Search This Blog

2024 Bookish Books Reading Challenge (Hosted by Yours Truly)

My Progress:


32 / 30 books. 107% done!

2024 Literary Escapes Challenge

- Alabama (1)
- Alaska (1)
- Arizona (1)
- Arkansas (1)
- California (9)
- Colorado (1)
- Connecticut (2)
- Delaware (1)
- Florida (2)
- Georgia (2)
- Hawaii (1)
- Idaho (2)
- Illinois (4)
- Indiana (4)
- Iowa (1)
- Kansas (1)
- Kentucky (1)
- Louisiana (1)
- Maine (1)
- Maryland (1)
- Massachusetts (3)
- Michigan (1)
- Minnesota (2)
- Mississippi (1)
- Missouri (1)
- Montana (1)
- Nebraska (1)
- Nevada (2)
- New Hampshire (1)
- New Jersey (1)
- New Mexico (1)
- New York (9)
- North Carolina (4)
- North Dakota (1)
- Ohio (3)
- Oklahoma (2)
- Oregon (2)
- Pennsylvania (2)
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina (1)
- South Dakota (1)
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (4)
- Utah (2)
- Vermont (2)
- Virginia (2)
- Washington (3)
- West Virginia (1)
- Wisconsin (1)
- Wyoming (1)
- Washington, D.C.* (2)

International:
- Argentina (1)
- Australia (2)
- Bolivia (1)
- Canada (3)
- China (2)
- England (21)
- France (1)
- Ghana (1)
- India (1)
- Indonesia (1)
- Ireland (4)
- Italy (1)
- Poland (1)
- Russia (1)
- Scotland (3)
- The Netherlands (1)

My Progress:


51 / 51 states. 100% done!

2024 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

My Progress:


49 / 50 books. 98% done!

2024 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge


36 / 50 books. 72% done!

Booklist Queen's 2024 Reading Challenge

My Progress:


52 / 52 books. 100% done!

2024 52 Club Reading Challenge

My Progress:


50 / 52 books. 96% done!

2024 Build Your Library Reading Challenge

My Progress:


36 / 40 books. 90% done!

2024 Pioneer Book Reading Challenge


18 / 40 books. 45% done!

2024 Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge

My Progress:


26 / 25 cozies. 104% done!

2024 Medical Examiner's Mystery Reading Challenge

2024 Mystery Marathon Reading Challenge

My Progress


22 / 26.2 miles (3rd lap). 84% done!

Mount TBR Reading Challenge

My Progress


41 / 100 books. 41% done!

2024 Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge

My Progress:


97 / 109 books. 89% done!

Around the Year in 52 Books Reading Challenge

My Progress


52 / 52 books. 100% done!

Disney Animated Movies Reading Challenge

My Progress


130 / 165 books. 79% done!

The 100 Most Common Last Names in the U.S. Reading Challenge

My Progress:


83 / 100 names. 83% done!

The Life Skills Reading Challenge

My Progress:


10 / 80 skills. 13% done!
Monday, January 03, 2011

What Looks Like A Compelling Novel, Acts Like A Compelling Novel And Is A Compelling Novel?

(Image from Indiebound)

Losers like Micheal, Tommy, Mixer, and Bones don't get respect. If they're not being completely ignored, they're being eyed with suspicion. They look like thugs, they act like thugs, they are, for all intents and purposes, thugs. Except for weird Mr. Haberman, no one expects them to care about school. It's obvious they probably won't be graduating high school, let alone applying to Harvard. But Haberman calls them "gentlemen," asks questions like he might actually get answers, and takes great pains to teach them remedial English. The guy's strange, for sure.

It's not until Tommy goes missing that Micheal, Mixer and Bones start looking at their English teacher in a whole new light. Haberman's always been odd, but he's been taking it to whole new levels lately. Could he have had something to do with Tommy's disappearance? Why is he assigning Crime and Punishment now and why does every lecture he gives on the book seem to have a double meaning? Is he trying to send Tommy's friends some kind of message?

Fifteen-year-old Micheal Benton (who's so screwed up his name isn't even spelled right) is determined to figure out what happened to Tommy. The kid may have been a loser, but Micheal's not about to let anyone - especially a teacher - get away with murdering his friend. He's got a plan, but when that plan goes horribly awry, Micheal finds himself trapped in his own escalating drama. What happened to Tommy? Who will pay for what happened because of him? And, most importantly, what will become of the boys Mr. Haberman always called 'gentlemen'?

Gentlemen, the first novel by Michael Northrop (author of the recently-released Trapped), is a gritty mystery told in the frank, authentic voice of a compelling anti-hero. Since Micheal cares so little about what happens to himself, I really shouldn't have either. And yet, I did. His tightly-woven, fast-paced story kept me enthralled, despite its chilling rawness. Although I wouldn't hand this book to anyone under 16, it would make a perfect pick for reluctant readers. It's a dark, riveting story, filled with complex characters who crawl right under your skin. Gentlemen's not exactly light, fluffy reading, but it is taut, hypnotic and enthralling. Thugs and all.

(Readalikes: Reminded me of Lockdown by Walter Dean Myers)

Grade: B

If this were a movie, it would be rated: R for language (no F-bombs), violence, sexual content and depictions of underrage smoking, drinking and criminal activity

To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of Gentlemen from the generous folks at Scholastic. Thank you!

6 comments:

  1. I read this one a few weeks back and have to say I didn't enjoy it as much as I was hoping. It was well written but I just couldn't connect with it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Loved, loved, loved this book. And just wrote about his new one today, coincidentally!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Picked this up because of that interesting cover, and very glad I did. Very sinister, and dark. I really enjoyed it. I have Trapped on my TBR.

    Great review!

    ReplyDelete
  4. First of all, I love your subject line. So original!

    I've heard so much good stuff about this one, I think I'm going to have to pick it up eventually despite the fact that the plot line doesn't necessarily immediately appeal to me.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Loved this one! And here's the story behind that gripping cover:

    http://www.melissacwalker.com/blog/2009/03/cover_stories_gentlemen_by_mic.html

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oops, needed a shortener for that link:
    http://su.pr/2gSEqL

    ReplyDelete

Comments make me feel special, so go crazy! Just keep it clean and civil. Feel free to speak your mind (I always do), but be aware that I will delete any offensive comments.

P.S.: Don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away. I have to approve each one before it posts to prevent spam. It's annoying, but it works!

Blog Widget by LinkWithin


Reading

<i>Reading</i>
Dumb Witness by Agatha Christie

Listening

<i>Listening</i>
The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth



Followin' with Bloglovin'

Follow

Followin' with Feedly

follow us in feedly



Grab my Button!


Blog Design by:


Blog Archive



2024 Reading Challenge

2024 Reading Challenge
Susan has read 0 books toward her goal of 200 books.
hide

2024 - Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction

2024 - Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction

2023 - Middle Grade Fiction

2023 - Middle Grade Fiction

2022 - Middle Grade Fiction

2022 - Middle Grade Fiction

2021 - Middle Grade Fiction

2021 - Middle Grade Fiction

2020 - Middle Grade Fiction

2020 - Middle Grade Fiction