The Book of Michael by Lesley Choyce
Summary: When Michael gets out of jail after his wrongful conviction for the murder of his girlfriend Lisa, he finds that trying to go back to life as it was is impossible. Even though he has been exonerated, people still believe he is guilty and treat him differently. His struggle to land on his feet is supported by his grandmother Phyllis, the kindness of strangers and the former friends of Lisa, but figuring out what to do next takes some time. A poem from Lisa and letters from the person who really killed her end up giving him some direction.
Number of Pages: 267
Age Range: 16-18
Review: Lesley Choyce is a talented writer. This is the third book I’ve read by him, and the second one on my Marathon of Books list. There is something about the way Choyce’s mind works that intrigues me. He continually puts teen characters in what seem to be extraordinary situations but then writes a reality-based stories about how the situations would play out. It’s rare that a reader feels uplifted at the end of one of his books, but Choyce deserves respect with his logical approach to writing.
His characters are gritty and unapologetically real. When The Book of Michael ended the way it did, I was angry, but Choyce’s build-up was impeccable. Even though I was displeased, I believed Michael would make those choices. I had the same experience with Dumb Luck by Choyce. It is simply the beauty of a Choyce book.
This is a book about how one teen survives being wrongfully convicted of the murder of his girlfriend, but it is also the first teen fiction book I’ve read that features bibliotherapy. Michael’s primary activity while in prison for six months is reading. From F. Scott Fitzgerald to the great Russian novelists to the Bible to the I Ching, he reads it all, looking to find meaning and direction for his life. He learns to identify his feelings of loneliness and his need to connect with others through the stories that he reads, and in the end his empathy and capacity to forgive far exceeds that of many other characters in the book. I loved it.
I would recommend this book for older teen readers with the disclaimer that it is not for those looking for a light read.
Memorable Quotes:
“‘When your grandfather died, Michael, I felt like everything was unfair. It was like there was no justice in the world and there were no rules. I started seeing things differently. It changed me. In some ways I was better off for it.'” – Phyllis from The Book of Michael by Lesley Choyce, page 15
“I understood even then, at sixteen, that sex was a powerful, emotional thing. It was a pleasurable thing and it was a dangerous thing. But if two people were in love, what was to hold them back?” – Michael from The Book of Michael by Lesley Choyce, pages 105-106
“When I was released, some people used the phrase that I could ‘pick up my life where I left off.’ But those words were hollow. It could not possibly work that way. One thing was shattered. Another thing began. What was needed was a new beginning. But that would not be easy.” – Michael from The Book of Michael by Lesley Choyce, page 109
“Reading was this gift that Lisa had given me. Sure, I knew how to read but she had a passion for it. She was already well beyond anything our teachers were teaching us. When it came to reading, she consumed everything. Her words, not mine. But they fit. She’d sample broadly from any book in the library she could get her hands on. She believed in books. I can almost say it was her religion.” – Michael from The Book of Michael by Lesley Choyce, pages 121-122
“Two main motivators, however, the real things that make people want to do it and, for some, actually do it are these. Numero uno. You want out; you want it all to stop, to go away. And number two. You want to manipulate the world; that is, you want revenge, you want to hurt or you want someone to recognize, after your death, the way it really was.” – Michael from The Book of Michael by Lesley Choyce, page 130
“No. My suicide riff was not a cry for help. Humanity’s cry for help began with the first words ever uttered. We want someone or something to save us. We want to be protected. We want to be in a safe place. And we want to be loved.” – Michael from The Book of Michael by Lesley Choyce, page 133
“That was the best I could do to let her know I was going to be okay without her, that I’d find others to help me sort out the painful threads of my life. And I understood that life is about change, it is a book of changes, a book detailing what we find, what we cling to, and what we lose. And then, for those who learn how, we move on.” – Michael from The Book of Michael by Lesley Choyce, page 209
“Something lined up in my head just then. Fitzgerald, Thomas Wolfe, Kazantzakis, something Phyllis had read to me from her I Ching book and more. Some coming together of idea, emotions that had to do with that longing, that loneliness, that hurt that never really goes away. Let’s call it human suffering. But it was attached to something else. The need to connect, sometimes even the need to reach out and help someone else in need. A chill went down my spine and I could not speak.” – Michael from The Book of Michael by Lesley Choyce, page 214
“When you are sixteen, you expect to live forever, you expect that nothing bad will happen to you, no matter how far you push it. You think the adult world is a dull conspiracy of lies, propaganda, rules, and limitations all created to ruin your good times and your oh-so-important explorations of the body, the mind, and the soul.” – Michael from The Book of Michael by Lesley Choyce, pages 222-223
“We know how to accuse and prove guilt and how to convict. But we know so little about the healing process beyond that. And we don’t know how to contain the widening circle of pain caused by the death of someone who is loved.” – Michael from The Book of Michael by Lesley Choyce, page 242
“In talking with Miranda in Woodvale, I began to understand what the old saying meant. There but for the grace of God. Or Fate. Or Luck. Or Circumstance. I grew to understand that a few more steps in the wrong direction and I too could have been a murder.
