allyups's review against another edition
5.0
An amazing story told by a goalkeeper in the present while looking back in the past. I loved this book because at points, I forgot that he was only relaying the story and he wasn't really there.
eshugarman's review
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
quietjenn's review against another edition
4.0
Huh. I never expected to like a book about soccer so much. But, probably most books about soccer aren't also ghost stories, eh?
thebooksupplier's review against another edition
4.0
After reading Tamar, and not really liking it, I thought I'd give Mal Peet another chance. Keeper is a great story not only about soccer, but also about giving back and conservationism. It also has an element of the supernatural that lends itself to a Field of Dreams (or Shoeless Joe) connection.
megwingerd's review against another edition
4.0
I don't usually read "sports books," but I have many students who eat, drink, and breathe athletics, and I like to find books that might appeal to them. This interesting novel follows a frame story structure. The outer frame is a conversation between a goalie, El Gato, and a journalist. Inside that frame, the goalie describes how he came to be what many consider the greatest goalie of all time, his humble beginnings in a small, jungle village in South America, and the mysterious and supernatural coach who trained him.
As the reader, I shared the journalist's skepticism about the coach, but it made for a good story. The setting in Ecuador provides some insight into another culture, and El Gato was an inspiring character.
Plot: B
Characterization: A-
Thematic Ideas: B+
As the reader, I shared the journalist's skepticism about the coach, but it made for a good story. The setting in Ecuador provides some insight into another culture, and El Gato was an inspiring character.
Plot: B
Characterization: A-
Thematic Ideas: B+
gothamballer39's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
williamsdebbied's review against another edition
4.0
The story is told as an interview between a South American sports reporter, Paul Faustino, and the World Cup winning soccer goalkeeper, El Gato. Paul expects an ordinary interview focused on El Gato's triumph, but gets much more. El Gato describes his early life living in a small logging town at the edge of the rainforest. He goes on to describe how, one day, before he was known as El Gato, he wandered into a mysterious clearing deep in the rainforest. Once there, he met a ghost who trained him to become the world's best goalkeeper.
Paul can't quite decide if El Gato is crazy or if maybe he's playing a joke. After all, his story can't possibly be true, can it? The fast-paced sports action, combined with the element of mystery keep the pages turning.
The only thread that was left hanging was the environmental message. There was a lot of possibility for this part of the story that was never fully realized. Overall, though, a good read.
Paul can't quite decide if El Gato is crazy or if maybe he's playing a joke. After all, his story can't possibly be true, can it? The fast-paced sports action, combined with the element of mystery keep the pages turning.
The only thread that was left hanging was the environmental message. There was a lot of possibility for this part of the story that was never fully realized. Overall, though, a good read.
madhamster's review
4.0
I don't follow/like soccer - but this book will suck in even sports-haters.
It's a sport book, a coming-of-age, a mystery, an ecological warning, a ghost story, a tale of righting wrongs.
I DID own a copy - lent it someone who thought I'd bought it for them! Vanished - off my bookshelves! - where will I buy another copy for just $5!
It's a sport book, a coming-of-age, a mystery, an ecological warning, a ghost story, a tale of righting wrongs.
I DID own a copy - lent it someone who thought I'd bought it for them! Vanished - off my bookshelves! - where will I buy another copy for just $5!
scaifea's review
4.0
The South American goalkeeper who has just led his team in winning the World Cup tells his life story to the most famous South American sports writer in an exclusive interview, but Paul (the writer) gets so much more than he bargained for in El Gato's story, and the keeper has his own motives for telling all of his secrets.
I honestly didn't think I'd like this book, because I couldn't imagine enjoying any book about any kind of sport. But this one is about so much more than soccer. It combines a deep-set love of the game with a coming-of-age story wrapped in magical realism and with a healthy dose of environmental consciousness. In short, it's a winner.
I honestly didn't think I'd like this book, because I couldn't imagine enjoying any book about any kind of sport. But this one is about so much more than soccer. It combines a deep-set love of the game with a coming-of-age story wrapped in magical realism and with a healthy dose of environmental consciousness. In short, it's a winner.