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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Simple, Boring, Unrealistic, December 27, 2008
This review is from: Joseph (Hardcover)
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I was disappointed by Shelia P. Moses' YA book, Joseph, for several reasons.
For one thing, Moses - in a failed attempt to capture the voice of young, Joseph -- writes in a stilted manner with a frustrating and unnatural lack of contractions. It's annoying to read, and Joseph sounds far younger than his fifteen years.
Also, I went into this expecting to read a true-to-life tale about a teenage boy in the inner-city struggling to keep his head above water while drowning in abject poverty and parental neglect. But this isn't that story. Joseph's parents are college-educated, he has a loving, attentive extended family, and so much more opportunity than most kids in his position. And yet, Joseph's drug-addicted mother gets to retain custody of him, in spite of the fact that several relatives in much better circumstances want more than anything to take him in.
Worst of all, the book ends abruptly and without any real sense of finality. It felt completely arbitrary.
I understand Ms. Moses is an award-winning author, but this book fails to move in almost every way.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
One Boy's Struggles, October 28, 2008
This review is from: Joseph (Hardcover)
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
"Joseph" is a YA novel that is unusual in the portrayal of the young man's strong, loyal, good father, a soldier deployed to Iraq. The boy lives with his crack-addicted, slovenly, selfish mother. He is constantly betrayed by her, humiliated by her, and yet, she is his mother,and he loves her. Joseph is a good kid in a very bad situation.
It's a nice touch that Joseph does not have the aspiration to play basketball, but tennis, like Arthur Ashe! The references to the tennis matches could have been more developed and suspenseful.
The dialogue is somewhat stilted, and the majority of characters act in set patterns and roles. Nevertheless, the need for Joseph to find safety and love is a good journey.
This book would probably appeal to grades 5-8, but there is mention of prostitution and unwanted pregnancies that might make parents somewhat leery, depending on their child's level of sophistication. I personally will seek out other books by Sheila Moses, especially her YA book on Dred Scott.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Well written and a part of todays living., December 30, 2008
This review is from: Joseph (Hardcover)
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The sadness and privation of certain groups of people is a very sad topic. A 15 year old child is the father to an extent with his simple wants of a complete family and a normal life makes this book utterly compelling and is a mark on our society that lets this go on without batting an eyelid - the same Government that spends billions on a wasted mars probe when money could be spent improving the lives of the forgotten.
Although this is a novel, it could be a biography because this happens everyday and is a black mark on society.
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