And here’s the point you don’t want to hear: So could you. So could anyone.” – Michael from The Book of Michael by Lesley Choyce, page 261
The Book of Michael by Lesley Choyce is published by Red Deer Press(2008).
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Way to Go by Tom Ryan
Summary: Seventeen year-old Danny is launched into the summer of 1994 with a new job and a secret that’s becoming increasingly more difficult to hide. Unsure of what he wants to do after senior year, what Danny does know is that he wants to get as far away as possible from the small town mentality of Deep Cove, Cape Breton Island. His summer job at The Sandbar opens up new possibilities and creates new friendships, but it is ultimately Danny who must decide what to do with his life and who is safe to share his secret with.
Number of Pages: 214
Age Range: 15-17
Review: With a cast of authentic characters, Tom Ryan explores the topic of coming out in a small town through his first novel, Way to Go.
There are several aspects of this book that I appreciate. The first is that it is a positive teen book about being gay that doesn’t end up in depression, suicide or a hate crime. Instead, Ryan offers hope and support for Danny, even in the midst of a friend’s homophobic behaviour. Denise, the owner of The Sandbar, is also gay and becomes sort of a mentor for Danny, even though she doesn’t realise she is.
The second is the 90s aspect. Nostalgia at its best, Way to Go‘s 1994 setting manages to stay relevant and relatable for today’s teens while also adding another layer for adult readers. Saying goodbye to a friend with the gift of a mix tape? Classic.
The third is Ryan’s style of writing. I have described his characters as authentic because Way to Go has a realistic feel to it. The conversations between Jay, Kierce and Danny, the scene where Danny freaks out when Lisa says she thinks he is gay, Kierce’s pushing Danny into getting a girlfriend – they all ring true. Ryan has truly tapped into his inner teen to create this book.
Way to Go speaks not only directly to teens coming to terms with being gay, but also to anyone who feels like an outsider. I found in Danny an earnest and insightful character struggling to accept who he is, even though it makes him different than everyone else he knows. And in the end I was happy that he had found some peace in himself and his surroundings.
My favourite character (and part of the book) though has to be Alma, Danny’s precocious little sister. I loved her timely movie quotes and her plucky spirit. Even without the other characters and the depth of the book, Way to Go would be worth reading for Alma alone.
Memorable Quotes:
“If I’d had rules of my own, they would have been more along the lines of, Don’t rock the boat, or, Keep your cards close to your chest. My Golden Rule would have probably been, When in doubt, get scared and clam up. As for Jay, he wasn’t really a ‘rules’ kind of guy. Unless No worries counts as a rule.” – Danny from Way to Go by Tom Ryan, page 2
“‘Well, Michelle thinks I’m queer. And so does Kierce, apparently!’ I turned to him. ‘Do you?’
I wanted him to tell me that he didn’t care either way. That being gay was no big deal.” – Danny from Way to Go by Tom Ryan, page 27
“After I hung up, I lay on my bed and stared at the wall. I’d been listening to people shoot their mouths off about fags and queers and fruits since we were kids. That kind of stupid jock talk was as normal as someone asking you to pass the salt. But this was different. This was personal.” – Danny from Way to Go by Tom Ryan, page 35
“Porn was so stupid. Why the hell would a naked girl on a bicycle need a fur hat?” – Danny from Way to Go by Tom Ryan, page 75
“I knew that in other parts of the world, being gay wasn’t such a big deal. There were gay bars, gay businesses, even whole gay neighbourhoods. There were gay doctors and gay lawyers and gay actors and gay musicians. In big cities like New York and Toronto and San Francisco, there were gay pride parades, full of gay people covered with gay glitter and gay feathers dancing to gay music. Those people looked happy, like they could afford to have fun and be themselves.
