galaxiesofbooks's review
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
wow, what a ride. i picked this book up because i was highly intrigued by it, what with it being a revenge story, and if you know me, you know that i ๐๐๐ค๐ง๐ revenge stories! letโs get into the review:
๐๐๐ค๐ช๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ง๐จโฆ they werenโt really well developed, but i still found myself caring about what happened to our protagonist (i donโt think we ever found out what his name was) and David. iโve seen bullying happen back at my school and itโs not a thing that should be happening whatsoever. some of the characters really pissed me off in this book, but i still donโt think they were fully developed.
๐๐๐ค๐ช๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ง๐๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐จ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ก๐โฆ it was simple, nothing beautiful about it, but really easy to get into. maybe even too simple. if i was to give 5 stars to a book, the writing style is also crucial for me.
๐๐๐ค๐ช๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ก๐ค๐ฉโฆ it was definitely sad what happened in this book, but i do feel like in the last chapters, the author took the easy way out when wrapping up the story. i wonโt say what it was, but i feel like i wanted more from this book. more torment towards the bullies, more meaningful conversations, because it is a topic thatโs really important nowadays too and if weโre writing a revenge story, we want a PROPER revenge story. i felt like i just got a surface of the story when i personally needed the depths.
๐ค๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐ก๐กโฆ i definitely donโt think this was a bad story, i did feel for the characters, but iโm pretty sure iโll forget everything about this book soon lol.
๐๐๐ค๐ช๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ง๐จโฆ they werenโt really well developed, but i still found myself caring about what happened to our protagonist (i donโt think we ever found out what his name was) and David. iโve seen bullying happen back at my school and itโs not a thing that should be happening whatsoever. some of the characters really pissed me off in this book, but i still donโt think they were fully developed.
๐๐๐ค๐ช๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ง๐๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐จ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ก๐โฆ it was simple, nothing beautiful about it, but really easy to get into. maybe even too simple. if i was to give 5 stars to a book, the writing style is also crucial for me.
๐๐๐ค๐ช๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ก๐ค๐ฉโฆ it was definitely sad what happened in this book, but i do feel like in the last chapters, the author took the easy way out when wrapping up the story. i wonโt say what it was, but i feel like i wanted more from this book. more torment towards the bullies, more meaningful conversations, because it is a topic thatโs really important nowadays too and if weโre writing a revenge story, we want a PROPER revenge story. i felt like i just got a surface of the story when i personally needed the depths.
๐ค๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐ก๐กโฆ i definitely donโt think this was a bad story, i did feel for the characters, but iโm pretty sure iโll forget everything about this book soon lol.
mentallyillescapist's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
canemy2k's review
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
vondav's review
5.0
Going to school is hard enough for some teenagers, but if when you are there you are constantly bullied then it is unbearable. This is the case for this young teenager in this story.
Being the new boy is school, he is used to all the stares but when he stands up for David, a quiet lad who was constantly bullied by Piers and his cronies, he became the new target for the bullies.
Written from the main protagonistโs POV, it emphasises what damage the constant bullying has done to him. The story started at the point when he wants to teach the bullies a lesson. Alternating between the present and the past you learn what drove him to breaking point.
As a Mom who has had teenagers through school, my biggest fear was for them to get bullied. Whilst we tell our children to tell us if they are getting bullied you do worry that people will not believe them or the authorities will not act upon it. This story shows the worse in people, students and teachers alike and whilst I cannot condone what he did, I could understand why he did it. These children where regular kids, who had done nothing wrong but to the โITโ crowd they were different and easy targets. The build up to the final scene was intense and my heart was breaking at the end. I would love bullies to read this book and see what damage the name calling and the beatings do to people, but they are bullies so they would not get it.
A great story with some harrowing scenes, a must read for everyone
Being the new boy is school, he is used to all the stares but when he stands up for David, a quiet lad who was constantly bullied by Piers and his cronies, he became the new target for the bullies.
