will keep readers up until late into the night. Authentic narration featuring a believable male character makes this a good choice for male readers–but more than a few female readers should eat this one up, too. Highly, highly recommended.
Personal Effects by E.M. Kokie. Candlewick: 2012. Library copy. Read for the 2012 Cybils Round 1 Panel.
E.M. Kokie’s debut novel adds depth and dimension to the growing list of novels about the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. With her tense first-person narration, Kokie brings Matt’s voice completely to life. His world is stifling, and readers will feel Matt’s pain as he struggles to come to terms with the man his brother was–and who he thought he was. Although this is Matt’s story, Kokie does a nice job with some of the supporting characters as well, though Matt’s father never rises above the stereotypical ex-military man.
Excellently paced, wonderfully written, and completely compelling, Kokie doesn’t offer readers easy answers. She also doesn’t lead them to any conclusions. Although Matt’s journey offers him a great deal of healing and hope for his own future, she doesn’t present a totally unrealistic view of what his life will be: he still has to graduate high school under the thumb of his father, after all.
Definitely a stand-out read this year, Kokie’s debut is one that will keep readers up until late into the night. Authentic narration featuring a believable male character makes this a good choice for male readers–but more than a few female readers should eat this one up, too. Highly, highly recommended.
Personal Effects by E.M. Kokie. Candlewick: 2012. Library copy. Read for the 2012 Cybils Round 1 Panel.
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