But none of that mattered, because none of those people lived in Deep Cove.” – Danny from Way to Go by Tom Ryan, page 89
“I stared at her with no idea what to say. My brain scrambled, trying to find the right words. She made it sound so normal, like being gay was just an everyday thing. I felt my heart drop into my stomach, and I had a powerful urge to tell her everything. My brain immediately fought against it, screaming, No! Tell her she’s wrong! Nobody can know! My brain won.” – Danny from Way to Go by Tom Ryan, pages 112-113
“‘If you know how to cook, you will never go hungry,’ JP said, ‘and you will always have work, wherever you go. The world needs chefs like it needs carpenters. Governments might collapse, and aliens might invade, but people will always want to eat good food.'” – JP from Way to Go by Tom Ryan, page 118
“Cooking created endless possibilities. I began to realize that you could travel the world without leaving your kitchen.” – Danny from Way to Go by Tom Ryan, page 121
“‘There are a lot of ignorant people in the world, but if you can learn to ignore them, then all kinds of other fantastic people start popping up in your life. And some people just end up surprising you. I wish I’d givien my folks the chance to know the real me. Instead, I was so scared that I shut everyone out and ran away. That’s no way to go through life.'” – Denise from Way to Go by Tom Ryan, page 154
“Thick clusters of clouds drifted lazily across the moon, and the tide kept up a steady rushing pulse. Sitting there with the sea air wafting up into my nose, I wondered how I would ever leave this place. For a few moments, it was hard to imagine anywhere more perfect on Earth.” – Danny from Way to Go by Tom Ryan, page 185
“I had all the time in the world to be somebody different, somewhere else. For now, the way I saw it, I was right where I was supposed to be.” – Danny from Way to Go by Tom Ryan, page 214
Way to Go by Tom Ryan is published by Orca Book Publishers(2012).
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Last Summer in Louisbourg by Claire Mowat
Summary: After winning an essay writing contest, fifteen year-old Andrea is offered a chance to work at any Canada Park for the summer. She chooses to go to Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia to work at the historical Fortress of Louisbourg because she was born in the Maritimes and misses being there. Her summer job leads to new friends, a role in a movie production, and the revelation of a long held family secret.
Number of Pages: 147
Age Range: 12-13
Review: The last book in The Girl From Away trilogy, main character Andrea is now fifteen years-old and venturing out to Cape Breton Island to work for the summer at The Fortress of Louisbourg on her own.
In other books, that plot line would make the story alone, but from what I’ve gathered about the other two books in the trilogy, Andrea is pretty independent and has already been on a couple of trips without her mother and step-father. Instead, Claire Mowat mixes mystery, a little romance, movies, and a family secret to create a summer Andrea will never forget.
You don’t have to have read the previous books in the trilogy to enjoy this one because it does stand alone. I did wonder though if reading the whole trilogy would have given the last book more depth for me. Last Summer in Louisbourg can count as teen fiction because Andrea is fifteen herself, but I would recommend it to 12-13 year old or intermediate fiction readers.
Memorable Quotes:
Last night’s rain had dwindled to a mist, out of which, on the far side of the bay, rose a fortress town from another age. Andrea could not take her eyes off the hazy panorama of gleaming slate roofs, tall brick chimneys, soaring spires, and massive grey stone walls. It was hard to believe that what she was seeing was a replica of a town that had stood here on this bleak, windswept peninsula beside the Atlantic Ocean nearly three hundred years ago. It seemed like pure magic to Andrea.” – from Last Summer in Louisbourg by Claire Mowat, page 28
Last Summer in Louisbourg by Claire Mowat is published by Nimbus Publishing (2012).
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Blood Brothers in Louisbourg by Philip Roy
Summary: The stories of two teens interweave in 1700s Louisbourg, located in pre-Cape Breton Island. Jacques has been forced by his military father to leave his home in France to serve at the Fortress of Louisburg, and Two-feathers has encountered the Fortress in a search for his birth father, whom he knows is a Frenchman. Friendship with Celestine is the only connecting link between the two, because neither is aware of the real connection that binds them together. As the war between England and France comes to a head in the New World, Two-feathers must choose between love and duty to his people, while Jacques is freed from his obligations in a tragic way.
