Customer Reviews

Joseph

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

"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.

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.

No one came into this world on their own. We each had a mother. Some mothers are good . . . and some are horrible. Shelia P. Moses has penned a poignant novella - "Joseph" - in which the title character personally describes the horrors of living with a mother who is a crackhead. Well written and very emotional, this novella is a page turner. The reader will feel Joseph's shame, fear and disappointment as he desperately tries to prevent his friends at his new upper middle-class high school from discovering his secrets: his mother is addicted to drugs and they live in a homeless shelter. Joseph Flood wants more than anything to live a normal life.

As tragic as Joseph's life may appear, there are ghetto children whose lives are much worse. At least Joseph has a father who loves him even though he is deployed in Iraq. At least he has a wealthy aunt and uncle who also love him and keep attempting to rescue him from his self-destructive mom. There are many children whose moms are addicted to drugs, they don't know who their fathers are, and they don't have a loving support system of relatives. "Joseph" is not the gritty, realistic novella that it could have been. However, one must realize that it is written for young adults. The language is non-offensive but drug usage is plentiful.

Reading "Joseph" made me appreciate that I have always had a loving, caring mom. Perhaps it was Shelia P. Moses' goal for young adults to read her novella and give thanks for the good parents with which the Lord blessed them. "Joseph" will make a fine present for any avid young reader. I found it as emotionally hard hitting as some of the ones I read as a teenager such as "Sarah T. - Portrait of a Teenage Alcoholic" and "Go Ask Alice." I even recommend it for adults. Their problems will seem so trivial after reading about Joseph's.

I enjoyed this read about a young boy who is dealing with his drug-addicted mother, but it was disturbing to think about all the other boys (or girls) who can relate to this tale. Considering I have known women who were addicted to drugs, his mother's attitude was all too familiar and irritating. The characters were easy to picture, and I like how Joseph went against the grain of the basketball playing boy from the hood to someone who wanted to do something different--tennis.

Cons: The book was an easy read and the dialogue (for the most part) was realistic, although every blue moon, I'd find some conversations that were just a little too proper for the speakers (ex. "I want you now and I have always wanted you, my son," was said by the father). Lines like that sound like a Karate Kid movie. I can't see his father referring to him as such a formal title "my son" unless he was speaking to someone else about him.

Joseph is a good kid experiencing a lot of trials and tribulations in life due to his mother being an addict. A simple and straightforward tale this is a good book for young people age 9 - 14 or so, but not intriguing enough to hold the attention of many much older.

Joseph Flood has lived a very tough and miserable life. Unlike most kids, whom are accustomed to having a home, a stable mom, and the ability to be involved fully in school, Joseph, age 15, is homeless and trying to help a mother whose addiction for crack clearly outweighs her parenting.

Despite all of the people in his life whom love him and want to help him, Joseph can't bear to leave his mom on her own. Homelessness, hunger, ruined credit, drugs and too many tears to count, JOSEPH is a very quick, simple but disheartening read. I love that Joseph is still, despite his mom's abuse, naïve, loving and trying very hard. My only complaint is that the story reads a lot younger than I thought it should for a 15-year-old male. Still, JOSEPH is an easy book to recommend to others.

3.5

Joseph Flood is in the prime of his teenage life. He is a great student and aspires to be great tennis player. On the outside it would appear that he has a pretty good life. But it is far from that. Joseph struggles to conceal the fact that he has a mother addicted to drugs. But with ehr loud outburst and being known around town for doing anything for drugs, it becomes a losing battle. It does not help that his father is called away to Iraq. His Aunt tries to step in and care for Joseph, but he doe not want to just leave his mother alone.

Will his mother realize she may be ruining her son's life and get clean? Will his father return home and take care of him?

Joseph would be a great read for young adults. The story is real and sometimes heartbreaking. It's the story of persistence. It tells children that you have to stay in school and pursue your dream. No matter what. Do not let anything or anyone hold you back. Even if it is your own mother.

Donnica Copeland
Sista Talk Book Club

This is a review written by a teacher who has been working with reluctant readers since 1997. As other reviewers have pointed out, the book is simplistic, predictable. Where I depart with other reviewers is that I think this book is sometimes charming, often touching.

The book is about a boy who lives with his drug-addicted, welfare-dependent mother. Meanwhile his father, who truly cares about his son, is fighting in Iraq. As his mother continually gets herself into trouble, Joseph, the boy, struggles with the conflict between his desire for a better life and his attachment to his mother.

Although the book is indeed simplistic in content and style, it seems realistic, and it has its moments. Reading it reminds me of reading a student's essay (after a thorough job of editing). For an adult, it is a brief read, more like a short story than a novel. To a reluctant reader, its brevity and simplicity will feel encouraging. Though it probably will not win any awards, I plan on recommending this to my students.

Joseph is the story of a boy who's mother is an addict and use to putting her own needs before that of her son. Joseph is good in school and loves to play tennis.

The plot is fairly predictable- boy struggles with embarrassment of having an addict for a mother. He struggles with the love for his mom vs the love for himself. Eventually an Aunt comes to his rescue giving him a place to stay while his father serves in Iraq and his mom continues her downward spiral.

Not only is the story predictable but the cadence of the book is far too simplistic considering the point of view is told from a 15 year old living in a homeless shelter. This took away from the story for me because I felt like it was purposely dumbed down, even keeping in mind that the audience this book is aimed at is tweens and teens.

Still the story has a somewhat positive and hopeful ending, so I am giving it three stars.