However, I doubt that I will read the sequel in the fear that it won't be as good.This was a short story which Martin Walker published. Personally I would have liked to have seen a little more in depth characterisation but despite being many decades beyond the book's intended market audience I found it a powerful and moving piece that made me sit up and think, as such I would highly recommend it. The book ended inconclusively despite my fervent hoping that somehow Jerry would gain some sort of reprieve and hating the fact that it had to do so to be realistic. I hated the fact that Cormier felt the need to write it, I hated the fact that the story was realistic and represented real life for some students the world over, I hated the fact that Jerry's ostracization was easy to relate to, I hated the mob-like attitude of the other students, I hated the fact that even the 'good' teachers were willing to intervene, I hated how disturbing the norm was shown to be dangerous and brave but most of all I hated being asked if I would have been strong enough to say 'NO'. I loved the way that it sucked me in, made me think and how I struggled to put it down. I found that I had a love/hate relationship with this book. Jerry is idealistic, Archie is egocentric, Brother Leon is manipulative abusive whilst Goober who is privately supportive of Jerry's choice isn't willing to do so publicly and Carter has a false sense of control.
It features some of the best and worst facets of human nature. The book is relatively short but packs a punch.
This book was first published in 1974 and has spent most of it's time since on the 'top 10 banned books list' in American schools because of it's content, in part sexual (masturbation), in part religious (it is a Catholic school and some of the teachers are good and some are bad) but mainly because it features bullying.
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