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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Adolescent Connections, October 7, 2007
Sherman Alexie reaches out to every adolescent who has ever felt isolated, alone, or embarrassed about themselves. The protagonist, Michael (or "Zits") embodies the very essence of adolescent behavior: he lashes out against authority; he seeks acceptance and friendship from a boy that shares similar beliefs; he speaks in a tone and voice that is a perfect replica of most teens today; and, Zits searches for his identity at a point in his life which mirrors when most teens are uncertain of who they are. Each of these important life experiences offer the reader a chance to connect to this dynamic character. The language that Sherman Alexie uses really is sophisticated, relatable and engaging. Zits uses foul language to protect himself. Basically, the language Zits uses serves as a defense mechanism, and in turn, shows his reluctance to open his heart. Zits usually reacts with statements like, "You bet your plopping a** I'm laughing at you," (15) when he wants to avoid conversations or agitate someone. This is by no means the crudest of his language usage, but for this review, I chose to keep it as clean as possible. Check it out to see what other hostile comeback responses Zits responds with. As a future high school English teacher, I am a little reluctant to use this book during the beginning of my career because of the crude language used at times, but I would definitely recommend this book to all tenured teachers who want to share endless conversations about adolescent behavior. For those readers out there that just want to curl up with an engaging quality read, I recommend this book to you as well.
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24 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
In light of recent tragedy, this book is a must read!, April 21, 2007
I have pretty much loved everything that I've read of Sherman Alexie's. He is absolutely brilliant, and his latest work is no exception. I found out about this book from a recent NPR interview with Mr. Alexie and bought it the next day. In a few short days, I was finished with it. I'm not sure that it would have had such a strong impact on me if it hadn't been for the recent incident at VT. Such an event is difficult to make sense of, but reading this book about a person who justifies random murders in his head is eerily similar to what happened. Is killing ever all right? How many things do we justify to ourselves that may be in the scheme of things really unjustifiable? What I was really in need of after something so awful was hope. This book helps give the reader hope that people can change; people can realize their mistakes and undo the brainwashing they have done to themselves. In the end, a little bit of hope goes a long way, and this wonderfully written and insightful book manages to give just that. Please read it!!!
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16 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
"Do you know where we might find this Justice?", October 7, 2007
Flight starts out strong with a narrator, Zits, whose cynicism and penchant for philosophy are dead on for a teenager trying to make sense of the world and of himself. Zits is on a quest for identity, empathy, compassion, and a little wisdom. But first he must come to terms with his desire for revenge against a world that treats him as a problem to be solved rather than a person to be loved. Throughout, Zits is charming, endearing, and funny. However, the moment the time-traveling and body-hopping begins, the book slows to a crawl. Rather than pushing the narrative forward, these devices act as self-contained, motionless lessons about the cyclical nature of violence and the impact of history on the present. Zits is essentially passive through these episodes, with only the smallest ability to exercise his own will while some hidden god-like entity forces information into his eyes and empathy into his heart. Instead of acting to learn about these things on his own, understanding is essentially downloaded into him. And since the narrator is passive throughout all of this, the reader feels passive as well. The story becomes dull. Worst is that the book implies that if the people in our society who are horribly disenfranchised could only understand the historical contexts (both societal and personal) that have made them disenfranchised, they'd stop being so angry and bitter about it, and may try to restart their lives with a new name and a new attitude. This is then topped off when Zits (again as if he's being manipulated by a divine force) lands in a foster home with a family that finally seems like they want to love and take care of him. When this happens, the reader is happy for Zits, and there's no question that this is what Zits deserve, but at the same time it's uncertain whether or not this is something he has earned or achieved, or if he's just gotten lucky. And if it is luck or heavenly will that lands him there, then what is the lesson for people who feel the world, God, and Fate never cut them a break? What does that say about the nature of justice? Still, the book is not awful. It is well written and the pages turn quickly. Anyone (and teenagers in particular) will enjoy and benefit from Zits's philosophizing about everything from the nature of obscenity to the righteousness of revenge.
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