A review by poachedeggs
The Last Summer of the Death Warriors by Francisco X. Stork
3.0
I loved [b:Marcelo In The Real World|3700085|Marcelo In The Real World|Francisco X. Stork|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1230930906s/3700085.jpg|3743599] by Francis X. Stork and had high expectations for his new YA novel. I think he can capture the awkward male adolescent voice in a really unique way - in 'Marcelo', through the perspective of a young man with Asperger's syndrome, and here, through the perspective of a 17-year-old on the verge of giving up on himself and turning rotten to the core. Both Marcelo and Pancho are Mexican-Americans too, and I just don't remember having read many books about this significant ethnic group in America.
'The Last Summer' has an interesting premise: it is about Pancho (already introduced), whose parents have died, and whose sister has just, he thinks, been killed by someone. He has been turned over to the care of the state, who has placed him in a monastery/ religious haven in Las Cruces, where he has assigned to take care of D.Q., a boy his age. D.Q. has brain cancer.
D.Q. is also writing a manifesto - the manifesto of what he calls 'the Death Warriors'. It is more philosophical than religious, and despite looking rather cheesy at first glance, is pretty profound.
This isn't really a happily-ever-after story, and Pancho's voice remains authentically distant and 'macho' for most of the novel. There are some sudden bursts of violence - interesting because they are quite dispassionately recounted by Pancho.
I wish I could give this novel four stars but I do think there is something a little flat about the whole narrative. I just can't pinpoint if it's the pacing (a bit on the slow side?) or the rather confusing legal struggles and relationship between D.Q. and his very wealthy mother. I still think it is a fantastic book for young adults though, especially boys who find themselves in need of a little spiritual succor.
'The Last Summer' has an interesting premise: it is about Pancho (already introduced), whose parents have died, and whose sister has just, he thinks, been killed by someone. He has been turned over to the care of the state, who has placed him in a monastery/ religious haven in Las Cruces, where he has assigned to take care of D.Q., a boy his age. D.Q. has brain cancer.
D.Q. is also writing a manifesto - the manifesto of what he calls 'the Death Warriors'. It is more philosophical than religious, and despite looking rather cheesy at first glance, is pretty profound.
This isn't really a happily-ever-after story, and Pancho's voice remains authentically distant and 'macho' for most of the novel. There are some sudden bursts of violence - interesting because they are quite dispassionately recounted by Pancho.
I wish I could give this novel four stars but I do think there is something a little flat about the whole narrative. I just can't pinpoint if it's the pacing (a bit on the slow side?) or the rather confusing legal struggles and relationship between D.Q. and his very wealthy mother. I still think it is a fantastic book for young adults though, especially boys who find themselves in need of a little spiritual succor.