Written from the main protagonistโs POV, it emphasises what damage the constant bullying has done to him. The story started at the point when he wants to teach the bullies a lesson. Alternating between the present and the past you learn what drove him to breaking point.
As a Mom who has had teenagers through school, my biggest fear was for them to get bullied. Whilst we tell our children to tell us if they are getting bullied you do worry that people will not believe them or the authorities will not act upon it. This story shows the worse in people, students and teachers alike and whilst I cannot condone what he did, I could understand why he did it. These children where regular kids, who had done nothing wrong but to the โITโ crowd they were different and easy targets. The build up to the final scene was intense and my heart was breaking at the end. I would love bullies to read this book and see what damage the name calling and the beatings do to people, but they are bullies so they would not get it.
A great story with some harrowing scenes, a must read for everyone
xpressionless's review
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
doinacondrea's review
2.0
This book is not for the faint of heart. I expected to be disturbed and disturbed I was. This story is about a boy who becomes fed up with being relentlessly bullied and sets out to exact revenge. It's chock-full of shocking, stressful events.
mudmule's review
5.0
I enjoyed this story of bullying and a boy's revenge. I suffered some bullying myself so it really hit home. The read is fast and keeps you glued to the book. I gave 4 stars because I was expecting more violence, more graphic content.
5hadow_girl's review
5.0
I am overcome with such emotion right now.
I did not expect this story.
I was expecting a โRAGEโ ยน type of short story. Stephen King pulled every copy of RAGE off the shelves after the massacre at Columbine, and after the recent events at Sandy Hook Elementary, Matt was pondering the same. Pulling this story would be a tragedy.
Every word, from the dedication to the end, holds such raw emotion. I agree with Matt (in the authorโs note) when he says that violence is not the answer, but who hasnโt been driven to their absolute limit before? You want so badly for the pain to stop.
THE 8TH is written in first person narration.
Itโs about a boy, starting off in a yet another new school, after just moving again due to the fathers job. Another new school - the same old problems. He meets and quickly makes friends with David, another boy whose life is being made a living hell by the schools group of D bags. Meeting David awakens something in him. He can no longer just sit back and be bullied, and he canโt watch it happen to his friend either. The school wonโt stop things, parents never realize how bad things are. Itโs a story of sadness, of hurt, and of revenge. But, in keeping with Mattโs style - donโt fool yourself into thinking you know where this story is going. Right when you think you know where you are, he shoves the blindfold over your eyes, spins you around a couple times, and shoves you in the opposite direction.
NOVA - Network Of Victim Assistance - 800-675-6900
National Suicide Prevention Lifelike - 800-723-TALK (8255)
I did not expect this story.
I was expecting a โRAGEโ ยน type of short story. Stephen King pulled every copy of RAGE off the shelves after the massacre at Columbine, and after the recent events at Sandy Hook Elementary, Matt was pondering the same. Pulling this story would be a tragedy.
Every word, from the dedication to the end, holds such raw emotion. I agree with Matt (in the authorโs note) when he says that violence is not the answer, but who hasnโt been driven to their absolute limit before? You want so badly for the pain to stop.
THE 8TH is written in first person narration.
Itโs about a boy, starting off in a yet another new school, after just moving again due to the fathers job. Another new school - the same old problems. He meets and quickly makes friends with David, another boy whose life is being made a living hell by the schools group of D bags. Meeting David awakens something in him. He can no longer just sit back and be bullied, and he canโt watch it happen to his friend either. The school wonโt stop things, parents never realize how bad things are. Itโs a story of sadness, of hurt, and of revenge. But, in keeping with Mattโs style - donโt fool yourself into thinking you know where this story is going. Right when you think you know where you are, he shoves the blindfold over your eyes, spins you around a couple times, and shoves you in the opposite direction.
NOVA - Network Of Victim Assistance - 800-675-6900
National Suicide Prevention Lifelike - 800-723-TALK (8255)
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