Number of Pages: 142
Age Range: 17-18
Review: Jacques’ philosophical views against the war and Two-feather’s Metis status make them both outsiders in Blood Brothers in Louisbourg, and shrewd observers of the war between the French and the English resulting in the fall of the Fortress of Louisbourg. I truly enjoyed both of their perspectives, because being on the outside of a situation allows you to see the whole picture of what is really going on.
Philip Roy’s writing is richly detailed, and it is clear he has done his research on everything from philosophers in the 1700s to Native practices and rituals. Blood Brothers in Louisbourg is a thoughtful, philosophical exploration of the topics of war, personal fulfilment, and finding where you belong that I would recommend to older, dedicated teen readers, as well as readers interested in learning more about Mi’kmaq and Metis.
Memorable Quotes:
“Two-feathers’ greatest skill was moving through the woods with invisibility. This he had learned from his teachers, but also from the animal spirits. To carry invisibility you had to first believe that you were. Them you could cross the snow-covered river leaving no tracks because you had no weight. You could pass through the woods in silence because you made no sound. You could slip between trees unseen because you had no shape and cast no shadow. Only then, when you felt this way, could you move amongst strangers without them seeing you.” – Two-feathers from Blood Brothers in Louisbourg by Philip Roy, page 16
“The fortunes of life, Boethius had written over a thousand years earlier, spun around and around like a wheel. We should never feel too unhappy when things are bad, he said, because the wheel is always turning and they will eventually improve. Similarly, we ought never to get too comfortable when things are good, because the wheel will surely turn down again. I never bothered to mention this philosophy to my father. I didn’t think he would have cared for it.” – Jacques from Blood Brothers in Louisbourg by Philip Roy, page 52
“Watching my father was a little bit like watching a spoiled child who got excited when things went his way but threw a tantrum when they didn’t.” – Jacques from Blood Brothers in Louisbourg by Philip Roy, page 78
“We had become friends. We were about the same age and were both stuck somewhere we didn’t want to be and were just trying to survive it. Music helped us do that.” – Jacques from Blood Brothers in Louisbourg by Philip Roy, page 84
“He spent many hours contemplating this and finally concluded that it was because of her willingness to accept whatever might come her way. It was in this way, in her acceptance of things, that she showed strength, courage and wisdom. Acceptance of things as they were, not how one would like them to be, was the language of the spirits, which could be understood by Mi’kmaq and bluecoat alike.” – Two-feathers from Blood Brothers in Louisbourg by Philip Roy, page 98
“He turned to me. ‘Tell me, Jacques. You have spent a whole year in the New World. Would you describe it as a savage place?’
I thought about it. ‘I suppose so, sir, though the worst savagery I have witnessed here is the savagery of war, and I do believe that we brought it with us.'” – conversation between the captain and Jacques from Blood Brothers in Louisbourg by Philip Roy, page 134
“There was one thing in particular the children wanted to know. The oldest put it into words.
‘Two-feathers, if we are not French, and we are not Mi’kmaq, then who are we?’
Two-feathers took a stick out of the fire and pointed to two stars in the sky. ‘We are some of both,’ he said, ‘and we are neither.’ Then he pointed to a third star burning brightly. ‘We are something new.'” – conversation between the children and Two-feathers from Blood Brothers in Louisbourg by Philip Roy, page 137
Blood Brothers in Louisbourg by Philip Roy is published by Cape Breton University Press (2012).
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Last Chance Bay by Anne Laurel Carter
Summary: Thirteen year-old Meg Christie wants to be a pilot. Unfortunately she lives in 1940s Cape Breton Island where women are expected to get married, have children and keep house while their men work in the coal mines. Inspired by Amelia Earhart and a chance encounter with Beryl Markham, Meg pushes the boundaries of her small town with her dreams, encouraged by her older cousin Caleb and her teacher Miss MacKinnon. When Caleb enlists to fight in WWII, however, Meg is forced to reconsider her dreams in the face of having to take care of her family.
Number of Pages: 169
Age Range: 13-16
Review: As you can see from the number of quotes I’ve included for Last Chance Bay, I like the way Anne Laurel Carter puts things. Carter takes Meg Christie, a young girl in her early teens, and creates a feisty, out-spoken character a reader can connect with no matter what their age. Meg is not afraid to stand up for her dreams and what is right, even though both might be unpopular in the town where she lives.
