A review by aspenazul
Alan Cole Is Not a Coward by Eric Bell

4.0

Alan Cole is Not a Coward is a touching coming of age novel about a boy who is lost. Lost in his feelings, his family, and his relationships. He hasn’t yet figured out who he is and the person he would like to be. This is common for children his age, however his family is far from decent and his one rule of life is to have no friends because if he had friends his brother would hurt them. One day this all changes for Alan. He finds himself in a competition with his brother, a game he was forced to participate in, may I add. (I won’t go into details) One trial after another, in the span of about a week and a half, he slowly begins to figure himself out. He learns that he is not a coward, how things are for him is not his fault, and it is possible to be happy.

By page one I was captivated by this character. He was likable, awkward, and innocent. The humor was simple, light, and refreshing. It was silly in a way that just took you back to your own middle school era. It was a bit nostalgic at times and I couldn’t help feeling for the characters. (They’re all just so adorable in their own ways!)

Eric Bell did a fantastic job depicting a child of middle school age who is dealing with low self esteem, mental abuse, bullying, his sexuality and the nature of friendship. This novel was a quick, fun read that ended up being a lot deeper then I had originally anticipated. It was a pleasant surprise. We get to view Alan beginning to question the things in his life, especially the people. He gains confidence in his art, his voice, his sexuality, and friendships.

I wouldn’t say this book is perfect. I did have one issue, which I will refer back to later, but first I want to address that this book was great for what it was and I’m judging accordingly. This book is targeted for middle schoolers so for adults reading this book it may seem to lack depth at times or be a bit simplistic or predictable. However, you have to keep in mind this novel was not intended for our age group. So for a book from the view of a middle schooler for a target audience of middle schoolers I personally think it was very well done and something 12 year old me most likely would have found quite enjoyable. If you are looking for a complex and mind provoking novel I would look elsewhere. This is not it. However, I truly encourage reading this book no matter your age because even though it is targeted for children it is still a very enjoyable novel with themes that everybody can take something from. For what it was meant to be and the target audience it is trying to connect to this book did an amazing job. Many middle schoolers most likely could relate to these characters in some ways, heck if I was still in middle school I would probably relate to some things. It depicted the struggles of middle school pretty well and Alan’s personal troubles as well. Go into this book not expecting some grand, eye woking thing and just take it as it is and I guarantee you, you will have a great time.

Now to my issue. At times it seemed as if the author would attempt to redeem the actions of some of his characters and put them into a better light, however, absolutely nothing can justify the actions of these characters. Their actions were horrible. Yet nobody seemed to face any consequences in this book. We see Alan grow exceptionally yet none of the other characters get any mental help or punishment. The only negative thing I have to say about this book is how it dealt with the abuse and bullying situation. In a way it seemed that Bell implied that these issues are just something you have to deal with. You should stand up for yourself but at the same time shrug it off. Of course, this book is told from a 12 year olds perspective and the character most likely didn’t realize just how messed up his situation is, what child would? In this way it was more realistic. However, considering this book is targeted for younger readers I think he could have done a better job at addressing these issues and clearly explaining how this behavior is not okay. It is not something you should and have to deal with. Especially on your own. It is okay to get help.

I felt I needed to point that out because some people may have concerns with how younger children may interpret this. Other then that the premise of the novel was still excellent, it brought up many issues, it was well written, and a great tribute to the beauty of friendship.

This book was an excellent reminder on the importance of friends and standing up for yourself. You have a voice for a reason, to use. Everybody needs a reminder of this at times. Also, your mistakes don’t define you. Everyday is a lesson, so try your best, be yourself and you’ll do okay. These are messages everybody can use, not just middle schoolers.

Even though I am not the intended audience I still thought it was a delightful read. I’d also like to add whoever designed the cover for this novel did a fantastic job. It is absolutely gorgeous.

My favorite line of the book said by the oh so sweet character Zack:

“I’d rather have a hard time being myself then an easy time being someone else”