Seventeen-year-old Luke has been having more and more accidents lately: ramming his car into the side of a truck while making a left turn, cutting off his dog's tail when he was out chopping wood, almost getting hit by a barge in the middle of the night while in a boat that was out of gas. And then there are the impulsive things he's been doing, like mountain climbing with no safety gear. Luke can't understand why all this is happening, or how to stop it. Is the answer to be found in the here and now, or deep in the buried thoughts of another accident, one from long ago?
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Luke Carver thinks that keeping a journal "sounds like a chick thing." Nonetheless, his English teacher wants him to write a little each day in preparation for the all- important college essay he will have to compose next year. Once he gets going, the 17-year-old doesn't mind writing, and he's pretty good at it, too; a poem he wrote several years ago, "The Falcon," was published in a magazine. His entries initiate a compelling journey of self-discovery. Luke's descriptions of his recent "screw-ups"Ablowing a couple of wrestling meets, wrecking the car several times and leaving the scene of an accidentAseem to flow fast and furiously from his pen, but when his thoughts turn to a bigger crisis, losing his left eye, he stops short. Crossed-out, half-finished sentences provide a less-than- subtle trail of clues to the source of Luke's problems, including the guilt he feels for not living up to his parents' expectations. While Koller's (A Place to Call Home) foreshadowing feels clumsy and contrived, readers will feel the weight of the painful secret Luke has carried for four years, and they can't fail to miss his resemblance to the bird in his poem, who "sits/ with his head sagging down/ and his eyes staring up/ a chain around his leg." Ages 12-up.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Grade 9 UpALuke's English teacher assigns the class a daily journal-writing project. So begins the day-to-day adventures of an athletic and socially active 17 year old. Luke's sarcastic tone colors his entries with teen "attitude." Despite his best efforts, persistent flashbacks hint at his past. Crossed-out entries on random pages intensify readers' interest in what he isn't saying. There are indications that something is wrong with his eyesight. He shares that he has had a number of slight car accidents and has spent some time recovering from surgery, but stifles the details. His parents' apprehension, particularly over his driving, spark his temper. Thrilled and stimulated by physical achievement, he increasingly pushes himself into more reckless and adventurous activities. Finally, a climb up a steep mountain results in an injury to his other eye. This accident, which may leave Luke totally blind, becomes the catalyst for the young man to confront his past. During his studied and cautious disclosure of events, the truth painfully emerges. Readers will be drawn in by the journal technique and empathize with Luke's personal battles. Koller's portrayal of a foolhardy teen who feels invincible and is naive about irreversible consequence is incredibly well drawn. The strength of this novel is Luke's appearance as an ordinary 17 year old, doing the usual high-energy teen stuff. His past seeps out surreptitiously, adding powerful impact to an already interesting life.AAlison Follos, North Country School, Lake Placid, NY
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I only wish there were six stars. I was consumed.,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Falcon (Hardcover)
I picked this book up on a whim b/c I like the cover. The pictured reminded me of (I'll admit it) Squall Leonhart and I was in an FF8 kinda mood. I started reading as soon as I got home and couldn't put it down. My mom stared at me as I sat, utterly consumed, on the couch and she watched my facial expresssions go from one end of the spectrum to the other. This book spoke so truly of the teenage mind and heart that it gave me chills. I found myself thinking of how much of Luke was in me and vice versa. This book is a profound dive into the heart and the utter peak of true-life fiction. My next task is to get my own copy, or the library will never get their's back.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An authentic adolescent voice,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Falcon (Hardcover)
Written as the assigned journal of 17 year old Luke, THE FALCON is a story about the power of lies and the need we all share, at times, to hide from difficult truths. Luke's English teacher assigns the journal that Luke balks at writing. Using an intriguing device of crossed-out text, in which Luke's truth is hinted at over time, Koller writes a convincing portrait of an adolescent whose lie haunts him for four years and whose encounter with the truth, through therapy, is affirming and hopeful. Comments by a school library media specialist.
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