An inspiring and thoughtful read, Carter takes the lives of workers in the coal mine and contrasts them with the life of an ambitious girl in a traditional town. Both are looking for freedom from difficult circumstances. The story of the pit ponies who work in the mine was especially heart-rending, as I honestly didn’t know ponies worked in coal mines before I read this book. I almost cried when Pangaea had to go back down into the mine after a week up top, and was sad that Meg offered him hope that she knew was false.
Watching Meg grow from a relatively immature girl in love with her older cousin to a mature young woman able to accept the deferment of her dreams for the good of her family was powerful. What I liked best though was Carter finding a way to end the story on a hopeful note, making me believe that maybe, just maybe, Pangaea would find his way to freedom outside of the mine just as Meg found her way to accomplishing her dreams with Caleb’s unexpected help.
I already want to read this book again, it was that good. Recommended for early to mid teens because of Meg’s age, but I think adults will enjoy it too.
Memorable Quotes:
“‘From what I gather, I’m sure I’m nothing like your other teachers. If you learn one thing from me, it will be the spelling of encouragement. Buried within that word is the key to life.'” – Miss MacKinnon from Last Chance Bay by Anne Laurel Carter, pages 20-21
“‘Like it?’ He laughed but looked away. ‘It’s not a place you like. I like the men. And I don’t mind hard work. But the mine? It’s not what I’d thought. Imagine the darkest night when there’re no stars or moon . . . You have to control the panic that starts. Maybe it’s like being blind. No. I think it’s worse. Down there it’s not only dark, it’s under the earth and sky. It’s not our world. It’s suffocating … a suffocating dark.'” – Caleb from Last Chance Bay by Anne Laurel Carter, page 39
“The beginning of June 1944 and the sun felt like an older cousin you had a big, stupid crush on. It shone warm and close, so close you had to warn yourself it would burn you alive if you dared to touch it.” – Meg from Last Chance Bay by Anne Laurel Carter, page 52
“‘Blasphemy!’ Mr. McArthur roared. His face turned brighter than the sun setting behind the tall pines. ‘The world was created in seven days. Just the way it is. What kind of nonsense is that agnostic science-worshipper of a woman feeding you kids? Education from that bit of skirt is going to rot your brains, mark my words. Make you unfit for community and family and church. Might as well send you off to Toronto right now and be done with it.’ His angry red face glared at me, daring me to defy what he declared was right.
I narrowed my eyes. How dare he criticize Miss MacKinnon! ‘I’m dying to see Toronto.'” – conversation between Mr. McArthur and Meg from Last Chance Bay by Anne Laurel Carter, pages 60-61
“Cripes! She sounded as if she believed women were responsible for D-Day! Keep the home fires burning, knit socks, and you too can push back the Third Reich. How could anyone in her right mind compare letter-writing and knitting with the terror of a battle, with being shot at and watching the corpses pile up around you?” – Meg from Last Chance Bay by Anne Laurel Carter, pages 98-99
“I looked at Miss MacKinnon and finally understood why she made my mother uncomfortable. There was no man beside her. She worked outside the home and spoke her own mind.” – Meg from Last Chance Bay by Anne Laurel Carter, page 101
“Up until now I hadn’t understood why passion made a person suffer. I was beginning to understand it now, how it crept up on you, a surprise attack, just before it swallowed your heart whole. Miss MacKinnon had stood up for what she believed in, and Last Chance Bay was going to make her suffer.” – Meg from Last Chance Bay by Anne Laurel Carter, page 122
“I felt as if a bomb had gone off in front of me and ripped off my chest. It wasn’t mine that got him. It wasn’t the tuberculosis. It was the war.” – Meg from Last Chance Bay by Anne Laurel Carter, page 147
“‘I know what you’re afraid of,’ I whispered in his ear. ‘That dark place. I don’t blame you one bit. I wouldn’t want to go back there either.’
I hugged him tight, forcing my eyes to stay dry. ‘You’re got to go, Pangaea. There’s no other way. But you’ll be free one day. You just have to keep hoping you’ll be free.'” – Meg talking to Pangaea, the pit pony from Last Chance Bay by Anne Laurel Carter, page 152
Last Chance Bay by Anne Laurel Carter is published by Penguin Canada (2004).
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Amy Mathers has been passionate about reading from a very young age, and hopes others will share her enthusiasm for funding a teen book award. Read more Follow Amy
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